Quotes

I've made a lot of difference to a lot of people, let me tell you.

To a Pop Idol contestant: "Well, as a Walsall FC supporter you know we ain't ever gonna make the Premiership, and that just about sums you up."

I'm the only person who's ever put an out-of-tune Paul McCartney record out.

If you're at the top you're going nowhere.

There are some people we have worked with who have outstanding natural talent-Donna Summer is one of these. She gave back more than we asked for.

[on the death of Donna Summer] I should have guessed she was ill, because I saw she cancelled a gig 3 months before. Donna never cancels a gig. The great thing is that she was amazingly religious, so she won't have seen it as the end of her life, but as the beginning of a longer life. She wouldn't have been scared.

[meeting Cheryl Cole as an auditionee on Pop Idol] You have the most beautiful eyes and skin I think I've ever seen in my life.

There is only one key area of pop music: the song.

For people like myself, The Beatles and Burt Bacharach, the tune was always the most important thing. If you look at the greatest pop writers you'll always spot the classical influence.

[on Abba] By God, they said more about everything than any other band.

I hadn't got a pot to piss in but I spent every penny that I had on the music I loved.

Jimmy Savile did invent DJing the way we know it today. There's no question. The first DJ I ever saw with two decks was Jimmy Savile and I have to tell you, he was fantastic.

[on hits he produced] If I'm good at what I do, you shouldn't be able to hear where I've taken it from.

[on Johann Pachelbel's "Canon"] That's almost the godfather of pop music because we've all used that in our own ways for the past 30 years. The Farm used it for All Together Now and we used it for I Should Be So Lucky by Kylie.

I think classical music has had an amazing influence on pop, although at the moment R&B and rap artists have forced all the tunes out. But pop will come back to classical music.

You Spin Me Round had Ride of The Valkyries all over it. We changed a few things around but if you listen to it the strings are straight off it.

[on Rick Astley] He reminded me of Van Morrison, the way he had these awkward moves but with this great voice.