The worst thing you can do to a child, and I’ve seen it happen so many times, is the silver spoon.
But you know, I have a pretty good relationship with the press and the paparazzi. It’s just when they step over the line that, you know, enough’s enough.
I do like Britney Spears. I think she’s cute. I think she’s fun. And I like her records. You know, I’m not a pop snob whatsoever. I think she makes great pop records.
I have no one to leave the money to. I’m a single man. I like spending my money.
I’m so proud to be on a Kate Bush record; she’s always marched to the beat of her own drum.
I’m very relaxed. I have a family, I have a partner of 20 years, I have a wonderful life; nothing could be better.
I love every minute of fatherhood, staying up all night, changing nappies, kids crying, I find it really funny and inspiring. It connects you to the world in a new way.
I heard Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis, and that was it. I didn’t ever want to be anything else. I just started banging away and semi-studied classical music at the Royal Academy of Music but sort of half-heartedly.
I grew up at my grandmother’s house, and she had a beautiful garden. I used to hate mowing the lawn and weeding, which is what you do when you’re a kid. I loathe gardening, but I love gardens, and I have two beautiful gardens.
And I agreed with that, and I couldn’t wait to change my name anyway, because I’m not too fond of the name of Reginald. It’s a very kind of ’50s English name.
Well, I’ve had my fair share in Britain of battling the tabloids.
Simon Cowell and I are great friends, and we wind each other up. Rod Stewart and I do the same thing.
Once I’d heard ‘Modern Times’ by Bob Dylan, it really changed the way I wanted to make records.
I’ve had an amazing professional life, personal life, but at 64 to have a son who gives us that much love and enjoyment is, wow!
I am the most well-known homosexual in the world.
You don’t know being a performer what kind of performance you’re going to give. You know you can give a certain quality of performance, but as I grow older I’m much more content in my own skin because when I come offstage, I have a balance in my life.
I’ve always wanted to smash a guitar over someone’s head. You just can’t do that with a piano.
And I trusted someone to look after me on the business side of life.
Sometimes when I’m flying over the Alps I think, ‘That’s like all the cocaine I sniffed.’
I’ve always enjoyed and loved playing live. I relish and cherish it more than anything else because you never know what the performance is going to be.