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The earliest song I was captivated by
My earliest recollection is walking into a room at preschool where they were blasting Yellow Submarine by the Beatles. I was captivated by the sonic landscape, and Lennon yelling: “Full speed ahead!” When it got to the refrain, I recall believing: “This must be music!”

The first 45 I bought
When I was eight years old, I was victorious in a contest at school to pick a new record to play at the weekly dance party we had on Fridays. My teacher took me to a local store, and I picked out Come Back My Love by Darts. The first single I purchased with my own allowance was Mull of Kintyre by Wings from a record shop in Lancashire. It was number one at the time, and I chose it when my father pointed out that it was by one of the Beatles.

The tune I do at karaoke
I honestly do not enjoy karaoke and dodge it at all costs. But if forced, I’d choose Summer Wind by Frank Sinatra.

The track I strangely recite each line to
I recently discovered that I have memorized almost the entire lyrical content to The Boy in the Bubble, You Can Call Me Al, and the entire album on Graceland by Paul Simon.

The perfect tune to play at a party
It relies on what stage of the evening you are at. At the start it would most likely be I Heard It Through the Grapevine by the soul legend. As the evening progresses, I’d move on to the Artist, the Stones and Bowie, and when it really kicks off, Phat Planet by the electronic act, Born Slippy .NUXX by the techno pioneers, and Ascension by Gorillaz, which is an massive track.

The song I can not listen to
I for some reason cannot stand Mr Brightside by the Las Vegas band.

The ideal track to make love to
Come Together by John, Paul, George, and Ringo.

The LP that changed my life
When I was 12 and starting to play the six-string, I’d only listen to early rock ’n’roll, and was obsessed with Elvis, Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, Fats Domino, the glasses-wearing icon and Eddie Cochran. Then my childminder introduced me to Let There Be Rock by AC/DC. It was still guitar music, but it was powerful rock ’n’roll. Instantly after he dropped the vinyl on the record player, I was a fan for life.

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

The song that brings me to tears
Virtually any music makes me moved. Aretha Franklin, The Chairman of the Board, Presley and the Beatles all stir my emotions because of the tune and pure perfection of the vocals. But The Ocean by Richard Hawley gets me going every time.

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