Biography

While being prepared for surgery in the hospital, he was asked by a nurse if he was allergic to anything. He replied, "Only country music".

Notoriously short-tempered, he often clashed with other volatile stars, including Frank Sinatra. On TV chat shows he had a reputation for insulting or acerbic remarks, particularly regarding pop singers he found wanting.

Held a black belt in karate.

Was widely regarded as the greatest jazz drummer worldwide during his time. Additionally, he was likely the quickest / fastest drummer of all-time.

Could not read music.

[about close friend legendary drummer Gene Krupa] Gene was the first one who made it possible for guys like me to become popular--to be noticed. We all owe him a great deal of gratitude.

Ringo Starr was adequate. No more than that.

There is no greatest or fastest in music. It's just impossible. There probably is a boy somewhere in Idaho that no one's ever heard of who's probably better than anyone else.

I don't put much emphasis on practice, anyhow. I think it's a fallacy to believe that the more you practice, the better you become. You can only get better by playing. You can sit in a basement with a set of drums and practice rudiments all day long, but unless you play with a band, you won't learn style, technique and taste, and you won't learn how to play with a band and for a band. Once you get a job, any kind of job, it's an opportunity to develop. And practice, besides that, is boring. I know music teachers who tell their students to practice three, four, six hours a day. If you can't get what you want after one hour of practice, you're not going to get it in four days.

I don't care about notes. I care about time. If you're in my band, you must play my time.