I like to have fewer players. That way, everyone is plugged into what you're doing. There is a risk attached to that sometimes but it's good to have a smaller squad. People have more chance of playing; they're ready and more motivated. Having 18 real players is better than having 25 or 26 not playing.
People can say whatever they want about you without knowing the facts. They can criticize you without even knowing you, and hate you when they don't even know you. All of a sudden, you're, like, the bin Laden of America. Osama bin Laden is the only one who knows exactly what I'm going through.
When I first came in the business, I had a couple of close calls on planes going to London for shows. There was one time where the plane had to fly around until a storm ended, and then we started having a question about fuel, so we had to go through the storm. It was the worst thing that ever happened in my life. That really messed me up.