It's always funny to me when people use the phrase 'Best guitar player in the world'. There are too many variables such as technique, uniqueness, emotional investment in the notes, etc. But If I had to pick one, it would be Tommy Emmanuel. Watching him perform can be a study in artistic and virtuosic human achievement.

I don't think I approach my songs differently from other artists. You get a big picture of it, and you imagine the song and hear and feel it, and that big picture is like a snapshot, and it comes to you as fast as it takes to click a camera.

If you want to play something that you can't, you need to see and hear yourself doing it in your minds eye. It will start to happen

I have a deep love for life and my fellow human beings. I try to understand everything that everybody does, even if it seems wrong to me.

I'm always pursuing knowledge; I'm a seeker of spiritual equilibrium - and music is a big part of that.

As far as Deep Purple goes, I mean, they're iconic. Their contribution is unquantifiable, and as far as the politics involved in things like awards, you know, I don't think anything, because I know what they mean to me, and I know what they mean to the people who like them. Awards are very politically based.

Besides being a guitar player, I'm a big fan of the guitar. I love that damn instrument.