Musician

I love early blues like Bessie Smith, Muddy Waters, and Howlin' Wolf. I listened to the way these people sang, and it was just beautiful - straight from the soul. That, for me, was an inspiration.

I never tire of the drive from Phoenix to San Diego, and it is mostly desert, obviously, but you get different varieties of desert terrain.

I'm not a frugal person, but I find it difficult to be extravagant materially.

I chew a special brand of gum that you can't get in America. It's British, and it's called Airwaves. It's a menthol eucalyptus gum that is a very soothing thing for me when I'm singing because I'm swallowing, and it also keeps my sinuses and general upper breathing clear. I've got to be able to hit these clear, clean notes.

I love all that kind of gothic Bram Stoker kind of thing. I love to get lost in that kind of escapism.

I think my heart will always be made of metal, but it would be ignorant of me and kind of foolish to ignore the other emotional connections you can make in all kinds of music.

We can either rip your face up with 'Painkiller,' or we can play this beautiful thing called 'Last Rose of Summer' from 'Sin After Sin.' And people love us for that because they don't really know what to expect.

'Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk,' that's my big Emperor album.

I will always remember the first show I did clean and sober... It was in New Mexico, in Albuquerque. I literally felt elevated, as everything was coming with such clarity.

It's a very empowering kind of music, heavy metal is.

I've been a huge fan of Gaga since she first burst on the scene. I just love everything that lady represents. First and foremost, her voice is extraordinary. I love her voice. She's an accomplished musician. She plays piano really well. She's just a great songwriter. And she's a beacon of hope for a lot of people in the world.

The fact that there are now gay men and women who can openly serve their country is a wonderful thing.

It's fun for musicians to step into each other's world. It's like different football teams - it's the same game but a different play.

When I got clean and sober, that was a major change in my life.

I think that essentially, since music was invented, it's basically reached out and touched every single kind of conceivable generation.

We've always tried to convey these strong messages of strength and power and doing good in the world and, at the same time, to not be afraid to look at the difficulties that we experience.

When you make that choice of stepping out and facing the issue of disclosure, you do create this kind of self-imposed negative fear. It's unfortunate it still happens today. 'Do I step out and say I'm a gay guy?' But you have got to do it and live your life on your terms and no one else's terms.

I sing 'Nessun Dorma' when I warm up backstage.

This overpowering relief of love conquering any kind of difficulty and hardship in life - that love is forever, even with people that we lost in the physical world.

It's a myth that I received any flak from the metal community over my decision to come out. I have, in fact, received numerous positive responses from fans, as well as e-mails from people who were going through much the same thing. It's horrible to keep something like that secret, and I felt I had to make it public.