Our managers hadn't had that kind of success - the record company hadn't, we hadn't - and the feeling was that the next record had to be even bigger, and if it wasn't it would be some kind of failure.

While growing up in Birmingham around a lot of West Indian people, reggae and calypso were big influences early on but Otis Redding was the one person who made me wanna sing myself.

Yes there are times when you regret your decisions but we all have to make them without the power of hindsight.

Our managers hadn't had that kind of success - the record company hadn't, we hadn't - and the feeling was that the next record had to be even bigger, and if it wasn't it would be some kind of failure.

I jumped off the wheel of fortune because I wanted to simplify things. Now I've fulfilled my obligations to myself by making my new record. I'd like it to sell millions of copies, but my self - worth is not based on chart positions.

I think I'm actually quite a materialistic person, I value what it takes to make a car or build a nice house. Money does change things, but how it changes people depends on how they react to it.

It's better to burn brightly for half as long than to be a dim lingering light.