I just did a tour of Japan and Asia and everyone loved the new songs. I really like playing Interaction, Jackhammer, SVT, and of course, Space Ship One.

I was amazed to see you in your astronaut suit playing your guitar! Do you enjoy dealing with subjects such as astronomy or watching the midnight sky?

I was really impressed with the recent success of the Mars rovers. I`m sure there are some amazing things out there in space.

I like teaching. I still teach at MI in Hollywood and also MI Japan. I met Bruce Bouillet when I first started teaching. Bruce ended up joining my band and he played in Racer-X for a few of our early albums. I also gave lessons to Buckethead, but that was before he wore a bucket on his head.

Actually, I like the DVD better than the CD! I think the live versions are even more exciting. I`m not sure when the release date is, but it should be soon.

Linus is a great pop singer, songwriter, and musician, but he also loves heavy metal. He produced my Burning Organ CD and played acoustic guitar and bass on my Acoustic Samurai CD. I met Marco when we did some clinics together in America. Marco also played drums on my Burning Organ CD.

I love playing music, and it`s exciting to visit new places. But my ears are getting bad from all the volume.

If you weren't a musician, what else would you mostly like to do?

I'll find out once I go completely deaf! I'd like to be a father some day.

All the band members are busy right now. Scott Travis is playing with Judas Priest, John Alderete is playing

with The Mars Volta. Jeff Martin is just finishing his first solo CD. I played lots of guitar on it, so it's almost Racer-X!

I was studying Japanese in L.A. and I started writing melodies to help me remember new phrases. Boku No Atama means My head. The song is very simple. The first verse tranlates to My head is made out of tomatoes. But I like tomatoes more than eggplant.

Every Hot Girl Is A Rockstar is about hot girls! Maybe every hot girl has a life like a rockstar. Everyone is always looking at you.

Jackhammer features an amazing drum solo from Marco. I played the drums on my original demo, and the drum solo was all bongos! I think Marco improved it a lot.

Interaction was written on my 1982 Ibanez Rocket Roll II guitar. It's such a great Metal guitar that it inspired a great Metal riff.

We All Dream Of Love was written for a girl I was thinking about at the time. I couldn't figure out what key to sing it in. I finally chose B flat.

Anything can happen. I've only been to Greece one time before, but I really enjoyed it. Great food and Ouzo [E.N.: Greek drink]!

Metal was my passion when I was a teenager. I still love all the great Metal from the late 70's and early 80's. Van Halen, Rush, Judas Priest, Ac/Dc, Iron Maiden, Def Leppard, Saxon, Ozzy with Randy Rhoads, U.F.O.... all that stuff was great.

Learn songs. Learn lots of songs. Learn lots and lots and lots of songs. Then play them together with other musicians. Then write some of your own.

Which other guitarists have influenced you and with who else would you like to tour with?

Jimmy Page and Eddie Van Halen were my biggest early influences. But I also got a lot of ideas and inspiration from Pat Travers, Pat Thrall, Robin Trower, Frank Marino, Alex Lifeson, Ace Frehley, Tony Iommi, Randy Rhoads, Michael Schenker, Yngwie Malmsteen, Gary Moore, Akira Takasaki, Allan Holdsworth, Johnny Ramone, my uncle Jimi Kidd, Jimi Hendrix, Mick Ronson, Rick Neilson, Joe Perry, Brad Whitford, Ted Nugent, Brian May, and Punky Meadows.

If I could tour with any band that's still around, I think it would be Aerosmith because they're really famous so lots of people would see my show. Plus Aerosmith is still great. Or maybe Billy Idol. His new CD is awesome.

Eat lots of fresh fruit and listen to Heavy Metal!