I had a wonderful time with the Stones but after 31 years, I thought it was time to move on.

I'm not a musician, I just play bass.

I'm always shy in front of an audience, so I'm always at the back, in the shadows, just doing it. I don't like the front, the adulation.

If you are any competent musician, if you have creative ideas, ideas of songs, of arrangements, in a band like the Stones, where these 2 people do all the things, there is no freedom.

I always got great respect as a bass player.

When I record in a studio I don't use an amp. I go directly into the board, so I can get that very fat, full sound - which is my favorite sound.

I am much more my own man than I was when I was with the Stones.