That's how it happens, livin life by the drop.

You know, right now, the most important thing in my life is to make sure you understand that, first of all, I thank God I'm alive today, and I mean that. You see, I spent too many years of my life thinking that the big party was the whole thing.

I was taught to think the next week or month or year will only get better than it is today. So I just keep waiting to see how great it will get!

Some people don't understand that but it's nice when it really just gets to the point then that it [music] doesn't get played so much that you're overdoing a lot of things; that it's fresh ideas. And they come out fresh and if you're already in the mode, I guess, to simplify some things so that it comes across better on record, it's the right time to be tasteful with somethin'.

I've put my life back together, but it's all a growing process and that's neat, too, because if you stop growing, what good is it musically? So that is what I am looking forward to - growing. In some ways, I felt stagnant in my life and it showed.

But between sets I'd sneak over to the black places to hear blues musicians. It got to the point where I was making my living at white clubs and having my fun at the other places.

All the Strats have personalities of their own and feel completely different.