It’s the 40th anniversary of a band the cynics said wouldn’t last 40 months. How does that make you feel?
A crazy dream came true, didn’t it? And I’m very proud of the music we created.
Can you pick an absolute high point from those years?
When we got to play a couple of nights at Madison Square Garden during the 1980s. That brought it [the success] home to me.
When was the band’s lowest ebb?
[Laughs] Quite a few times. There were moments between Lou [Gramm, original singer] and I. In around 2007 I remember sitting on a rock in the grounds of his house on a grey day, discussing whether or not he would stay with the band. His leaving affected me a lot.
Is Lou likely to participate in the reunion celebrations?
All I can say is that we’ve started talking about it, so we shall see.
It’s great that rock bands are playing the London Palladium again. And you chose it.
Yeah. From the age of six I was allowed to stay up late and watch that show [Sunday Night At The London Palladium], so I always wanted to play there.
Erratic health sometimes causes you to sit out segments of your shows. Do you expect to be able to do the entire London date?
I’m pretty hopeful that I can.
Are you a friend of John Parr, who will be opening for you?
I know John, yeah. He worked with us seven or eight years ago. We didn’t get to hang out much back then, but I hope it’ll happen this time.
Can’t Slow Down, the band’s most recent album of new songs, is now six years old, and yet there have been many collections, unplugged and live releases. How does that sit with you?
Well, three brand new tracks have been recorded in Miami. I don’t know whether they’ll be released as part of an album or in EP form.
