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The initial song I fell in love with
My most primal memory is stepping into a space at preschool where they were blasting Yellow Submarine by the Fab Four. I was captivated by the audio textures, and John Lennon bellowing: “Full speed ahead!” When it arrived at the refrain, I distinctly thought: “This must be music!”

The inaugural record I bought
When I was eight, I won a contest at school to pick a brand new record to play at the small dance we had on Fridays. My instructor took me to Woolworths, and I chose Come Back My Love by Darts. The first record I purchased with my own allowance was Mull of Kintyre by Wings from a record shop in Colne. It was topping the charts at the time, and I chose it when my father noted that it was by a former member of the Beatles.

The track I perform at karaoke
I candidly do not enjoy public singing and dodge it at all costs. But if I had to, I’d select Summer Wind by Frank Sinatra.

The song I strangely know all the words to
I just realised that I know virtually all the lyrics to The Boy in the Bubble, You Can Call Me Al, and the entire album on Graceland by the legendary songwriter.

The ideal song to blast at a soirée
It hinges on which phase of the party you are at. For the beginning it would probably 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 the electronic act, Born Slippy .NUXX by Underworld, and Ascension by the virtual band, which is an massive track.

The number I can never bear
I strangely cannot stand Mr Brightside by the Killers.

The ultimate song to get intimate to
Come Together by John, Paul, George, and Ringo.

The record that transformed me
When I was twelve and beginning to learn the six-string, I’d only listen to classic rock and roll, and was obsessed with The King, the rock pioneer, Jerry Lee Lewis, the New Orleans legend, the glasses-wearing icon and Eddie Cochran. Then my babysitter introduced me to Let There Be Rock by the Australian rockers. It was still guitar music, but it was high voltage rock music. As soon as he dropped the vinyl on the turntable, I was captivated.

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

The piece that gets me emotional
All music leaves me emotional. The Queen of Soul, The Chairman of the Board, Presley and the Fab Four all stir my emotions because of the tune and sheer perfection of the voices. But The Ocean by Richard Hawley hits me hard without fail.

The track I’d like to be played at my funeral
Elvis. If I’m given a cremation, I’ll have Burning Love. If I’m laid to rest in the ground, I’ll have Way Down.