“Anyone who can do the splits and come back up on the backbeat, as James Brown and Prince can, has my eternal respect.”

I’m not good at watching myself which I think is perfectly natural. I don’t give myself a hard time about it. I am the worst critic.

One of my great regrets, and I don’t have many, is that I spent too long putting people’s status and reputation ahead of their more important qualities.

I have never owned a computer. I am one of those weirdos. I’ve never needed a computer. I’m lucky that I have a job where I’m not required to use one.

If you ever see me in a social setting wearing any sort of sportswear, then you know I’m in crisis.

We are all made of air There’s stars in my eyes and there’s sun in my hair And I’m runnin’ away, it makes me feel better

The more laws that governments pass, the less individual freedom there is. Any student of history will tell you that. Totalitarian countries ban pretty much everything.

I never go on the net or the web, or whatever it’s called.

If you ask any actor “What single thing would make you really, really happy?” Among the top five things they’d say is not having to audition anymore.

All actors who have been around for a long time, which I have, and have been skint for long periods, which I have, find it difficult to turn down jobs. If I turn anything down my stomach turns over. I feel sick. It feels like gambling.

I’m crazy about James Brown. I’m crazy about soul music. And then the blues. Rhythm and blues.

The most difficult part, when you decide to make running a part of your life style, is the basic initial commitment.

The degree of notoriety I have is fine and easy. There’s nothing hysterical about it.

When people warned me there would be long periods out of work if I became an actor, I couldn’t keep a straight face because that was exactly what I had in mind.

One is that you legislate according to natural selection, the other is that you don’t. You have compassion, you try and help people. It’s a fundamental clash between two people who happen to love each other, which complicates everything.

I don’t normally watch films I’m in because I’m squeamish about that and it takes me quite a long time to recover and I have to go to work. I’m not being coy or cute, but it’s just true.

I’m probably the only person who actually remembers pirate radio.

Since I was a kid, when I pick up my guitar it’s been hard for me to write some sort of bubblegum lyrics. It’s not really ever been my route.

I’ve always found it pretty difficult to write a happy song. Since I was a kid, when I pick up my guitar it’s been hard for me to write some sort of bubblegum lyrics. It’s not really ever been my route.

If You’re going to sweep the floor, sweep it better than anybody in town. And if You’re going to play the guitar, really, really, really get in it, and don’t be jivin’.

Bass is for people who can’t play guitar.

Playing guitar is like telling the truth.

I call myself a blues singer, but you ain’t never heard me call myself a blues guitar man.

I mainly use Stratocasters. I like a lot of different kinds of guitars, but for what I do, it seems that a Stratocaster is the most versatile. I can pretty much get any sound out of it, and I use stock pickups.

Kenny Burrell is overall the greatest guitarist in the world and he’s my favorite.