I would be a liar if I said it wouldn't be lovely and soothing - that's the word - to have a hit single or a hit album.

Because obviously the whole purpose of putting records out is purely and simply to make money.

Buddy Rich is one of a kind; he's a genius, and that's all there is to it.

But, in fairness to them, too, the popular song per se is really a pretty shallow medium to perform in.

It may sound a bit like an army barracks, but the truth of the matter is: there must be some time laid aside for arranging, time for working on either a book or an article - I've written two articles in the last four months for the New York Times book review section.

As Buddy Rich, for instance, broke into the business at the age of three, I think it was, on drums, so indeed did I break into the business at the age of four as a singer.

I want to sing for the broadest possible audience.