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Working with Timbaland, he gives me insight; he throws me different ways to approach the beat, and those extra tips go a long way. I know that he's worked with some of the greats, so it's just motivation. I feel inspired when we're in the booth together.

One of my big inspirations was Chuck Berry, and his playing was always about the rhythm and the lyrics. So I've always been that way in my playing, really.

I'm quite an eclectic musician.

My playing started to develop through the Miles Davis stuff I was listening to.

As a songwriter, I feel like, just for inspiration and research purposes, I have to listen to everything.

I've always enjoyed the enthusiasm of the best studio musicians and, over the years, have collected so many inspired contributions from them.

I find inspiration and rhythm in everything. Really I do. And I find inspiration in the really quiet moments.

I always say that I am very proud of the work that I did with the Rolling Stones and that I am also proud of what I have done with the Rhythm Kings.

Prince, you never knew what to expect from him from one album to the next. Miles Davis was like that. You know, once you get used to one style, boom, he switched it and, you know, switched gears on you. So those artists are very exciting to me, very exciting to follow their path, you know, and their journey.

I really feel like I've written my most effective music in the instrumental realms.