I was in my late 20s, in the process of shaping my musical outlook and what I wanted it to be about, when I first encountered Woody Guthrie.

I wouldn't be windmilling a Fender Telecaster if it weren't for Pete Townshend.

Well now I'm no hero, that's understood. All the redemption I can offer girl, is beneath this dirty hood. With a chance to make it good somehow, hey what else can we do now? Except roll down the window, and let the wind blow back your hair. Well the night's busting open, these two lanes will take us anywhere. We got one last chance to make it real.

I heard a political message in rock music. A liberation message. A message of freedom. I heard it in Elvis' voice.

If they had told me I was the janitor and would have to mop up and clean the toilets after the show in order to play, I probably would have done it.

I would rather feel the hurt inside, yes I would darling, than know the emptiness that your heart must hide.

I was lucky I survived the motorcycle accident because I - bike went under the car. I flew out about 20 or 25 feet. I didn't have a helmet on. I hit my head on the pavement and knocked myself out, gave myself a brain concussion, screwed up my left leg. And I was - I was lucky then that I didn't get killed because I didn't have any protective clothing on whatsoever. And I took a pretty good beating. But, yeah, such was the nature of the day when the barber was called and Samson's locks were trimmed.