"I was very fortunate. My dad was a musician, he would take me around to recording studios in Houston. I got to hear some really rippin’ stuff at a very young age. There were all of these rambunctious country artists and guys playing this hod-rod hillbilly music. It blew my mind, as you can imagine. Well, one day we to went ACA Studios, and I got to see BB King play. I must’ve been about seven years old. What a trip! “Needless to say, he made a big impression, and later on, I got ahold of this record, which has always been one of my favorites. Something about it just resonates. The lead lines that BB plays are chilling. Although it’s called ‘Singin’ The Blues,’ on this album I think the guitar really comes to the fore as a strident solo instrument. “It’s often been said that Billy could do more with one note than most guitarists can do with 100, and I think it might have started right here. He had developed his technique so fully - it was so unique and elegant – that he was able to play these ‘blue’ notes on songs that even had almost cha-cha beats. This is a record I never have to rediscover because it never went away"

"I’ve seen Koyaanisqatsi more than any other movie. For years, I would just put play the disc on repeat the way some people might play their favorite record. But more importantly, Koyaanisqatsi has had a profound effect on me as a filmmaker and editor. It’s not so much the obvious stuff (i.e. the time lapse cinematography, editing to music, etc.) but rather this age-old notion that an audience can experience a story just through imagery. Audiences are smart—give them some guideposts, throw out some complex ideas, and they will do the rest. Koyaanisqatsi serves as a constant reminder that film is a visual medium where explanation (and even plot) can sometimes be intrusive, and the most powerful statement a film can make is the one that the audience arrives at. The Koyaanisqatsi supplements are also really instructive. There are a couple candid doc pieces with the director, Godfrey Reggio. At one point, he says he explored having Allen Ginsberg recite poetry throughout the film. At another point, he talks about filming surreal Terry Gilliam–like scenes (at an enormous budget) that he ultimately decided to cut out. It reinforces the idea that with filmmaking, just like in life, sometimes you have to go through a lot of bad mistakes to discover what really works."