I think that the times are changing. I think that people are more open now. The Americans are more open to, for example, Italian music. There are more chances for us in America now. And we are trying to do our best. I released this album in Italian and in English for this reason. I think that it's something that could be different. It could be a new sound. Because it's Italian. Not because it's just in Italian, but it's not the typical Italian songs of opera and folk, but it's pop/rock.

I think it was in 1992. I wrote a song for me and Pavoratti called Miserere and that was the first time that Pavoratti sung with a non-opera artists. Bono liked the song so he wanted to do the English lyrics. So there are two versions… one in English, and one in Italian, with exactly the same melodies. And then we met up with each other almost every year. The last album I recorded was in his studio in Dublin, and we did Net Aid together. We have been very close for a long time.

Yes, in 1989 I recorded an album in Memphis with the Memphis Horns and numerous Memphis and New Orleans artists. With Eric Clapton for example, we did a big tour in Europe in 1991. And we're still in touch. Every summer we go on holidays together. Or with Sting, he's my neighbor here in Tuscany. And I know Paul Young from recording the song, "Senza a Donna" which was a big hit in Europe and America. We are very, very good friends. We can talk not only about music, but we talk about life and this is the most important thing.