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 Don’t Know Me By Now’ (Carlton Books - Ј19.99 ), by Brian Southall with Mick Hucknall. Before the signings, Mick was interviewed by media, including BBC North West, in makeshift interview room in the annals of the store. Arriving 20 minutes late, 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 he’d been baby shopping with his partner Gabriella Wesberry for 9lb arrival Romy True Hucknall.

It’s been three years, it seems longer actually. I don’t really know why. We’ve had a few days here, when I’ve seen family and friends. I’m just always amazed at the change in the architecture and how European it’s becoming.
Of his fans in Manchester, Mick said,

I’m going to meet some of them later. We don’t have a kind of pre-arranged meeting like this, signing books is a one -off really. Naturally it’s good to come back, I don’t think twice about it. I’m very relaxed here.

When asked why Simply Red remained popular after 25 years, he said,

I don’t know actually. I just make this music that’s popular, and as long as it remains reasonably popular, that’s good.

When talking about the book Mick was keen to explain,

It’s a very human story of Simply Red. I’m a very shy person, and I’ve tried to be objective and explain why I reacted in a certain way. We questioned everything between ’76 and ’78. I didn’t fit in with fashions. The Punk thing made me go that way. Because I’m largely a shy person, we wanted to get across the multi-dimensional side of things. I didn’t want it to be too much of a powder-puff piece.

Refering to his recent fatherhood, he said,

I don’t even remember my life before I became a father. It’s absolutely changed my life, and I’m loving every bit of it.

Mick made a personal reference when introducing his song For Your Babies on 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 it’s not, it’s a band. I will be doing a solo project with Bobby Bland – a tribute to Bobby over in Memphis, a kind of documentary, and I think it’s more appropriate to do it myself. With Simply Red, we’re a kind of victim of our own success with the soul thing. I was on the dole for sometime, then we had a hit in America with Money’s Too Tight To Mention. It was surreal.

On the ‘Stars’ tour interview Mick said he hoped he’d be around for a long time, like Sinatra. He now said,

I didn’t want to be like Sinatra, but yes I think I’ve achieved quite abit of longevity after 22 years.

And on the future of SimplyRed: when would they be back?

I really don’t know when Simply Red will be back.

I mentioned that on the DVD interview, he said they would probably be back in 2009, doing a greatest hits tour. When asked if this signalled a retirement, he stopped and thought carefully, replying with,

Mhh. I don’t know. That would be, let me think, 25 years. I think that’s 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.