“I would have to say Tommy Bolin. That guy played with The James Gang, Deep Purple, Billy Cobham (Mahavishnu Orchestra), Zephyr and Jeff Beck. He also had an incredible solo band. He came from right here in the Midwest (Sioux City, Iowa then Boulder, Colo.). He is a huge influence on me, so I’d probably take the time to just thank him. Had he lived (he died of an overdose on Dec. 4th 1976), he would probably be regarded as one of the greats. Unfortunately, his guitar playing is often overshadowed by the fact that he ended up ‘just another dead rock star.’”

“I would have to say Dimebag Darrell. You may think this is funny, but one of my goals in life was to meet him and hang out. Obviously, that will never happen. I would ask him what inspired him to be a musician, and what kept him going. In my mind he was one of the all-time great guitar players in metal, or any genre. As well as being one of my inspirations. HERE'S TO YOU DIME! RIP.”

“Generally I would say Cliff Burton, because he's a bass hero to me. But as of recent, I'm going to have to go with Jaco Pastorius from Weather Report - because that guy was a genius on bass, and according to many, he was insane. I can't imagine how my brain would deal talking to someone who is an insane genius at the instrument I strive to be great at.”

“Elvis—because this guy freaking went from a pretty boy icon to a world wide symbol for rock and roll. He personified live fast, die mid-age. Truly, this guy would be interesting to talk to because he had a career that seemed to be one great thing after another. And I really want to know, if he were alive to tell the tale, about the train wrecks he had in his life and how he recovered.”

“Kurt Cobain, as strange as it may sound, I think he would be a very good conversationalist like Hunter S. Thompson or Mark Twain. I believe he was, indeed, a much smarter man than people have previously characterized him to be. His death makes one ponder what life would have brought him had he actually lived. Another album? Divorce himself from all the ‘craziness?’ Become a family man and seclude himself to the highest mountaintops or even, perhaps, cleaned up and gone the way of all the other lacking musicians such as Clapton or any of the post-heroin influenced musicians? I love Clapton, I want that to be clear, but his music has suffered without it. In essence, Kurt Cobain was to Generation X what John Lennon was for the boomers - the great white hope, a tiny ray of hope in a world where there was none. Life deals us all different hands, some good, some bad. As the late Dr. Thompson always said, ‘Buy the ticket, take the ride.’ Rest in peace, Kurt.”

“Ludwig Van Beethoven. I've always wondered what a BDFS interview would be like with him.
Me: Wow, it's a pleasure having you in-studio. You've had so much success in your life. What do you think was the highlight of your career?
Beethoven: What?
Me: Well you've created numerous symphonies and operas, you have to have one that really stands out, something that really means a lot to you.
Beethoven: What?
Me: I personally like the classic 5th Symphony, powerful and to the point right from the beginning, there's no mistaking it. Did you ever think this would be one of the most popular ring tones of the century?
Beethoven: What?
Me: Thanks for coming on the show.”