I would hear Steely Dan on the radio all the time, and I listened to 'Aja' a lot. I mean, 'Black Cow' and 'Aja' and 'Deacon Blues' and 'Josie' and 'Peg'... all these songs are on one record. It's crazy!

I love doing it. It's great. I love doing the sessions, 'cause you're kind of like in a different band every day. I used to do them all the time. I think my first one was John Wetton from U.K. and Asia and all that stuff, King Crimson. It was so great. Really a lot of fun.

I started at such a young age learning every style of music, the country and the bluegrass and the western swing and the rock - everything.

I always play so many different styles that I don't think anything I do surprises anyone.

Jimi Hendrix is one of the main influences on why I wanted to play guitar. He really shook me. I think it was his whole style - the look and what he did with the guitar.

You know how kids will wait outside after a gig and try to get an autograph from the band? I would do that, but when I found the guitar player, I would say, 'What advice can you give me?' And a lot of my heroes would say, 'Have your own style.' I always kept that in my head.

I like streaming music. I'll be in the car going, 'I want to hear Scotty Anderson.' He's a great guitar player not many people know about - maybe me and two other dudes know him. But I love him, and I can pull him up on Apple Music, and there it is, right there in my car.

I love Loretta Lynn, and I love Roy Clark and Johnny Cash, everybody.

It's funny, the power of music. I was watching 'Dracula,' the 1931 version with Bela Lugosi, and the only music you hear is at the very beginning of the credits. There's not one other piece of music; it's all silent. It's unbelievable, and it's very effective, too.

I wanted to be a guitar player and musician so badly, and I prayed to get this the very few times I went to church, and I feel like I got my prayer answered.

I know it is one of the most important instruments and inventions, the electric guitar, to me, since television or movies or anything like that.

I'm so honored that I got the best guitarist award for the fifth annual Revolver Golden Gods awards.

I know it sounds corny, but I think the meaning of life is to do what you love and be happy.

Slipknot's music is very technical and intense, and it's not easy to play, but that's what makes it special. What's so gratifying about playing a show that is that intense is when you get off the stage, and you know you really delivered at the top of your ability and performance; that is what makes it all worthwhile.

There is no such thing as an easy Slipknot show. It doesn't exist. It's tough, but we wouldn't like it if it was easy.

First and foremost, I make music to satisfy my creative urges, but at the same time, I know my fans are waiting, so they're the ones that push me to keep going.

If you only play metal, it's going to be very apparent that you're a one-dimensional drummer.

A great drum record has to sound good; in fact, it should sound special. It should capture the richness and the actual tones of the drums themselves, regardless of who is playing.

On the records that I grew up with and loved, every song was unique - it's almost as if you had a different journey every time - and the drums were big part of that story.

A lot of the time, I will write a guitar riff first. I don't write drum riffs first.

The power of music, and the power of your determination in life, especially when you're playing extreme metal like this... it just conquers. It conquers everything.

I got over the transverse myelitis stuff; I'm walking great, and I'm playing faster; I mean, I'm just playing all the time. I have to, just as exercise.

The communication within Sinsaenum is really, really cool. As extreme as the music is, you might not realize how much we respect each other and how much we coach each other and how well we communicate.

I'm lucky to have had the opportunity to perform with bands that have influenced me as a musician over the years.