We have a busy house full of kids and cats and I get away from it all to write songs here. It’s my wife Julie’s office – she does all the important stuff, like pay the bills.

We were going to get married 11 years ago at Blenheim Palace but then a big tour came up, so this is us doing the rock ’n’ roll thing and going to Las Vegas instead.

We hired a pink Cadillac to drive us to a chapel where there was an Elvis lookalike… who looked nothing like him! He sang Can’t Help Falling In Love to us – hilarious since UB40 had a No 1 global hit with it in 1993.

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I won this Ivor Novello Award for International Achievement when I was with UB40 in 2003.

I’d been nominated two years earlier for a song I’d produced for some Jamaican artists, but we were pipped at the post.

Ali won this Ivor Novello award for International Achievement when he was with UB40 in 2003
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Ali won this Ivor Novello award for International Achievement when he was with UB40 in 2003

We were taking ourselves really seriously, but then the Bob The Builder theme tune won a different award the same night! That put things in perspective.

3 PICTURE PERFECT 

Owning a photo like this signed by all five of the Rat Pack, including actor and comedian Joey Bishop, is very rare – like having all four Beatles signatures. My wife bought it when we were in Vegas; she’s a fanatic of the Marilyn Monroe and Frank Sinatra era.

I’m more of a Beatles fan but I’ve read some Rat Pack biographies and they’re fascinating. We own stockings that Marilyn wore, a purse and some of her clothing, as in the big frame.

4 LEGEND ON THE LINE

Like most people in England I grew up loving The Beatles, but then aged nine or ten I switched to reggae. 

I have these box sets that contain tickets and concert programmes for Bob Marley and The Beatles. 

One time I’d just watched a documentary called The Beatles: From Liverpool To San Francisco when my then-manager phoned and said Paul McCartney wanted my number. 

Ten minutes later Paul called me. He said he’d just come back from Jamaica and had heard my album there and thought it was great. 

I couldn’t believe it; what a generous spirit to call me to say he likes my album. 

5 STEVIE’S THE GREATEST

This is such a wonderful signed picture of Stevie Wonder and Muhammad Ali. 

Julie and I have moved around a lot and this picture always takes pride of place somewhere in our home. 

Although he and his wife have moved around a lot, they've kept this signed photo of Stevie Wonder and Muhammad Ali
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Although he and his wife have moved around a lot, they’ve kept this signed photo of Stevie Wonder and Muhammad Ali

Stevie looks so little but he’s actually 6ft 4in, so it’s funny to see him looking so small alongside Ali. 

I’ve been lucky enough to meet Stevie several times, and he’s really lovely. He speaks very gently and holds your hand while you speak to him so he can feel your vibes.

6 PLUCKY STAR 

I play on this beautiful Ovation guitar all the time. 

Anyone who knows anything about guitars knows that Ovation makes the best acoustic guitars you can buy. 

I’ve had several and have lost a few around the world over the years, but this one I’ve managed to hold on to. 

I demo all my songs using that guitar and, where some people write music on the piano, I write on the guitar. 

But I only play it when I’m working on material; I don’t just sit and play the guitar