To me, songs come of their own volition - and with an open-ended philosophy.

I made the decision to take on board the critical feedback. Reviews are something you can easily ignore as a performer or writer but I chose to not ignore them here and I think that I benefited. I think I'm stronger for it - and I have a tougher skin as a result.

I think I've done a pretty fantastic job, but of course I want to sell millions of records.

I've had my ups and downs, and I definitely have a sense - in America, especially - that once you've made your mark and gotten your Rolling Stone piece and your Grammy nomination, that they're on to the next piece of meat, and they don't necessarily like to follow the twists and turns of an artistic career.

Literature is an avenue to glory, ever open for those ingenious men who are deprived of honours or of wealth.

Anything I have blown a lot of money on? Well, I have three daughters and a wife - that's four women, and I'm working on a sitcom, so you could say that I am just trying to stay alive!

I am who I am. I'm from Birmingham. My mum works at Sainsbury's. My dad is a fire-fighter. We keep it real. We know who we are. I haven't made a lot of money, but I'm equally comfortable. I have food, clothes on my back, and my family.

It's wonderful that so many people want to contribute to fighting aids or malaria. But, if somebody isn't paying attention to the overall health system in the country, a whole lot of money can be wasted.