Eddie Van Halen was probably the most influential.

For me, I've never talked about my private life. It's always been about Black Sabbath. It's strange to open up and talk about me as a young lad, my relationships, marriages and what not.

The feeling you get from playing to a good audience is hard to describe without sounding as though you are talking silly. But reaction is important. You might feel in yourself that you're doing it ok but it's when you get the live reaction that you know you're doing it right.

I hated school. After 15, you went off to college if you were good enough. It didn't appeal to me so I left school. I did what everybody did - get a job.

Yeah, I was with Jethro Tull for three weeks, so what?

I didn't follow any rules at all. I made my own.

It has always been my goal to believe in what I do and love what I do and be true to that.