The Beatles had some juice when it came to distortion, but Clapton was finally able to break through those early studio engineers' fear of overloading. He defined the sound that guitarists spend the rest of their lives trying to get.
(Our music) doesn't sound dated, because there are so many new bands that are trying to replicate a '70s sound or a '60s sound. The playing field is getting kind of leveled. If you want to go out and see what a big rock show can be, we're there to do it.
People spend their careers trying to figure out what makes a hit single. But I learned a long time ago that you can't anticipate what people want, because it's always going to change.
It's about just trying to top our last effort. We always feel like we're being chased. I look back at some of the records that we've done recently, and there's things about them that I like, and some that I don't. Those are the things that you lean on for inspiration.
The media plays up celebrity a lot, but it doesn't hold a candle to being a scientist. There's a lot to be said for what they all do, and are trying to accomplish.
I don't think there's anything anybody's doing that the Beatles didn't at least try at some point.
If you take your last album & try to copy it, then thats sure to hell the way to stagnation. And that makes me bored...and if I'm bored then the music is boring and so are the band!