Butch Trucks

We're a live band. It's what we do best.

Majored in staying out of Vietnam.

When I listened to Elvin Jones, man, for the first time I heard a drummer that had all the technique plus emotion, passion, feel, and just - good God!

There obviously are a hell of a lot of people that love Lady Gaga. But to me, she's been the theatre of the absurd. And the more absurd it is, the bigger she got.

I love Lucille Ball. But you don't call that Shakespeare. It's just entertainment, you know. And if you like that, then go have a ball, have fun.

Listen to John Coltrane. When he plays 'A Love Supreme,' that guy is totally into himself.

To be honest, I don't listen to much music! I've been so engrossed in it my whole life that when I drive around in my car, I'll listen to college lectures on philosophy and literature and world history, things like that, to kind of catch up on the college experience I missed.

Duane lived life right on the edge. If you ever read Goethe's Faust, Duane Allman was very much that kind of figure. His deal with Mephistopheles was to experience everything life has to offer, good and bad.

I have done nothing my entire life but play music.

I remember somebody came in with Chicago Transit Authority, and we listened to it one time.

A lot of these guys come up and say, 'Man, you were my influence, the way you thrashed the drums.' They don't seem to understand I was thrashing in order to hear what I was playing. It was anger, not enjoyment - and painful.

The Allman Brothers 1969 to 1971... were all about... jumping off the cliff... Just taking music and being adventurous with it.