I was inspired by James Brown, Michael Jackson and Prince.
Our repertoire consisted of rhythm and blues, sort of country rhythm and blues, Sonny Terry things.
I'm into my grime, hip-hop, dance, and house music.
All music is dance music. But when people think of dance music, they think of techno or just house. Anything you can dance to is dance music. I don't care if it's classical, funk, salsa, reggae, calypso; it's all dance music.
I'm really influenced by '90s hip hop. A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul were my heroes growing up.
I hated my early videos. I really did. I hated 'The Rhythm.' Hated it. It's not my vibe to have lot of white people jumping on trampolines.
Jazz was the beginning of rhythm music, which developed into rock and roll. But what the jazz musicians lost because they were so far from their homeland was the intricate rhythms of African music.
Joseph Zawinul and Toots Thielmans, in my opinion, are the only Europeans who can play rhythm-and-blues.
I grew up on the precursors to rock and roll, rhythm and blues.
I was a big Pretty Purdie fan. I have heavy rhythm and blues influences, and that is what I bring to the table with Aerosmith.
