Later in life, suddenly, if you're an outsider, it's something to be celebrated, I think, rather than getting on people's nerves.

I use the name and the thought very, very easily as a sort of comfort - as a kind of comfort, in some way. And in that way, it's just like having a friend, I suppose.

In the '70s, you had to come up with an album every year whether you were ready or not.

And the other thing for the sort of posher kids was a sort of lethal scooter, you know. One of the things that you just push along with your - really heavy, lethal, you know, trap your fingers in and every bit of metal got rusty very quickly. And the girls I seem to remember they had a thing like a broomstick with a horse's head on the top which they sat astride.

If anyone comes along, I'm more than happy to welcome them, but I'm not interested in world domination.

I'm still kind of a hapless character in my everyday life. But when it comes to the writing, my influences are very old influences. I love American music of absolutely all stripes, including show tunes, advertising jingles, theme tunes from quiz shows, all kinds of American music.

When somebody like Elvis Costello comes along, anybody can make a good record with him.