When you're thirteen and listening to punk, the aggressive nature of music can sway you to the dark side.

I love to play music. So why endanger that with something like drugs?

All I really had was a suitcase and my drums. So I took them up to Seattle and hoped it would work.

To women, drummers seem like these adorable, sexy Neanderthals, and lead singers seem mysterious and dangerous. So while the lead singers all want to be David Bowie, floating into parties and being the center of attention, it's the drummers who are in the corner doing keg stands and breaking tables. Usually it's the drummers who get the fun-loving ladies and the singers who get the nutcases.

There's something about pulling out a real tape from a shelf and looking at it and knowing that 'Everlong' is on it, or 'Best of You' is on it, and it's really special.

The best time for gum is just before getting onstage. I need a minty-fresh microphone.

CBGB represents a lot to New York City and to underground rock and to new wave and post-punk and whatever. But, you know, it's like tearing down the Jefferson Memorial or something.