We might think that we're really intellectual and we're going to check out the library to research the meaning every time somebody puts out a new record. It's still primitive stuff. It's the same now as it was at the beginning. It's no different now. Rock 'n' roll is spirit music-it's just coming through people.

Once in a blue moon someone like you comes along.

I learnt from Armstrong on the early recordings that you never sang a song the same way twice.

As a developing musician, skiffle became a platform for me to start playing music.

I just can't stand it [jazz/rock]. It just doesn't sound right to me. It doesn't hit me...it doesn't get me...it just doesn't grab me.

I went back to Belfast and started a club, the Maritime. No one had thought about doing a blues club, so I was the first.

When I started out in this business, I was a performer before I was a songwriter, I was a performer before I was recording. Performing is the roots. That's where it all came from. You didn't start out doing it because you wanted to make an album.