Not Simply Red as Mick gets blues

Flame-haired singer Mick Hucknall couldn't be happier about getting the blues on his latest tour, which comes to Wolverhampton on Monday.

The Mancunian star, who is as famous for his scarlet curls as for his decades of hits with Simply Red, has switched musical styles for his current UK-wide tour.

The Tribute To Bobby tour sees Mick perform the work of little-known blues singer Bobby "Blue" Bland. The singer told the Express & Star that the chance to bring the sound of his musical hero to new audiences was a dream come true.

"I've been listening to him from about 18 and I still enjoy his music but a lot of people don't know about him and it's not what you would typically think of blues as being," he said.

"It's a different style of music. With Simply Red we were influenced by the sixties, seventies, eighties and onwards. I was listening to this stuff but the producers didn't let us go in that direction so these influences have been put on the back burner for years."

Mick said he was excited about playing the more intimate setting of the Civic Hall .

"I'm used to doing the NEC so its going to be great at the Civic. Also, this type of music suits more intimate surroundings," he said "It's all an issue of the songs and changing the repertoire." Mick's tangent in musical style is in keeping with other changes the 48-year-old has made to his life. The singer has cast off the Lothario image for which he was once famed and is now happily settled with his long-term partner Gabriella Wesberry and one-year-old daughter Romy True Hucknall.

Mick says becoming a father has changed him "unimaginably" and his partner and little girl will not be far from his side during his tour.

"They are going to be with me on various parts of the tour, I don't like being away from them for more than two or three days at a time," he said.

The star is looking forward to a rosy future and plans to bring out further solo albums after Simply Red go their separate ways next year.

"We will be doing a farewell tour at the end of this year or early next year and then I'm going to be bring out more albums under my own name," he added.

l Mick Hucknall, Tribute To Bobby is at Wolverhampton Civic Hall on Monday. Doors open at 7.30pm.