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The first tune I fell in love with
My earliest recollection is walking into a room at preschool where they were blasting Yellow Submarine by the Fab Four. I was mesmerized by the audio textures, and Lennon bellowing: “Full speed ahead!” When it arrived at the chorus, I remember thinking: “This must be music!”

The very first 45 I bought
When I was eight years old, I won a competition at school to pick a brand new record to play at the weekly dance party we had on Friday afternoons. My instructor took me to Woolworths, and I opted for Come Back My Love by the group Darts. The first record I purchased with my own savings was Mull of Kintyre by Wings from a record shop in Lancashire. It was No 1 at the time, and I chose it when my dad pointed out that it was by one of the Beatles.

The track I sing at sing-along
I honestly do not enjoy karaoke and avoid it at all costs. But under duress, I’d go with Summer Wind by Ol' Blue Eyes.

The piece I oddly know all the words to
I not long ago realised 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 tune to play at a party
It depends on which phase of the event 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 transition into Prince, the Rolling Stones and Bowie, and when it hits its peak, Phat Planet by Leftfield, Born Slippy .NUXX by Underworld, and Ascension by Gorillaz, which is an massive track.

The track I can no longer listen to
I strangely detest Mr Brightside by the Killers.

The best song to have sex to
Come Together by the Beatles.

The LP that transformed me
When I was 12 and beginning to play the six-string, I’d only listen to classic rock ’n’roll, and was fixated on The King, the rock pioneer, Jerry Lee Lewis, the New Orleans legend, Buddy Holly and the rockabilly star. Then my babysitter brought round Let There Be Rock by the Australian rockers. It was still guitar music, but it was powerful rock ’n’roll. Instantly after he dropped the record on the record player, I was captivated.

The song that gets me up in the morning
What’d I Say parts 1 & 2 by The Genius.

The song that brings me to tears
Most music leaves me touched. Aretha Franklin, The Chairman of the Board, Presley and the Beatles all stir my emotions because of the harmony and pure perfection of the singing. But The Ocean by Richard Hawley gets me going consistently.

The song I’d like played at my memorial service
The King. If I’m cremated, I’ll have Burning Love. If I’m buried, I’ll have Way Down.