The world is a heartbreaking place, without any question.

I was never much of a one to win prizes... and certainly never placed too much value on their acquisition.

When you go to Africa, and you see children, they're usually barefoot, dirty and in rags, and they'd love to go to school.

I see myself as a traveller.

Although I have lived in London, I have never really considered London my home because it was always going to be a stopping-off point for me, and it has been too.

I have always felt a little homeless. It's a strange thing.

I think Scotland could take a stand in a wonderful way, ecologically and morally and ethically.

Those in the developing world have so few rights - we take a lot for granted in the developed world.

Whatever you do, you do out of a passion.

Ask yourself: Have you been kind today? Make kindness your daily modus operandi and change your world.

There are two kinds of artists left: those who endorse Pepsi and those who simply won't.

Dying is easy, it's living that scares me to death.

When you're that successful, things have a momentum, and at a certain point you can't really tell whether you have created the momentum or it's creating you.

The future hasn't happened yet and the past is gone. So I think the only moment we have is right here and now, and I try to make the best of those moments, the moments that I'm in.

Over the years, I was never really driven to become a solo artist, but I was curious to find out who I was as an individual creative person. It's taken some time, but now I feel I've truly paid my dues. I guess I'm at a point now where I'm more comfortable in my own skin.

Music is an extraordinary vehicle for expressing emotion - very powerful emotions. That's what draws millions of people towards it. And, um, I found myself always going for these darker places and - people identify with that.

It's a very telling thing when you have children. You have to be there for them, you've got to set an example, when you're not sure what your example is, and anyway the world is changing so fast you don't know what is appropriate anymore.

I would say that although my music may be or may have been part of the cultural background fabric of the gay community, I consider myself an outsider who belongs everywhere and nowhere... Being a human being is what truly counts. That's where you'll find me.

I want to branch out. I want to write. I write poetry. I want to see my children grow up well.

I mean, I'm 48 years old and I've been through a lot in my life - you know, loss, whether it be death, illness, separation. I mean, the failed expectations... We all have dreams.

A lot of music you might listen to is pretty vapid, it doesn't always deal with our deeper issues. These are the things I'm interested in now, particularly at my age.

I was perceiving myself as good as a man or equal to a man and as powerful and I wanted to look ambiguous because I thought that was a very interesting statement to make through the media. And it certainly did cause quite a few ripples and interest and shock waves.

More people know who I am, but I don't feel any different within myself - I think that's the main thing.

Oh, God. Mate, I've written about 800 songs, and that's no exaggeration!