Quotes from John 5

I'm always working and recording. It's just what makes me happy.

You know how kids will wait outside after a gig and try to get an autograph from the band? I would do that, but when I found the guitar player, I would say, 'What advice can you give me?' And a lot of my heroes would say, 'Have your own style.' I always kept that in my head.

I get starstruck... I don't know, because a lot of my heroes are my really good friends.

Whenever you listen to a CD or an album, it gets tiresome hearing the same thing over and over and over again.

I'm so honored that I got the best guitarist award for the fifth annual Revolver Golden Gods awards.

When I was younger, I had a horrible flight. Horrible. It was well before I was 10 years old. So I always thought to myself, 'I know I don't want to travel.' That's why I wanted to be a session guy, because I knew I could still play guitar and make a living at it - hopefully.

I've been doing instrumental records now for a long time and built up this little fan base, which is worldwide, and it's incredible how big it's gotten. People really enjoy these records.

I have tons of Telecasters but also about 50 Les Pauls, six or seven SGs, and a bunch of Gretsches.

All my life, I've really enjoyed music: making music, playing it, and recording it. It's such a relief and a joy to do what I do for a living.

In my eyes, and in my opinion, the guitar is strong and powerful and will never die.

When I was touring with Ozzy, you know, when I was with Manson, we toured with Ozzy, so many times, we did Ozzfest a thousand times, and, you know, it seems like I'm always playing with Ozzy in one way or another opening up.

Jimi Hendrix is one of the main influences on why I wanted to play guitar. He really shook me. I think it was his whole style - the look and what he did with the guitar.

Inspiration is one of my favorite things. That's all I want to do - I want to inspire people.

I always look for inspiration. If I find something that's inspiring, I'm so excited because it is very hard to find something inspiring.

Writing songs, especially with the instrumental stuff, it's difficult.

I love instrumental guitar records, but I also understand that, as a listener, it can be difficult to get through a whole album of just that one thing.

I love doing instrumental records; I love doing that.

I like people writing great songs on guitar or piano or what have you. I miss people getting on stage with real bands and real instruments and expressing themselves that way instead of with computers and technology.

I know singers; I've worked with some of the greatest singers in the world.

Whatever I say is so honest when I'm doing interviews.

I know it is one of the most important instruments and inventions, the electric guitar, to me, since television or movies or anything like that.

I love Jimmy Bryant, and I love Albert Lee. Roy Clark. Chet Atkins. I love those pickers.

I love Loretta Lynn, and I love Roy Clark and Johnny Cash, everybody.

I started at such a young age learning every style of music, the country and the bluegrass and the western swing and the rock - everything.