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The earliest tune I fell in love with
My first memory is stepping into a room at preschool where they were blasting Yellow Submarine by the Fab Four. I was enthralled by the sonic landscape, and John Lennon shouting: “Full speed ahead!” When it got to the chorus, I recall believing: “This must be music!”

The first record I purchased
When I was eight years old, I won a contest at school to select a brand new record to play at the small dance we had on Fridays. My teacher took me to Woolworths, and I chose Come Back My Love by the group Darts. The first record I bought with my own pocket money was Mull of Kintyre by Paul McCartney's Wings from a record shop in Lancashire. It was topping the charts at the time, and I chose it when my father mentioned that it was by one of the Beatles.

The song I do at sing-along
I frankly cannot stand public singing and avoid it at all costs. But if forced, I’d choose Summer Wind by Frank Sinatra.

The piece I oddly recite every lyric to
I recently became aware that I know almost every word to The Boy in the Bubble, You Can Call Me Al, and the entire album on Graceland by Paul Simon.

The ideal song to put on at a gathering
It relies on which phase of the event you are at. At the start it would likely be I Heard It Through the Grapevine by the soul legend. As the party deepens, I’d transition into Prince, the Rolling Stones and David Bowie, and when it gets lively, Phat Planet by Leftfield, Born Slippy .NUXX by Underworld, and Ascension by Gorillaz, which is an absolute banger.

The song I can not listen to
I strangely detest Mr Brightside by the Las Vegas band.

The ideal track to get intimate to
Come Together by John, Paul, George, and Ringo.

The LP that transformed me
When I was twelve and beginning to learn the guitar, I’d only listen to early rock ’n’roll, and was obsessed with The King, the rock pioneer, the killer, Fats Domino, Buddy Holly and the rockabilly star. Then my babysitter introduced me to Let There Be Rock by the Australian rockers. It was still guitar music, but it was powerful rock ’n’roll. Instantly after he put the vinyl on the record player, I was captivated.

The tune that wakes me in the AM
What’d I Say parts 1 & 2 by The Genius.

The track that makes me cry
Most music makes me emotional. The Queen of Soul, Frank Sinatra, Elvis and the Fab Four all stir my emotions because of the harmony and pure beauty of the voices. But The Ocean by Richard Hawley gets me going without fail.

The music I’d like performed at my memorial service
Elvis. If I’m given a cremation, I’ll have Burning Love. If I’m buried, I’ll have Way Down.