WHEN it comes to music, Robert Preston might be The Music Man in the 1962 film of the same name, but Huey Morgan, lead singer of The Fun Lovin' Criminals is by his own admission righted when he states 'I am a music man'.

The fast talking New Yorker is as he himself stated 'is in a sweet spot' in his life. as he is playing 'with his brothers in the band', he has a beautiful wife and kids and has his radio show on the BBC.

He laughed then said maybe he was reaping 'the fruits of my mistakes'.

The fun is back in the Fun Lovin' Criminals as Huey and the lads (Frank Benbini and Brian Leiser) are heading out on the road for a UK tour which will bring them to the West Country, but not only that they will be releasing a new Fun Lovin' Criminals album later in 2019.

What music fans and Fun Lovin' Criminals fans are enjoying now is the group's first new material since 2010 which is 'Another Mimosa'.

Somerset County Gazette:

This is a follow up or a book end to 'Mimosa' which the band released in 1999 and was a compilation album of songs the group loved or wanted to cover.

This magic has been repeated in 2018 with 'Another Mimosa'.

Huey said: "One of the songs on the album is one I used to sing to my daughter.

"The song I used to sing for her is Hello by Neil Diamond. It was a phrase Frank to use to say to me when we were on bunk beds on the tour bus and he would pop up and say Hello, again, hello.

"So in essence it (the song) has come full circle and has come back to the band.

"I realised music was important to me in my 20's as every time something significant happened there was always a piece of music I could relate to.

"It is a feeling akin to trying to catch lightening in a bottle and being touched by a song.

"It could be any song you love or listen to on the radio. It is whatever you have built up in your lexicon of life which brings meaning to it and gives you memories.

"It is lovely when you get these little moments which mean everything to you and you can relive them through songs."

One of the songs which means so much to Huey is Flamenco Sketches.

This is a jazz composition written by American jazz trumpeter Miles Davis and pianist Bill Evans.

You will find it on the Miles Davis album Kind of Blue.

Somerset County Gazette:

Huey said: "I listen to this track five or six times a week and at least once a day.

"It is an album in different modes and each mode is a different song.

"This one is in the style of Spanish music.

"When I heard the sax solo for the first time, I never knew it could be taken to dizzying heights."

One of his favourite album of all time is Miles Davis The Birth of the Cool.

I asked Huey if he thought he had reached the status of 'cool', he said: "I have never looked in the mirror and been that self possessed.

"I am a fan of music and cool music. If I am cool it is because I have hung around with cool people and it is rubbed off on me."

Fun Lovin' Criminals fans would probably disagree with Huey but maybe that is the essence of cool, not even knowing you are cool.

Somerset County Gazette:

One of the links Huey has with the South West or to be more precise Exeter is tattooed on his arm.

He has a tattoo which says Semper Fidelis (it means always faithful, always loyal) which has been the motto on the crest of the city of Exeter since 1660.

For the Fun Lovin' Criminals they are looking to reach dizzying heights on their UK tour which is at the 02 Academy Bristol on February 8, 2019.

Huey said the Fun Lovin' Criminals always seem to do some of their best shows in the UK as there is a nice vibe between them and the audience.

Speaking about what the band means to him, Huey said: "I turned 50 in August and I have been doing this (Fun Lovin' Criminals) for 23 years and I am so fortunate to be still doing it with my brothers.

"When we started the Fun Lovin' Criminals be wanted to be original, we did not follow trends, we did not want to do what anyone else was doing, we wanted to be authentic.

"And what is good is we still doing this and we still have have the freedom to do this.

"In life you have to be authentic. You use all your skills to get to the top.

"Now we have hip-hop or rap which is as artificial as wrestling."

To buy tickets for The Fun Lovin' Criminals at the O2 Academy in Bristol can be bought online at academymusicgroup.com