Skip to content
Elly Roberts reviews
Live at Royal Albert Hall DVD:
Over two hundred Simply Red fans lined up at the Home department in Selfridges Trafford Centre on Wednesday.
Mick was back in his home town to sign copies of new book If You Dont KnowMe By Now (Carlton Books – see Amazon link above), by Brian Southall withMick Hucknall.
Before the signings, Mick was interviewed by media, including BBC North West, in a makeshift interview room in the anals of the store. Arriving 20 minuteslate, due to a misunderstanding, he pointed out, a lean-looking Hucknall,dressed in grey pinstriped suit, open necked pink shirt and smart beige brogues,he sat for approximately 20 minutes, politely responding to our questions.
He was asked how he felt about coming back to Manchester, during which hedbeen baby shopping with his partner Gabriella Wesberry for 9lb arrival RomyTrue Hucknall.
“Its been three years, it seems longer actually. I dont really know why.Weve had a few days here, when Ive seen family and friends. Im just alwaysamazed at the change in the architecture and how European its becoming.”
Of his fans in Manchester, Mick said, “Im going to meet some of them later.We dont have a kind of pre-arranged meeting like this, signing books is a one-off really. Naturally its good to come back, I dont think twice about it.Im very relaxed here.”
When asked why Simply Red remained popular after 25 years, he said, “I dontknow actually. I just make this music thats popular, and as long as itremains reasonably popular, thats good.”
When talking about the book Mick was keen to explain, “Its a very humanstory of Simply Red. Im a very shy person, and Ive tried to be objective and explain why I reacted in a certain way. We questioned everything between’76 and ’78. I didnt fit in with fashions. The Punk thing made me go that way.Because Im largely a shy person, we wanted to get across the multi-dimensionalside of things. I didnt want it to be too much of a powder-puff piece.”
Refering to his recent fatherhood, he said, “I dont even remember my lifebefore I became a father. Its absolutely changed my life, and Im loving everybit of it.”
Mick made a personal reference when introducing his song For Your Babieson the new Live From The Albert Hall DVD. How did he feel about that?- “Naturally, I was emotional. I welled up actually.”
On his band Mick said, “People think Simply Red is a solo project and itsnot, its a band. I will be doing a solo project with Bobby Bland a tribute toBobby over in Memphis, a kind of documentary and I think its more appropriateto do it myself. With Simply Red, were a kind of victim of our own successwith the soul thing. I was on the dole for sometime, then we had a hit inAmerica with ‘Moneys Too Tight To Mention’. It was surreal.”
On the Stars tour interview Mick said he hoped hed be around for a longtime, like Sinatra. He now said, “I didnt want to be like Sinatra, but yesI think Ive achieved quite abit of longevity after 22 years.”
And on the future of Simply Red. When would they be back? – “I really dontknow when Simply Red will be back”.
I mentioned that on the DVD interview, he said they would probably be back in2009, doing a greatest hits tour. When asked if this signalled a retirement,he stopped and thought carefully, replying with, “Mhh. I dont know. Thatwould be, let me think, 25 years. I think thats long enough.”
Interviews over, Mick was ushered to meet his adoring fans on the shop floor,where he signed copies of the book until 8pm.
Weblink:simplyred.com
Elly Roberts passed away in 2011, but he was a man who was so passionate about all types of music and loved meeting his musical heroes, such as Mick Hucknall at a book signing at the Trafford Centre, Manchester in 2007.
A former teacher and also a music journalist, DJ and radio presenter on local community station Calon FM, plus appearances on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Radio 2, Elly started doing reviews for DVDfever.co.uk in 2004 and he did the majority of the CD and concerts reviews on the website.
I know also that he loved getting away for the summer to Spain and I hope that wherever he is now he is enjoying the hot sunshine and, as one of his friends has said on his Facebook page, that he is interviewing his musical heroes.