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But primarily, the drummer's supposed to sit back there and swing the band.

Drummers are conductors - we set the pace for the music - so if you're not relaxed and feeling right, the whole thing goes out the window.

A lot of drummers get sidetracked by the instrument. It can engulf you.

As regards my feelings about drummers - there's Buddy Rich, and then there's everybody else.

Historically, musicians know what it is like to be outside the norm - walking the high wire without a safety net. Our experience is not so different from those who march to the beat of different drummers.

Too many drummers sit at the back covered in drums, and you never see them.

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.

Drums usually seem to tune themselves.

But I've always liked to be the kind of drummer and musician who likes to go outside of what's expected of me, and I've always been able to do more than you necessarily hear with every band I've ever played in.

I consider every drummer that ever played before me an influence, in every way.