So far I've been very, very fortunate because it appears that people like to hear the music I like to play. What more fortunate position can a musician be in?

You know what you can gain when you sit down with the Moroccans. As a person and as a musician. That's how you grow.

You never knew what was going to happen in concert. It was a really exciting prospect to go onstage, and you can hear that in the live recordings ... wherever we were and whatever year it was, we always went onstage determined to do our best.

There was no working title for the album. The record-jacket designer said `When I think of the group, I always think of power and force. There's a definite presence there.' That was it. He wanted to call it `Obelisk'. To me, it was more important what was behind the obelisk. The cover is very tongue-in-cheek, to be quite honest. Sort of a joke on 2001. I think it's quite amusing.

My finger picking is sort of a cross between Pete Seeger, Earl Scruggs, and total incompetence.

There's a very old recording maxim that goes, 'Distance makes depth.' I've used that a hell of a lot-whether it's tracking guitars or the whole band. People are used to close-miking amps, but I'd have a mic out around the back, as well, and then balance the two. Also, you shouldn't have to use EQ in the studio if the instruments sound right. You should be able to get the right tones simply with the science of microphone placement.

I'm still searching for an angel with a broken wing. It's not very easy to find them these days.