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The initial track I fell in love with
My earliest memory is stepping into a space at preschool where they were playing Yellow Submarine by the Beatles. I was mesmerized by the audio textures, and John Lennon yelling: “Full speed ahead!” When it got to the chorus, I distinctly thought: “This must be music!”

The first single I acquired
When I was eight, I won a competition at school to pick a brand new record to play at the mini disco we had on Friday afternoons. My instructor took me to Woolworths, and I picked out Come Back My Love by the group Darts. The first record I bought with my own savings was Mull of Kintyre by Wings from a music store in Lancashire. It was topping the charts at the time, and I selected it when my father pointed out that it was by one of the Beatles.

The tune I sing at sing-along
I candidly actively avoid public singing and avoid it at all costs. But under duress, I’d choose Summer Wind by Frank Sinatra.

The song I strangely remember all the words to
I just became aware that I can recall virtually all the lyrics to The Boy in the Bubble, You Can Call Me Al, and each track on Graceland by Paul Simon.

The ideal track to play at a soirée
It hinges on the point of the event you are at. At the start it would probably be I Heard It Through the Grapevine by Marvin Gaye. As the evening progresses, I’d work through the Artist, the Stones and 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 number I can not hear
I for some reason detest Mr Brightside by the Killers.

The ideal track to have sex to
Come Together by the Beatles.

The LP that altered my perspective
When I was 12 and starting to learn the guitar, I’d only listen to early rock ’n’roll, and was obsessed with Elvis, Chuck Berry, the killer, the New Orleans legend, Buddy Holly and Eddie Cochran. Then my babysitter introduced me to Let There Be Rock by AC/DC. It was still rock’n’roll, but it was electrifying rock ’n’roll. As soon as he placed the record on the record player, I was a fan for life.

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

The piece that gets me emotional
Virtually any music makes me moved. The Queen of Soul, Frank Sinatra, Presley and the Fab Four all make me cry because of the tune and sheer perfection of the singing. But The Ocean by Richard Hawley hits me hard consistently.

The song I’d like to be played at my funeral
Elvis. If I’m given a cremation, I’ll have Burning Love. If I’m buried, I’ll have Way Down.