Mick Hucknall

Birthday: 8 June 1960, Manchester, England, UK

Birth Name: Michael James Hucknall

Height: 180 cm

Mick Hucknall sang in a punk band called the Frantic Elevators, who released four singles, all of which failed to chart. They disbanded in 1982 and Hucknall formed a more successful venture, Simply Red, in 1984. Their first single, a cover of the Valentine Brothers' "Money's Too Tight (to Mention)", was a no. 13 hit in 1985. But the band's next three singles, which included a recording of "Holding Back the Years" (originally a single by the Frantic Elevators), all failed to get into the top 40 and it looked like Simply Red might fail to make much of a mark. But in 1986, "Holding Back the Years" was re-issued, got radio airplay and reached the no. 2 position on the UK chart (and topped the chart in the USA). This song, and many more hit singles, established Simply Red as a white soul act. However, they had to wait until 1995 for their first UK number one, "Fairground".Hucknall is a prominent supporter of Britain's Labour Party (the band's 1992 hit "Your Mirror" was a condemnation of the Conservative government of the time) and he sings occasionally on Michael Parkinson's BBC chat show. Show less «

I believe that music should communicate to as many people as you can get to. In that kind of DJ, mus...Show more »

I believe that music should communicate to as many people as you can get to. In that kind of DJ, music journalist world the snobbery comes from 'it's too successful, therefore I can't like it. It's too big a hit'. Show less «

Gene Vincent had such a beautiful voice.

I was genuinely convinced that The Buzzcocks with Howard Devoto would be bigger than The Beatles.

[on Barry White] He always had a fabulous rhythm section and, together with his extraordinary voice,...Show more »

[on Barry White] He always had a fabulous rhythm section and, together with his extraordinary voice, it makes something really special. Show less «

Celebrity is a fascination with a fake plastic image.

I've read some amazingly derogatory things about me over the years and I've sat there and thought: i...Show more »

I've read some amazingly derogatory things about me over the years and I've sat there and thought: if you replaced "ginger" with "black" or even "Asian", you'd be up in front of a judge. Show less «

[on homosexuality] It's a beautiful thing.

We've bred this generation of young people who just want to be famous.

I think most amateur psychologists would say that, given my upbringing, I would probably be seeking ...Show more »

I think most amateur psychologists would say that, given my upbringing, I would probably be seeking some kind of approval from the opposite sex. So I think that became a way of seeking endless re-approval for myself. Plus, of course, a little bit of ego, a little bit of power plus a vast amount of alcohol ... before you know it, you are in bed with a different woman every night. I don't think fame is the key. I never had any problems getting off with women. Admittedly, it became a lot easier once I was famous. But I think my success in that department owes a lot to the way I was brought up. I didn't have a mother, but I had lots of different female characters around me. So, compared to a lot of people, I learned a broader idea of the female psyche and maybe I really learned what women are truly like. But, whenever it's mentioned, it's always, "Mick Hucknall, the ugly ginger twat who pulls beautiful girls." No envy there, I don't suppose! Show less «

The band I had at the time were in love with punk's individualism, but not always with the punk soun...Show more »

The band I had at the time were in love with punk's individualism, but not always with the punk sound. Also, I thought the idea of a punk uniform was an oxymoron. By the time of "Holidays In The Sun", the whole thing had turned into a bad joke, a cliché, a parody of itself. So I moved from punk to soul because that's where I felt most comfortable. Show less «

Al Green is a huge influence on me as a singer. He has such delicate phrasing and sensuality. I'm al...Show more »

Al Green is a huge influence on me as a singer. He has such delicate phrasing and sensuality. I'm also very aware of how much women love his singing style. Show less «

What's wrong with coffee tables? Millions of people have got coffee tables. What's wrong with having...Show more »

What's wrong with coffee tables? Millions of people have got coffee tables. What's wrong with having a book on there and a Simply Red and a Sade CD? I don't have a problem with it. Show less «

Like many artists, my deal meant I paid for the cost of recording the music. I paid for the marketin...Show more »

Like many artists, my deal meant I paid for the cost of recording the music. I paid for the marketing. I don't know any other business where you pay for something and then someone else owns it. Show less «

I have to admit that The Clash were the best punk band of all. They really delivered the goods and t...Show more »

I have to admit that The Clash were the best punk band of all. They really delivered the goods and took that original punk attitude to a whole other space. Show less «

[on "Far East Man" by George Harrison and Ronnie Wood] It has beautiful vocal harmonies and fantasti...Show more »

[on "Far East Man" by George Harrison and Ronnie Wood] It has beautiful vocal harmonies and fantastic guitar work. Show less «

Maybe these girls want to sleep with me because I sing quite well.

I was a soul boy before I was a punk. James Brown and Motown - we related to it because we were kind...Show more »

I was a soul boy before I was a punk. James Brown and Motown - we related to it because we were kind of blue collar. Show less «

It's still the same drive that gets me out of bed in the morning. Lust for life. Or, failing that, I...Show more »

It's still the same drive that gets me out of bed in the morning. Lust for life. Or, failing that, Iggy Pop's Lust For Life. Whatever it takes, y'know? Show less «

Aretha Franklin was a huge influence on the way I sing. I'd always try and get the notes that she co...Show more »

Aretha Franklin was a huge influence on the way I sing. I'd always try and get the notes that she could get. Show less «

The influence of black American music has been inherent in British pop culture since the sixties.

Marvin Gaye is my favourite vocalist of all time.

[on "Sally Sue Brown" by Arthur Alexander] I love the groove on this track and the acoustic guitar.

We would never have gained the attention without a major label throughout the world initially. I jus...Show more »

We would never have gained the attention without a major label throughout the world initially. I just got tired of them taking all the money. Show less «

The truth is there was a golden era in music from 1962 to 1978 - after that it all went a bit tits u...Show more »

The truth is there was a golden era in music from 1962 to 1978 - after that it all went a bit tits up. I blame the fucking drum machine and the fucking shoulder pads of the 1980s. I feel a bit like the Antichrist as I had the bulk of my success in the 80s and I hate 80s music. I don't care if it's in fashion now, I hate it. I hate everything about it. The only thing I succumbed to was the ridiculous hairstyles. Show less «

What people say I am worth is bollocks. But I grew up with the idea that socialism meant the Labour ...Show more »

What people say I am worth is bollocks. But I grew up with the idea that socialism meant the Labour Party, and that's what it still means to me. It comes down to social justice, social welfare, everybody getting an equal shot at what life has to offer. I don't see that having a few bob is a contradiction of those beliefs. I still believe in the Labour Party, though I do question some of their policies like any intelligent person should. Show less «

I am one of the best singer-songwriters this country has produced. Ever. If people don't like me say...Show more »

I am one of the best singer-songwriters this country has produced. Ever. If people don't like me saying that, tough shit. You can't sell 50 million albums without something. Show less «

I'm interested in what legacy you leave behind musically, not about what I am now, what I look like,...Show more »

I'm interested in what legacy you leave behind musically, not about what I am now, what I look like, whether I'm skinny, whether I'm fat, whether I'm good looking, whether I'm ugly. I don't think it matters. It's about the music. Show less «

I was listening to the Beatles as well, which you weren't allowed to if you were a punk. So I never ...Show more »

I was listening to the Beatles as well, which you weren't allowed to if you were a punk. So I never quite fitted in. Show less «

I am in this business for the music. The whole fame and celebrity stuff is the bit that I've always ...Show more »

I am in this business for the music. The whole fame and celebrity stuff is the bit that I've always been uncomfortable with. Show less «

The thing is that I'm red-headed for good reason. I researched my DNA and I'm Irish/Basque with a bi...Show more »

The thing is that I'm red-headed for good reason. I researched my DNA and I'm Irish/Basque with a big dollop of Spanish sea captain in there. Show less «

Mick Hucknall

Mick Hucknall's FILMOGRAPHY

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