Buddy Rich was one of the most incredible technicians in the world, on this planet, but the only people he could really impress, who knew what he was doing was another musician or another drummer.

The kids called me King of the Surf Guitar. I surfed sunup to sundown.

My uncle gave me a trumpet, but I loved the Louis Armstrong sound and the Harry James sound and I played by ear and I played always soulful or very direct from the gut.

People just loved the sound because I kept it simple.

I can play every instrument there is, every horn, I've played all the saxes and trumpets and everything and keyboards.

Jimi was a good guy 'til he got into drugs. That's the way it is. I just tell it like it is.

Every song is like a painting.