SIMPLY GREAT

In this exclusive, AUGUSTMAN speaks to Simply Red's Mick Hucknall during its first-ever performance in Malaysia at Ombak Festival in Desaru Coast.

- WORDS SUFFIAN HAKIM

IT'S HARD TO IMAGINE Mick Hucknall in a punk rock band.

Well known for his blue-eyed soul ballads such as 'Holding Back The Years' and 'If You Don't Know Me By Now' with his band Simply Red, the 65-year-old Mancunian is always assumed to be a gentle spirit, crooning from the heart rather than spitting with rage. While that's largely true, Hucknall also has a fiery ambition, matched with an unceasing work ethic and an unwavering adherence to quality. It's something he's had since his early days as a frontman for British punk rock band Frantic Elevators.

His ambitions to become a musician began when he watched The Sex Pistols in Manchester's Lesser Free Trade Hall in 1976. He felt punk was his jam back then. So, he united with a few friends to form Frantic Elevators the following year. For seven years, when Hucknall was between 17 and 24, Frantic Elevators worked the scene to limited success, cutting a few studio releases with local labels.