Gary Clark, Jr.

When I was growing up, I would go hang out with older guys at night in blues clubs. ”

For a black male, the sound of the blues is pre-Civil Rights. It's oppression. ”

You could say I'm a laid-back kind of guy. ”

I failed public speaking in grade school, 'cause I was so nervous and scared. ”

There's so much music in Austin, and it's all so different. ”

I'm obsessed with fuzz pedals. ”

Most of my songs start out as being very aggressive and guitar-driven. ”

I've been called 'musically schizophrenic,' and some people think that's a cool thing. ”

When I got my first guitar, I played along with everything I heard that had guitar in it, like the Ramones, Nirvana and Sublime, as well as whatever hip-hop and R&B stuff was on the radio. ”

There's nothing like a music festival. People are ready to have a good time. I don't think anyone comes to a festival going, 'I'm gonna be a complete bummer today.' ”