Paul Simon can't tour again because he hasn't "figured out how to perform with the hearing loss".

The 81-year-old singer has suffered hearing loss in his left ear over the last few years and he’s thankful that’s he has some ideas for new music to keep him occupied because he’s unsure if he’ll be able to get back on stage again.

He told MOJO magazine: “I have three songs in motion. One of them is finished. It feels like a half-step beyond what ‘Seven Psalms’ is, evolving into something else.

“And that’s literally a lifesaver because I haven’t figured out how to perform with the hearing loss, I’ve tried to rehearse with the guys in my touring band, to see if I could manage it. I can’t so far. This is at least an outlet for thinking musically.”

The ‘Graceland’ hitmaker learned a lot when putting together latest album ‘Seven Psalms’ in lockdown.

He said: “’Seven Psalms’, because I had so much time to be solitary with it – I learned a lot about my musical thinking, how I might implement those thoughts with the instruments I have at hand.

“In fact, I just bought somebody’s big collection of percussion instruments, mostly because I wanted to work with certain bells.

“But I’ll find out whatever else is there. It’s more subtle colours in the palette.”

Paul has realised over the years there is a “cycle” to his creative output.

He explained: “What seems to be still going on is that cycle of every three years or so.

“I’m beginning to write songs again. I don’t say, ‘OK, it’s time to write, I’m going to go to my desk, sit down and start from this hour to that hour.’

“Once it’s going on, I’m writing all day – while I’m walking around or sitting down with a guitar.

“I wasn’t aware of it when I was 12 or 13 and wrote my first song.

“I don’t think I became aware of it until I was in my 40s. It’s a flow. It carries me along. It’s always been that way in my life.”