Listening to as many guitar solos as possible is the best method for someone in the early stages. But saxophone solos can be helpful. They're interesting because they are all single notes, and therefore can be repeated on the guitar. If you can copy a sax solo you're playing very well, because the average saxophonist can play much better than the average guitarist.

The only way you can get good, unless you're a genius, is to copy. That's the best thing. Just steal.

Ian Gillan, Roger Glover and I wanted to be a hard rock band - we wanted to play rock and roll only.

One of the reasons I took up the guitar was I didn't want to speak to anybody. I really felt uncomfortable speaking to people, so I took the guitar up so I could hide behind it. I'm not comfortable explaining things, because my brain doesn't work that way.

I was impressed by Hendrix. Not so much by his playing, as his attitude - he wasn't a great player, but everything else about him was brilliant.

When you've toured for about 10 years like me, you end up feeling like you're always waiting for somebody or something. The whole day is a drag

I was impressed by Hendrix. His attitude was brilliant. Even the way he walked was amazing.