I have been through a lot of ups and downs in life, both personally and professionally, and I discovered over the years that I have a lot of fortitude, and I got that from my dad.
A band is as solid as its drummer is.
I'm really into the love thing. When I relate to my guys in the band, I tell them where it's at, and if I feel like telling somebody that I love them, I do.
Problems and issues will always be there, and they'll never leave our side, so the object is to have a good time and make fun out of whatever we do.
I'm a street player, and all of my influences come from bands that I was listening to at the time when I was growing up. I was very impressed with guys like Mitch Mitchell. I liked rock and roll drummers, and I loved rhythm and blues guys like Clyde Stubblefield with James Brown. Man, that band blew me away all of the time.
I learned from my dad that there may come a time in life when you need to slow down and take a breath and deal with things, and that's OK, but whatever you do... Don't stop, and don't quit. Even if it's hard, you can't be lazy.
Everybody is always raving about the Rolling Stones, saying, 'The Stones this, and the Stones that.' I've never cared for the Stones. They never had anything to offer me musically, especially in the drumming department.
I have memories of doing 'Toys In The Attic' and being on the floor next to my drums, on my back, laughing.
I'm in the gym every day, Monday through Friday. And I train really hard to go out and do a tour. So that, basically, what I'm doing with my trainer is that I train harder in the gym than the amount of energy that I expend on the stage. So by the time I'm ready to go out on the road, doing a show is a whole lot easier.
The roads in Boston suck. Highways included. There are potholes and bumps all over the place. It's not a fun place to drive.
There's really no money per se to be made on records. We used to make a lot of money on records. Now, all of our money is made on touring.
And when it comes to the music, the fans are the most important thing because they get you and put you where you are. And so often - too often - that whole idea gets cast aside.
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.
My playing is all about feel. I'm completely self taught: I never took any lessons or anything.
Good songs are what a good band is all about. When you have a good song that stands up to the test of the time, that is the most important thing.
I've always been a coffee-lovin' fool, from the time I was a kid.
The coffee's good in Italy. It's good in Spain. It's good in Istanbul. The coffee's not so good in America.
I'm not one of those celebrities that will just put my name on something and expect to get a check.
Boston will always be home to me.
Having really good ideas comes from being able to listen to everybody else and see what their ideas are, because they're coming from a completely different place. That's always been important. It's part of being in a band.
