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The first song I became enamored with
My earliest recollection is walking into a space at kindergarten where they were spinning Yellow Submarine by the Beatles. I was captivated by the sound effects, and John Lennon yelling: “Full speed ahead!” When it arrived at the chorus, I recall believing: “This must be music!”

The very first 45 I bought
When I was eight years old, I won a competition at school to choose a new vinyl to play at the small dance we had on Friday afternoons. My teacher 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 Paul McCartney's Wings from a record shop in Colne. It was topping the charts at the time, and I chose it when my dad mentioned that it was by one of the Beatles.

The tune I do at sing-along
I candidly cannot stand karaoke and dodge it at all costs. But if I had to, I’d choose Summer Wind by Ol' Blue Eyes.

The song I inexplicably recite each line to
I recently realised that I can recall virtually 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 best song to play at a party
It relies on the point of the evening you are at. For the beginning it would likely be I Heard It Through the Grapevine by the soul legend. As the party deepens, I’d transition into the Artist, the 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 absolute banger.

The track I can no longer bear
I for some reason loathe Mr Brightside by the Killers.

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

The LP that transformed me
When I was twelve and starting to study the six-string, I’d only listen to early rock ’n’roll, and was obsessed with Elvis, the rock pioneer, the killer, the New Orleans legend, the glasses-wearing icon and the rockabilly star. Then my babysitter played Let There Be Rock by AC/DC. It was still rock’n’roll, but it was electrifying rock ’n’roll. As soon as he dropped the record on the turntable, I was a fan for life.

The track that gets me up in the AM
What’d I Say in its full glory by The Genius.

The song that gets me emotional
Virtually any music leaves me moved. Aretha Franklin, Frank Sinatra, Elvis and the Fab Four all bring a tear to my eye because of the melody and sheer beauty of the singing. But The Ocean by Richard Hawley hits me hard every time.

The music I’d like to be played at my memorial service
The King. 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.