It's true when they say songwriting is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration. In truth, what happens is... songs comes through you.
I just got a call one day from Ringo asking me if I wanted to go out on the tour. It was as simple as that. He was putting together this band and he heard of me in the context of doing this and he gave me a call. I jumped at the chance.
As I said to Ringo, I was in a successful Rock N Roll band. He was in a band that changed the world. That's the difference.
I feel with ELP that I wasn't making the most of my life and I wasn't making the most of my creativity. I was marking time. I don't want to do that. Life is to short.
What I learned then was there is a certain power in a three piece band. The more people you put on that stage, the more diluted it becomes.
Philosophically, what I have learned is to thy own self be true. That is the biggest lesson of all. Relax; music is fun. To many people take it to seriously because of the money involved.
