When you look into the eyes of an animal you've rescued, you can't help but fall in love.
Paul Shaffer
You've got to be a really straight man to write a song like 'It's Raining Men.'
As far as favorite 'overall package' record of all time, I'd have to say 'My Girl' by The Temptations. I like everything about it, not only the composition - but the arrangement, the production, the lead vocals, the background vocals, the horns, the strings. That one I listen to over and over again.
Not only was it enough to be a cover band, it was perhaps the highest calling. After all, if you could play music recorded by others, stay true to the original, and still add fire and flare, why not?
I want to learn to sight-read music. And to play the bass pedals on the organ. Those are my only ambitions.
Everybody should have a shelter dog. It's good for the soul.
Why would you want to do anything else but rescue a pet?
James Brown was my favorite, my absolute idol. Every time I played with him was like a music lesson, and I never thought I could be so funky! I mean, a white boy from Canada - a Jew - getting down with his funky bad self!
I still talk incessantly about 'SCTV,' and I say, 'Screw the kids!'
I lived at the Gramercy Park Hotel for about 10 years. It was terrific. It was a pleasantly run-down hotel of the '70s and '80s with a mix of older, rent-controlled apartment dwellers, Europeans and new wave and punk bands. The room service was great, the hamburger was terrific, and they had a doctor who made house calls.
The Dave Clark Five had more appearances on 'The Ed Sullivan Show' than The Beatles.
When I discovered that I could tune into American radio stations after dark, this was the hippest thing to me. It sort of saved my life.
The record business has always mystified me. Sometimes there are reasons why things sell or don't sell that can't be understood by mere mortals.
I love to be the center of attention. My oversized ego craves it and needs it.
I think of all the things that I've gotten to do, all the wonderful people that I've played with, being in the recording studio with Phil Spector tops them all. And of course, now he is in prison. I hope to visit him, I still consider him a friend, and what can you say? A terrible way for a guy like that to be remembered.
I've never had a plan for the future.
I don't know why this concept of what is hip became so important to me.
Life is nutty; anything can happen.
Writing never had the immediate gratification I was looking for.
I actually met Deadmau5 for the first time on the red carpet in Hollywood for the Grammys. I was there with my daughter, and he introduced himself to me. He said, 'Hey, I'm from Toronto.' I had a little conversation with him, and then I realized I'm talking to a guy with a giant mouse head.
When Marty Short and I get together, I sit down at the piano and play the score of 'Godspell.'
I love funny people. I met and became friends with some of the funniest people ever. Gilda Radner, bless her soul; Martin Short; Dave Thomas; Eugene Levy.
I love to do comedy, but music is really my heart.
I'm doing less than I used to because I'm a family man now, and I have two kids.
My years on 'SNL' had reconfirmed that what I do best is play for a sort of edgy comedy.
