I'm not so much a rock star, d'ya know what I mean? I play Irish music. There's really no age when you stop playing Irish music. Even if I retired from playing onstage, I'd still be singing in pubs.

My dad has no control over who works with me. Me, me and me alone has to take responsibility for anything.

I drink because I'm thirsty.

What I do is I'm a bandleader, frontman, entertainer.

There have been many happy days and many unhappy ones in my life, but the most important was the day I met my missus, who is sometimes estranged and sometimes not. She got me off smack - although that's not the main reason it's the happiest moment.

I'm not going to waste my time trying 'break' America, you know what I mean? Too many people have died trying to break America. America doesn't break unless it wants to.

When I'm writing a song, it gives me more actual pleasure to hear someone else sing it than do it meself.