My existence went up about 12 levels of intensity.

From 1958 to 1964, that's real rock n' roll. Then the Beatles hit and everyone sounded like them.

Half the time I feel like I'm appealing to the downer freaks out there. We start to play one downer record after another until I begin to get down myself. Give me something from 1960 or something; let me get up again. The music of today is for downer freaks, and I'm an upper.

I taught myself to tune in to another persons wavelength, figure out what they were looking for, and try to project that thing back at them.

I think the acts today get too much money. I really do. They wind up blowing it all anyway. It's silly to give children that much money.

I started out as an opportunistic renegade. By now, I've lasted long enough to become sort of an American Original Respectable Renegade.

I never prayed for no money, and I never prayed for no fame. I said, 'I'll take care of that myself. You just keep me healthy and I'll do all I can to try to turn people around, to try to steer 'em in the right direction.' That's the whole trip in life, ya know.