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The earliest track I fell in love with
My earliest recollection is entering a room at preschool where they were blasting Yellow Submarine by the Fab Four. I was captivated by the audio textures, and Lennon shouting: “Full speed ahead!” When it arrived at the refrain, I recall believing: “This must be music!”

The very first 45 I purchased
When I was eight, I won a contest at school to choose a new vinyl to play at the mini disco we had on Fridays. 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 pocket money 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 a former member of the Beatles.

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

The song I inexplicably know every lyric 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 song to play at a soirée
It relies on which phase of the evening you are at. For the beginning it would most likely be I Heard It Through the Grapevine by Marvin Gaye. As the party deepens, I’d move on to the Artist, the Rolling Stones and David Bowie, and when it hits its peak, Phat Planet by Leftfield, Born Slippy .NUXX by Underworld, and Ascension by the virtual band, which is an absolute banger.

The number I can never bear
I for some reason cannot stand Mr Brightside by the Las Vegas band.

The ideal track to have sex to
Come Together by John, Paul, George, and Ringo.

The album that altered my perspective
When I was 12 and just learning to play the guitar, I’d only listen to classic rock ’n’roll, and was fixated on The King, Chuck Berry, the killer, the New Orleans legend, Buddy Holly and Eddie Cochran. Then my childminder brought round Let There Be Rock by AC/DC. It was still guitar music, but it was high voltage rock music. Instantly after he placed the record on the record player, I was a fan for life.

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

The track that brings me to tears
Most music makes me touched. Aretha Franklin, The Chairman of the Board, Elvis and the Fab Four all make me cry because of the tune and sheer brilliance of the voices. But The Ocean by the Sheffield crooner strikes a chord consistently.

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 buried, I’ll have Way Down.