"I'M PLAYING the Millennium eve concert in September."

It seems fair to assume from this statement that Billy Ocean is slightly off his rocker.

But, as he explains in his soft Caribbean lull, in Ethiopia they follow a biblical calendar, which leaves them seven years and nine months behind the rest of the world.

"Not a lot of people know that," he says.

Billy has come a long way since his first tentative forays into the music world in 1971.

Now he holds the prestigious title of biggest selling British black artist of all time.

His singles Caribbean Queen, Love Really Hurts Without You and When The Going Gets Tough have won him international acclaim and he has acquired a sizeable collection of silver, gold and platinum records.

"I've just got back from Jamaica where I did two shows. I've never played Jamaica before because it's reggae country, but it was excellent and I loved it."

The Jamaican gigs were among the first in his current tour, which will see him grace Manchester's Opera House on Wednesday, October 24.

"I'm looking forward to Manchester, I've played there before a few times," he says. "I remember there were some very beautiful girls there!"

Billy's career has seen him lend his hand to many causes. To him it's not just about the music.

He performed at the legendary Live Aid concert and at the South Africa Freedom Day concert in 2001, which marked the anniversary of free elections in South Africa and was attended by Nelson Mandela.

To this day he performs with the Ebony Steel Orchestra and has midway through writing a new album.

Tickets for Billy's tour are priced £27.50 and are available now.