Quotes By Mick Hucknall

In 1998 when I did the album 'Blue,' that was my worst phase.

Being abandoned by my mother gives me a sense of insecurity that I will never recover from. I have to try and recreate that balance by trying to create a sense of self-worth. And yes, being on stage is a part of that.

As I've gotten older I've got more bass in my voice but also because I don't talk very much during the day I've managed to keep my voice in good condition.

People are racist about redheads in a way they'd never dare to be about black or Asian people.

I'm one of the people that's managed to rise above my class, that's the working- class dream, the whole Lennon-esque, John Osborne kind of thing, you know - jump out - if you get the opportunity to better yourself that's fantastic, and I've done it.

My dad was one of the reasons I kept Simply Red going so long. I was brought up to stick at things. I was the only songwriter in Simply Red, so I could have toured under my own banner. But I'd developed the name, so I stuck with it.

I grew up in Denton, east Manchester, and was raised by my late father, Reg, a barber.

You're damn right I'm comfortable, I've worked very hard to be comfortable. But something I've always tried to impress upon people is that these folks in the houses of parliament affect what's in your wage packet, the welfare of your kids, your health. Why wouldn't we be interested in it?

I first heard Miles Davis as a student, when I was struck by his extraordinary musicianship, and his work did affect some of the sounds of Simply Red. He was one of the reasons I chose to have a muted trumpet on 'Holding Back the Years.'

I had a spate of being run over between the ages of 11 and 13. I was quite a rambunctious child, I had a little moped I used to ride illegally. I got hit by cars three times because I was a very day-dreamy kid.

I knew I was famous the day I played football with mates in L.A. I scored a goal and Rod Stewart jumped on top of me. I thought: 'I had a poster of you on my wall when I was 12.

I am grateful I have been blessed with a family that I never imagined I would ever even understand what that is, let alone have my own family.

What helped a lot was becoming a dad at 47. I can't begin to imagine how I would have coped when I was just starting out with Simply Red. Gabriella and I would have been another one of those divorce statistics.

People strive for success, but it's very lonely at the top. Now I realise the ultimate prize is a family.

The reason I'm uncomfortable with celebrity and don't care about it is that none of that matters. I think that's why people attack me and think I'm arrogant. I've never felt the need to justify myself. If I make good music, that music will do the job for me, even when I'm dead and gone.

My long-term girlfriends have always had something special about them.

The truth is there was a golden era in music from 1962 to 1978 - after that it all went a bit tits up. I blame the fucking drum machine and the fucking shoulder pads of the 1980s.

We would never have gained the attention without a major label throughout the world initially. I just got tired of them taking all the money.

Nothing had the chance to be good nothing ever could.