I've always been the sort of person who immerses myself in things, and eventually you become part of that life.

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.

I think the older I get the more creative I get, I don't have the distractions that I had when I was younger.

I'd always wanted to write a song about a leather jacket and how wearing it makes you feel. I love leather jackets, and I've got a big collection of them.

There's no such thing as 'I can't do 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.

For me it always comes down to what is a good song and I'm very old fashioned in the way that I like to make songs that have something classic about them whether you can play them with an orchestra or an electro synthesizer or an acoustic guitar.