If he’s a true symphony artist, he knows better than that because he knows that the only truly creative musician is the jazz musician.

To have everything written for you It’s not really creating. That’s why I think symphony drummers are so limited. They ’re limited to exactly what was played a hundred years before them by a thousand other drummers.

No, I don’t like recording. It’s a bore.

But, I don’t think any arranger should ever write a drum part for a drummer because if a drummer can’t create his own Interpretation of the chart and he plays everything that’s written, he becomes mechanical; he has no freedom.

Almost everything I’ve done, I’ve done through my own creativity. I don’t think I ever had to listen to anyone else to learn how to play drums. I wish I could say that for about ten thousand other drummers.

I think it’s a fallacy that the harder you practice the better you get.

And, you know, I think the original recording of Ravel’s Bolero, probably whoever played percussion on that, will never have It played better than that.

But, when you have to resort to turntables, trick lights, flashing lights, fire and all that, you’re actually saying, I need this because what I do is not all that together.

I play a percussion instrument, not a musical saw; it needs no amplification. Where it’s needed, they put a microphone in front of the bass drum. But, I don’t think it’s necessary to play that way every night.

If you have any requests. keep them to yourselves. we don’t play requests!