I got a lot of paradoxes in my life. I guess I'm a real confused person, but there are some focused parts to my life now, and I'm slowly trying to put all the pieces back together.

Your sound is in your hands as much as anything. It's the way you pick, and the way you hold the guitar, more than it is the amp or the guitar you use.

Well there's floodin' down in Texas. All of the telephone lines are down. Well, I've been tryin' to call my baby, Lord, and I can't get a single sound.

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.

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'.

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.

I actually wanted to be a drummer, but I didn't have any drums.