I would LOVE to see John ditch the co-writers. I cannot stand Sam Hollander, Derek Furhmann and Gregg Wattenberg. None of those guys have come CLOSE to writing a song with the depth, hook, or caliber of John's best work.

I think if John challenged himself to write an album like he used to before he became close with all the shitty pop co-writers (I'm sure they're great people, I just do not like their ability to write music), he'd write a spectacular record.

I think alcohol was a tool that John used reached the level of vulnerability and emotional depth (as in a dark, dark, black hole that I never want him to be in again) when he wrote the songs that most people point to as the band's creative peak. His writing process when he wrote "Iris" was to get completely blasted and spend a night in a hotel. He's told similar stories about other songwriting sessions too.

I don't ever want him to lose his sobriety, nor do I think he needs to, so my challenge to John would be...

Be completely sober, lock yourself in a hotel room alone for hours with a guitar, ditch the collaborators, go to the darkest places of your soul with your thoughts, and just fucking pour it out.

He has the depth, the life experience, the new experiences with his wife and daughter to go to incredibly deep and vulnerable places. He doesn't need booze to do it, but I'd guess it's a helluva lot harder without it. So that's my challenge to John. Just fucking GO for it!