Every time I went into the studio some engineer tried to impress me with how they're going to capture my sound with all kinds of tricks. But they limited the sound and never allowed me to play how I felt.

I always felt people should live with animals.

People just loved the sound because I kept it simple.

My son now is 22 months old, he's been playing since he was 12 months old and he gets standing ovations on the drums. He's been with us since he was 10 weeks old, he's been on the drums. He's got blisters on his fingers before he can even talk.

I always wanted a guitar. I always wanted to be a cowboy singer because I also listened to Hank Williams, and he would always sing these neat romantic songs.

My aunt played the piano and I used to sit and listen to it.

I can play every instrument there is, every horn, I've played all the saxes and trumpets and everything and keyboards.

I'm constantly being influenced by the soul that's directly in front of me.

I don't play pyrotechnic scales. I play about frustration, patience, anger. Music is an extension of my soul.

I became stereotyped.

You shouldn't even be writing this story if you haven't heard me play live. You can't write with the passion you receive until you see a Dick Dale concert.

I actually first picked up an ukulele before I picked up a guitar.

I called it Rockabilly 'cause I was rocking the strums, which you're not supposed to do.

I grew a love for helpless, defenseless things. People would give me lions and jaguars. I had cheetahs, monkeys.

Surf music is played through a Showman amp with a Stratocaster guitar.

The kids called me King of the Surf Guitar. I surfed sunup to sundown.

The ultimate guitar players can play every scale in the book.

That's what my music does for me. It makes people happy. When I play, I thank the Lord I've never seen someone walk away from a Dick Dale dance not having a good time. That's what it's all about.

I'm going to make people happy. I'm going to make them forget about their cancer. I'm going to make them forget about their diabetes.

Earthlings are confused, insecure. And some Earthlings have no heritage: that's what leads them to kill each other and rob 7-11 stores.

I surfed Dana Point, San Clemente, and of course Huntington Beach. Every morning, you could find me at the hot water pipe.

Some guys record an album with songs that are filler. I recorded this album like it was my last.

I try to read the audience, see what they're in the mood for.

I enjoy living like a hermit, but I cannot live like a hermit.