What was great about the 80s was that you still had record companies who would get behind developing you as an artist. You had these bonkers heads of department and A&R people who, even after a flop album, would let you make another one.

If you were born by the sea, there's always a magnet that draws you back there.

A lot of youth today have become very narrow and conservative in a way, whereas we in the older generation are kind of living it.

I was a magnet for people who want to take advantage of people like me, who think they're part of this life but they're not.

When people talk about gender-benders and bracket me with George, I always think I'm not like that. I had more of a rock edge, mixed with the 80s electro.

I was quite naïve, a boy from Southport. When I went to art college in Leeds, I lived in a basement flat, and I heard clunking on the stairs all night, and I thought it was just nurses going to work on the night shift at the local hospital! Then I found out it was all working girls upstairs. I suppose I came from a protected background and had my eyes opened wide by that side of city life.

My next record I really just want it to be a collection of great songs, classic songs in a way.