The only trouble is that there's absolutely no passion, no soul and no excitement to be found here...Yet all good music should provoke some sort of emotion, and this [Nine Million Bicycles] provokes none whatsoever.

I'm a songwriter but she [Melua] has her songs written for her... She must think it's her fucking lucky day... It's not like she's singing old songs like Jamie…

[Melua] makes music that's easy on the ear and even easier on the brain. She's the perfect good girl in the middle of the road. I'm not keen to make things too…

'She enjoys extremes, but in life her emotions are always in check.'

Music should strike fire from the heart of man, and bring tears from the eyes of woman.

'I can only say so much about how I feel. Music is what I always turned to when I was feeling a certain way. It's been my reason for everything.'

To sing a wrong note is insignificant, but to sing without passion is unforgivable.