Musician

About two months into the Whisky, I borrowed some money and rented a remote recording truck.

I think my favorite album was probably Realization.

In 1965, Gibson made the red one I use now, and a black one, which was the first black 335 they ever made.

I'd gone through periods where I didn't work live performances for probably seven or eight months at a time.

The first time I went to New York, I met Alan Freed.

Alan's publishing company was in the Brill Building, and of course, the Brill Building was where all the songwriters hung out because that's where all the publishers were.

Guys like Otis Blackwell and Bobby Darin, and all the guys who were writing songs for Elvis at the time, just hanging around, writing songs, talking about music.

My first really good guitar was a Gibson J-45.

When I came back to California in the early '60s I was hanging out with Jimmy Bowen, Phil Spector, and I wanted to be a record producer and work with other artists.

But I always loved songs with great lyrics.

What I really remember is that people camped out everywhere, and the fact everybody expected it might turn into a big nightmare with all sorts of hassles because back in those days everybody was smoking pot and taking acid.

Jack and I usually get together and sit around in the afternoons and start throwing ideas around.

Jack and I usually get together and sit around in the afternoons and start throwing ideas around.

I learned some chords and I started watching anybody I could, once I really got into it.

One thing will lead to another and somebody will come up with a riff or a line or something we build from.

I loved playing and I was actually working two jobs.

The first time I went to New York, I met Alan Freed.

I think after 1970 or so, after I sold Soul City, I took off for awhile and didn't do too many gigs.

Alan's publishing company was in the Brill Building, and of course, the Brill Building was where all the songwriters hung out because that's where all the publishers were.

After that initial success, every chance we got we'd hire that remote recording truck and just record stuff at the Whisky because it was so inexpensive.