With all due respect to the world's great drummers - it ain't brain surgery.
You have to break your fingers to learn how to play guitar.
I think Jerry Lee is sad. As a musician, he was far more talented than Elvis Presley. Everybody down in Memphis knows that. Elvis became a movie star because he was beautiful. Not that Elvis wasn't talented, but Jerry Lee Lewis was incomprehensibly talented as a musician.
I always loved those songs. And with my high tenor, I thought I was pretty good - you know? - almost as good as Dennis Day.
I'd love to write a song that someone else sings that can actually sing really well.
I've never been much of a guitarist. I mean, I've played forever, but I was always more of a rhythm kind of guy. I don't read music.
The Beatles were raw musically, but I think they really had something.
Everyone tried to be a singer other than just a player. We had four voices in The Moody Blues.
I've never considered myself a rapper. I know how to do it. I know how to make my voice project, and I know how to stay on beat and what have you, but I've never considered myself a rapper.
When I was 3 years old, I was playing banjo on a country music TV show.
I'm kind of a one-note at a time, one finger keyboard player.
I don't have any legato skills; I could never figure out how to roll the notes off.
I've always told the musicians in my band to play what they know and then play above that. Because then anything can happen, and that's where great art and music happens.
I can play rhythm guitar. I know how to hold a guitar and strum it.
The best practice you can get is on the bandstand, but in between gigs I feel I have to stay in shape.
If I'm playing with Ozzy it's just a guitar thing. But with the vocals I feel like I'm studying for the SATs.
I always wrote for musicians, especially guitarists. I write songs that people who aren't great virtuosos can play.
It's really hard for me to sing and play bass.
When I was a kid I never learned to play. I actually got in bands through watching people play and copying them.
I play, like, 12 instruments. Guitar, piano, harmonica, African drums... I'm working on mastering the accordion.
I worked really hard to develop me as an artist and as a musician. I have so many different influences and play so many different instruments, I don't think anyone knew what to do with me!
I mean, no offense, but I don't really see why, like guitar players from Creed, or something like that, are on the cover of guitar magazines. Almost anybody can sit down and learn to play those songs.
I think that virtuosity is the first sign of morality in a musician. It means you're serious enough to practice.
I'm not a real good musician, but I can write [a song] pretty well. I experiment once in a while to see what I can do. I find out the best I can do is stay with ballads.
I'm not a singer.
