🔗 Share this article

The earliest tune I fell in love with
My first recollection is stepping into a room at kindergarten where they were blasting Yellow Submarine by the Beatles. I was captivated by the audio textures, and Lennon yelling: “Full speed ahead!” When it got to the refrain, I recall believing: “This must be music!”

The first single I bought
When I was eight years old, I won a competition at school to choose a brand new vinyl to play at the small dance we had on Friday afternoons. My teacher took me to Woolworths, and I opted for Come Back My Love by Darts. The first record I purchased with my own savings was Mull of Kintyre by Wings from a record shop in Colne. It was number one at the time, and I chose it when my dad pointed out that it was by one of the Beatles.

The song I perform at karaoke
I honestly actively avoid public singing and avoid it at all costs. But if forced, I’d go with Summer Wind by Frank Sinatra.

The track I inexplicably recite all the words to
I just became aware that I know pretty much the entire lyrical content to The Boy in the Bubble, You Can Call Me Al, and every song on Graceland by Paul Simon.

The perfect track to play at a gathering
It relies on what stage of the party you are at. At the start it would most likely be I Heard It Through the Grapevine by Marvin Gaye. As the night wears on, I’d move on to Prince, the Stones and Bowie, and when it really kicks off, Phat Planet by Leftfield, Born Slippy .NUXX by the techno pioneers, and Ascension by Gorillaz, which is an massive track.

The number I can never bear
I inexplicably detest Mr Brightside by the Killers.

The ideal song to make love to
Come Together by the Beatles.

The record that transformed me
When I was 12 and beginning to study the six-string, I’d only listen to 1950s rock ’n’roll, and was consumed by The King, the rock pioneer, the killer, Fats Domino, Buddy Holly and Eddie Cochran. Then my babysitter played Let There Be Rock by AC/DC. It was still guitar music, but it was high voltage rock ’n’roll. The moment he placed the record on the record player, I was hooked.

The song that wakes me in the morning
What’d I Say in its full glory by Ray Charles.

The song that gets me emotional
All music makes me touched. The Queen of Soul, The Chairman of the Board, Elvis and the Fab Four all make me cry because of the melody and utter brilliance of the singing. But The Ocean by the Sheffield crooner strikes a chord consistently.

The music I’d like performed at my funeral
Elvis. If I’m cremated, I’ll have Burning Love. If I’m buried, I’ll have Way Down.