I wasn't put on this earth to amass money or personal wealth. I was put on this earth to play guitar and write songs.

Gone are the days when Virgin Records was owned by Richard Branson, a fan of music. Now they're all owned by some guy who bought it off some guy who bought it off some guy who wants a return on his investment.

I absolutely loved being famous. It was all great, up until the point when it wasn't.

I remember the 70s constantly being winter in Manchester and the Irish community in Manchester closing ranks because of the IRA bombings in Birmingham and Manchester, and you know the bin-workers' strike, all wrapped up in it... They were violent times. Violence at home and violence at football matches.

I think the fact that Sir Alex Ferguson rested Howard Webb had a lot to do with the result.

There was a euphoria in the music and the way it was delivered, and, as the crowds started to get bigger, it fed off itself until it became less about the band and more about being with all those people, jumping up and down, drunk to the music.

I don't fall into the category of tortured artist. But it's not made me more or less anything.