“I warm naturally to the drummer whose ideas and approach are strong, even if he doesn’t quite have the ability to carry them out.”

One of the great things about having good players in your band is that you just ask them questions. You can pick up some good information that way.

If I was hearing something I couldn’t do, I would figure out how to do it.

We used to drink an awful lot of alcohol.

I listen to Bill Stewart play the drums and when I have finished doing that, I listen to Bill Stewart.

Entertainment is about telling everybody that everything is alright but music is on the side of the upsetters and that’s where I’m at.

Holding on to some of your uniqueness is the trick instead of surrendering it at the Academy of Contemporary We’re Gonna Make You a Star.

At the end of the whole day of working with people you want some privacy.

You learn so much about music from all the people you surround yourself with – good, bad and indifferent. It’s extremely hard to be specific.

So I have the classic amateur’s technique; I know some very tricky bits and I have large gaping holes.

We were from totally different social backgrounds. This is what is very hard for an American to understand, but we could have been five guys from Mars.

And I like messing around in the engine room of music. Seeing what happens in the rhythm section area.

We can be so focused on the nuts and bolts that we overlook the importance of individuality – the broader picture, if you will.

I practice at home, in between phone calls, and have much to do.

Plus I am being hounded by all the fabulous new drummers, Bill Stewart at the head of the pack.

Close to the Edge, Red, One of a kind, Discipline, Earthworks, The Sound of Surprise, all seem to me to be albums that captured the essence of the intention.

A rock band used to be four guys and a drummer. Now it’s five guys sitting around reading manuals!

I found out I got ‘The Little Drummer Girl’ and my BAFTA nomination in quick succession, and I just didn’t expect it to be like that. I thought there would be a lot more time in between. It’s been an overwhelming experience.

PimpCo is a little business I’ve got, which basically offers drummers the affordable opportunity to make their drums that little bit more bespoke.

You know what, the drummer is my manager. He’s busy. And I’m busy. I don’t need the dough, though. But having said that, there’s a limit to how much bad music I wanna play.

Age 10. I joined the school marching band as a drummer.

My drummer is my favorite drummer in the world, and he also happens to be the funniest person you’ll meet.

What’s the last thing a drummer says in a band? ‘Hey guys, why don’t we try one of my songs?’

I taught myself how to play the guitar, I taught myself how to play the drums, and I kind of fake doing both of them. But drumming comes more natural to me, and it just feels better.

How come drummers leave their drumsticks on the dashboard of their car? So they can park in the handicapped spaces.