20 Fun Facts About Simply Red And Mick Hucknall

20 years ago, Simply Red released "Fairground" and they're about to release their 11th album in 30 years called Big Love. Here are some facts about one of the world's most famous gingers.

1. Before Simply Red, Mick Hucknall sang in a punk band.

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Frantic Elevators was Mick's first band and they were inspired by the Sex Pistols. It's hard to believe that the soft-voiced singer could be anything but seductive but here we are.

2. The name Simply Red is a tribute to Mick's favourite football team.

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Born and raised in Manchester, Mick's favourite football team in Manchester United and 'simply red' is a nod to the team's colours.

There he is just hanging out with Sir Alex Ferguson, the former manager of Man Utd.

3. He once tried to buy Manchester United.

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In 1998, so strong was his love for the Red Devils, that he tried to buy the club. He also really enjoyed hanging out with star player Eric Cantona. But, then again, who wouldn't?

4. He dated a lot of beautiful, famous women.

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This is not secret information but the man did very well.

5. He dated Catherine Zeta Jones.

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The Mancunian stud dated the Welsh beauty for four months, just before she met Michael Douglas.

6. He was paired with supermodel Helena Christensen.

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The two spent some time together in 1998. A very busy year for Mick.

7. He was also enjoyed the company of Eastenders' Martine McCutcheon.

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There they are, having a wonderful time.

8. In fact, Martine once vomited on Mick's head, causing him to chop off his dreadlocks.

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This is possibly one of the most fun facts of all time but when Martine and Mick were dating, she had had a few drinks too many and managed to vom all over his lovely hair.

In her own words, this is what happened:

"I was quite nervous to be on a date with him. I just kept drinking, and I wasn't really eating, and then the next thing we're getting in a car and as the engine went over, my mouth went 'Grrr'.

"He said, 'Sorry?', thinking I said something, and I just went 'Borrrrr'. All over him."

You can read more about that pukey night here.

9. So successful was he at wooing the ladies that he issued an apology to the "thousands of women" he slept with.

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In an interview with the Guardian, he estimates that he slept with 3, 000 women in the space of three years.

"When I had the fame, it went crazy... Between 1985-1987, I would sleep with about three women a day, every day. I never said no. This was what I wanted from being a pop star. I was living the dream and my only regret is that I hurt some really good girls."

10. Stars was the best selling album in the UK in 1991 and 1992.

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People just could not get enough of them. It was also nominated for the 1992 Mercury Prize but lost out to Primal Scream's Screamadelica.

11. "Holding Back the Years" was Simply Red's first number one song.

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"Holding Back the Years" was the band's first number one song, reaching the top of the charts in Ireland and the US Billboard Hot 100. It only reached number two in the UK.

12. "If You Don't Know Me by Now" was an international hit.

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Originally sung by Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, "If You Don't Know Me by Now" got to number one in Australia, New Zealand and, again, in the US Billboard Hot 100. It only reached number two in the UK. Pssssshaw.

Ricky Gervais also sang it beautifully in The Office.

13. "Fairground" finally became their first number one song in the UK.

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And rightly so. What a song.

14. "Fairground" was filmed at Blackpool Pleasure Beach.

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The 1995 hit single came with the totally iconic video which was filmed in the amusement park. The image of his flowing red locks on the rollercoaster are forever burnt into the memories of those who experienced Simply Red mania.

15. He looks like the Cowardly Lion.

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Uncanny.

16. He's a leading ginger activist.

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All through school, Mick says that he was bullied over the colour of his hair. In an interview with the Guardian, he compares the abuse that redheads get to racism.

"I've read some amazingly derogatory things about me over the years and I've sat there and thought: if you replaced "ginger" with "black" or even "Asian", you'd be up in front of a judge."

17. Mick co-founded a British reggae record label.

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In 1993, along with four others, co-founded Blood and Fire, which specialises in reissues of 1970s roots reggae records. Say that times ten.

18. He also has his own wine label.

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Simply called Il Cantante (the singer), Mick's Sicilian wine, produced near Mount Etna, has received rave reviews.

19. He runs a large, country estate in Co. Donegal, Ireland.

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Along with his bandmate Chris de Margary, Mick purchased Glenmore Lodge in 2005 and it now operates as Glenmore Rivers Sporting Estate where people can stay for the weekend and go hunting and fishing. He's quite the entrepreneur, our Mick.

20. Some say he was yesteryear's Ed Sheeran.

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Oh, to party with those two.