When you start to analyze [rock 'n' roll], it's only because you don't understand it. You're just not connecting with it once you have to start analyzing it.

Singing is my profession - there is no plan B.

J.P. Donleavy - now he's one writer I am consistent with. He's written books that I can definitely connect with. He has amazing insights which other people missed out on. Even with his descriptions of Northern Ireland.

Any artist is an instrument-and that's exactly why you can't do it all the time. You can only do it when it's happening, when it's coming through. No matter how much you may want to do it, if it's not happening then it's simply not happening.

Music is spiritual. The music business is not.

My ambition when I started out was to play two or three gigs a week. And that's what I'm doing.

I had my eyes closed in the dark, I sighed a million sighs, I told a million lies, to myself, to myself.