Mick Hucknall: My joy at family life inspired new Simply Red album

 
Settled down: Mick Hucknall with wife Gabriella (Picture: Axel Schmidt/AFP/Getty Images)
Alistair Foster20 April 2015
The Weekender

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Mick Hucknall says the love of his wife and daughter inspired him to write the first Simply Red album in eight years.

The band today announced they will release their 11th album, Big Love, in June to coincide with their 30th anniversary year.

In an exclusive interview with the Standard, Hucknall, who once claimed to have slept with 1,000 women, said he never thought he would find lasting happiness — so was “immensely grateful” to be settled with his wife Gabriella Wesberry and their daughter Romy, seven, in south-west London.

Of the album Hucknall, 54, said: “I hadn’t intended to do anything, and it was my manager who said it was going to be our 30th anniversary and I agreed to do a tour. I started thinking about what it was that people liked about Simply Red in the first place. I found myself writing songs. Once I had about four or five, I thought, I’ve almost got enough for an album here!

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“The truth is, more than anything, it was about me wanting to be a father. I didn’t want to live that troubadour lifestyle, where you’re never at home. You’re never there. I wanted to switch off from the music and just be there for my family.” Hucknall has spoken at length about his difficult upbringing in Manchester. His mother left when he was three and he was raised by his father. He said: “I never knew what a family unit was — and here I am with a wife and daughter. I’m pretty ecstatic. To be going through that level of joy at this stage in my life, I never thought that would happen.”

The band begin their tour in November.

Big Love is out on June 1. Simply Red perform at the O2 December 17 to 19.

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