🔗 Share this article

The first song I became enamored with
My earliest memory is stepping into a space at kindergarten where they were blasting Yellow Submarine by the Beatles. I was mesmerized by the audio textures, and John Lennon yelling: “Full speed ahead!” When it arrived at the refrain, I remember thinking: “This must be music!”

The inaugural 45 I purchased
When I was eight years old, I was victorious in a competition at school to select a new vinyl to play at the weekly dance party we had on Friday afternoons. My teacher took me to Woolworths, and I opted for Come Back My Love by Darts. The first single I bought with my own allowance was Mull of Kintyre by Wings from a record shop in Colne. It was topping the charts at the time, and I selected it when my dad pointed out that it was by a former member of the Beatles.

The song I do at karaoke
I honestly do not enjoy karaoke and avoid it at all costs. But under duress, I’d select Summer Wind by Frank Sinatra.

The song I inexplicably know all the words to
I just discovered that I can recall pretty much all the lyrics to The Boy in the Bubble, You Can Call Me Al, and every song on Graceland by Paul Simon.

The ideal tune to blast at a party
It hinges on the point of the evening you are at. At the start it would probably be I Heard It Through the Grapevine by the soul legend. As the party deepens, I’d move on to Prince, the Stones and Bowie, and when it really kicks off, Phat Planet by the electronic act, Born Slippy .NUXX by Underworld, and Ascension by the virtual band, which is an absolute banger.

The number I can never bear
I inexplicably detest Mr Brightside by the Las Vegas band.

The best piece to make love to
Come Together by John, Paul, George, and Ringo.

The album that changed my life
When I was 12 and beginning to learn the guitar, I’d only listen to 1950s rock ’n’roll, and was fixated on Elvis, Chuck Berry, the killer, the New Orleans legend, the glasses-wearing icon and the rockabilly star. Then my childminder introduced me to Let There Be Rock by the Australian rockers. It was still rock’n’roll, but it was high voltage rock music. Instantly after he dropped the record on the record player, I was captivated.

The tune that gets me up in the AM
What’d I Say parts 1 & 2 by Ray Charles.

The song that brings me to tears
Virtually any music makes me emotional. The Queen of Soul, Frank Sinatra, Elvis and the Beatles all make me cry because of the melody and utter beauty of the singing. But The Ocean by Richard Hawley strikes a chord without fail.

The song I’d like played at my memorial service
The King. If I’m given a cremation, I’ll have Burning Love. If I’m laid to rest in the ground, I’ll have Way Down.