Music can describe emotions far more accurately than words ever can. As soon as I realised that, I knew music was where I wanted to be.

If you were to look back at me as a school kid you'd see a very quiet little church mouse kind of character.

The day I run out of ideas is the day I stop making records.

I don't understand the art of compromise, and it's a shame the politicians don't understand that as well, you know, we might have a better, clearer world. But then saying that, we might also get a lot of Donald Trump's running left right and centre.

Anybody who says, "Look, John, I'm a politician. Don't believe a word I say," is a friend of mine.

Ever get the feeling you've been cheated?

For me people are people, without meaning to sound corny, it's a plain natural fact, music is a universal language and I've always known that and observed that and treated music with great respect accordingly.