Simply Red's Mick Hucknall to celebrate silver anniversary of Stars at Birmingham gig - interview

He hoped the record would be big – but even he couldn't have imagined it would as successful as it was. Stars became the 14th best-selling album of all time in the UK and was the first since Simon & Garfunkel's Bridge Over Troubled Water to be the best-seller in two consecutive years.

Hucknall says: "After the success of A New Flame I set myself the challenge of composing a whole album of original songs. I could never have imagined that Stars would have the impact it did.

"It's always about the music. I have this abiding faith in the music and that will shine through when I'm dead and gone. I don't really care about the contemporary side of it because I'm always trying to make music that will last a long time.

"We finished the last leg of the previous tour at the Olympic Stadium in Munich and the band were all saying how fresh the whole thing felt, especially after more than 100 shows in the past year around the world.

"It's been great seeing so many smiling faces in the crowd. We've also noticed on this tour a lot more younger people coming to the shows. I guess some people are discovering our music for the first time on Spotify and YouTube."

Simply Red have enjoyed being on the road for their newest album, Big Love, and are delighted to have flown around the world.

Hucknall adds: "For us, it's more about putting on the best show we can - come rain or shine, indoors or outdoors - but it's a great change of scenery to be playing all over the world.

"We've played some unusual venues this year around Europe. Racecourses, forests and a few castles, it will make for a nice change to not worry about the weather with this upcoming arena tour. November isn't ideal for anything outdoors."

The star no longer has many rituals before a show. Though, when he's playing gigs in summer, he likes to coincide his shows with the cricket season. "It used to be one of our tour rituals to play cricket in the downtime before a show and for a while, I had some cricket nets in my back garden. Now I mostly play it on the PS4 at home but I still love going to see the matches at Lord's Cricket Ground when I have a chance."

Hucknall's life has changed dramatically since Stars was released. Back then, Hucknall was a playboy who bedded more models than Simon Le Bon. These days, however, things have changed. He's happily settled down and enjoying life as a family man.

"Touring is effectively me going back to work, so while I'm sure they'll be coming out to see a few shows, I think it may get a little boring for them at this point. Plus, we have to work around school term for my daughter so that limits the amount she can visit while I'm away.

"Luckily, we won't be too far from home this time so I'll be able to pop back and see her more often than say, if I were back in Australia.

"When Romy was born, I immediately went into some sort of autopilot. And then I was out. That was it. I didn't want anyone saying, 'how about this show?' or, 'how about that tour?' I was out.

"That was easier for everyone than being selective. There was no reason to take any phone calls about anything band related."

Hucknall made Big Love because the band had reached a landmark anniversary. His manager told him they had been around for 30 years and he wanted to mark the occasion. "Had my manager not come round to the house last summer and told me our 30th anniversary was looming, I'd still be at home."

"The theme of it was based on reality. It's based on family. I have a family that I thought I'd never have, and it changed my life completely.

"I am responding to the last 30 years, and I am trying to sound like Simply Red. That sounds a bit mad but that's it, reaching out to the core audience in the hope this is what they want.

"The subject matter is what I want, because that's my life now. My music has always been personal, from Holding Back The Years onwards, and the thing about personal music is that it communicates with the individual and it's personable. It becomes about the listener, rather than me. I'm singing a song about my dad, say, but they're thinking about their dad."

"I have no intention of making another Simply Red album, I know that much. Not for 10 years, when it's the 40-year anniversary, at least. I've no reason to. I can say that 100 per cent. That one was an accident.

"I can honestly say I have not missed any of this, recording, performing and promoting. I'm very happy at home, I have a great life and I'm not anxious to achieve anything.

"I'm very grateful an album came out of the anniversary, and until the end of 2016, I am completely dedicated to Simply Red. There's an audience out there that might never have seen us, we're all still alive and nothing is stopping us.

"After that," he adds with a smile, "all bets are off."

By Andy Richardson