I mean, I could just go round and use session musicians for every song, but I don't find that helps when it comes to setting up a band for live. Derrick has been with me for donkey's years.

I'm in this absolutely gorgeous manor house with acres of quite beautiful countryside. I've got trout in the river, an organic vegetable garden, I've got my work 40 yards from my home. I don't mind being criticised, but where are they criticising from? Which hut are they criticising me from, exactly?

I'm very used to stages and dressing rooms. And dare I say it, much as I like being at home, I love the buzz of a new hotel room. It never quite loses its thing.

It's not a case of 'look at me in my car'; it's more, 'look at the car'. I like the idea of other people enjoying them, because everything has become a bit faceless and nobody likes the motor car any more.

My place in Scotland is in the middle of nowhere, so you've just got a keyboard, guitar, a little drum machine and you know if you can work stuff out like that, if you can hammer out songs that sound good just with those three things and a voice, you're on your way.

Then you have to be with somebody who understands your job. Understands there are gonna be dollybirds going, 'Hi I'm Candy,' and be prepared to ignore that. And also be prepared to be there when you get home. That's a difficult job.

There's nothing classic about what's around now. I am a bit old-school. There are some things that are never out of fashion because they just look good. But if you want classic style these days you have to get it made.

Toby not being there doesn't bother me, I mean I can work with anybody as long as we get along and as long as they've got an understanding of what I want and what I'm aiming for. To start with, when he left, it was difficult.

We spent a month in LA using a pool of musicians, a string arranger called Benjamin Wright, some great backing singers, and it gave tracks like Dynamite, which was written there, that kind of flavour.

I think these days a lot of the younger generation feels that the world owes them something. But you've got to get off your backside and you've got to do all the crap stuff, too.

The mid-life crisis is just those times when you're not so into the things you were when you were younger.

When I listen to Radio 1 and hear five different tracks in a row using old disco samples, well that's plagiarism, that's taking other people's music.

Every now and again I need to get away from everything. I'm quite a hidey-hole kind of a guy.

How is the economy supposed to recover when people can't afford to fill the tank?

I am a bit old-school.

I am quite fussy about clothes.

I can do the equivalent of 150 miles per hour and not get stopped. I could quite happily pursue people down the motorway in my helicopter.

I consider myself very lucky indeed to have had the career I have. I listen to the radio now and you can't tell artists apart.

I didn't get my first car until I was 22. It was a BMW 1602 and now I've got it back I'm waiting to restore it.

I have to thank my mum for kicking me out at 16 and making me stand on my own two feet - that's how I got here.