Music

What’s your favourite city in the world?

Probably London. Socially, I think it’s much easier hanging around with British people because they’ve got the same sense of humour and the little nuances.

Best hangover cure?

Fat and sugar. So probably a McDonald’s, to be honest. But I haven’t had a hangover since new year. I was like: right, I’m not gonna drink this year.

Impressive willpower for a man with addictive tendencies…

That’s the thing people don’t realise, I just really get into stuff. I’ve got into not drinking as much as I got into drinking.

Do you miss it?

Not really. You never really get bored of going out and partying, but I was getting a bit bored of losing whole days afterwards and thinking: Hang on, it’s Thursday and I’ve not got anything done this week. And I’m far healthier for it. My big thing is running at the moment.

Did you have posters on your wall as a child?
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Yeah, red Ferraris and the Beastie Boys. My brother had ‘Miami Vice’. If there’s a theme to the new album, it’s living the dream and what the dream’s actually like. And a part of that dream for me is definitely those red Ferraris and ‘Miami Vice’.

What is the best ever single?

‘Heard It Through The Grapevine’. It’s definitely got the best opening lyric. ‘I bet you’re wondering how I knew’. It completely sets you up for wanting to know.

First gig you went to?

Well, when I was about 13, I went to a few rock gigs because you didn’t have to be 18 to get in and then you could get older people to buy you beer. I remember seeing Radiohead at the Wolverhampton Wulfrun Hall in about ’93, but I didn’t really know or care who they were. All I was bothered about was drinking Strongbow. But I remember thinking it was cool when kids were singing along with that ‘you’re so fucking special’ bit. I was probably at a really seminal gig, but I was a bit distracted ’cos my mate was puking up in the cloakroom.

Have you ever won anything?

Yeah, a Sega Master System from Wotsits. I was quite chuffed about that. I’ve never won anything since, although I have shook the hands of many competition winners who’ve been unfortunate to win a competition to meet me.

Do they look pleased?

Funnily enough, I think half of them don’t really give a shit. A lot of people who win seem to be those people who just enter all the competitions. They don’t actually care what the prize is.

Did you ever get lost as a child?

Not that I can think of. But I do remember one of the biggest traumas of my childhood was being in the back garden and someone threw a brick at my brother’s head and he came running down the garden with blood all down his face.

Why did someone do that?!

I don’t know, it was just some kids from our road. He’s still got the scars. But he’s fine. He can string sentences together of more than three words nowadays.

Best thing about your job?

Pretty much 99 per cent of it is amazing. Things like being able to work with anyone I want to work with in music and getting into gigs for free without even having to queue – you never really get over how good that is.

Worst thing about your job?

You have to be nice to everyone, you just have to accept that you’re never off duty and you can always offend someone. And anything can end up in the papers. But you’ve just got to be a bit careful, really. Compared to all the free clothes, the money and the women, it’s not a big deal.

What did your parents do for aliving?

My mum did radiography and my dad sold radiography stuff.

So they met through work?

They did, yeah. It was an industry match made in heaven.

So, radiographers go out with other radiographers and pop stars go out with other pop stars…

Exactly. That’s all I was saying in my song really. It’s just about having a lot in common.

Anything else we should know?

Well, I’m working on a country album, but it won’t sound like a country album. And I’m not going to talk about celebrity any more. I’m just trying to do something different. So there you go, you’ve got an exclusive!