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The earliest song I became enamored with
My most primal memory is entering a room at nursery school where they were blasting Yellow Submarine by the Beatles. I was enthralled by the audio textures, and Lennon bellowing: “Full speed ahead!” When it got to the refrain, I remember thinking: “This must be music!”

The inaugural single I acquired
When I was eight years old, I won a competition at school to select a new vinyl to play at the small dance we had on Fridays. My instructor took me to Woolworths, and I opted for Come Back My Love by the group Darts. The first record I purchased with my own pocket money was Mull of Kintyre by Paul McCartney's Wings from a music store in Colne. It was topping the charts at the time, and I chose it when my dad mentioned that it was by a former member of the Beatles.

The song I sing at sing-along
I frankly do not enjoy public singing and dodge it at all costs. But under duress, I’d select Summer Wind by Ol' Blue Eyes.

The track I strangely know every lyric to
I just became aware that I can recall pretty much every word to The Boy in the Bubble, You Can Call Me Al, and every song on Graceland by Paul Simon.

The perfect track to put on at a party
It depends on the point of the event you are at. For the beginning it would probably be I Heard It Through the Grapevine by Marvin Gaye. As the party deepens, I’d work through the Artist, the Stones and David Bowie, and when it hits its peak, Phat Planet by Leftfield, Born Slippy .NUXX by the techno pioneers, and Ascension by Gorillaz, which is an undeniable hit.

The song I can not hear
I strangely detest Mr Brightside by the Killers.

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

The album that altered my perspective
When I was twelve and just learning to learn the six-string, I’d only listen to early rock ’n’roll, and was consumed by Elvis, Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, Fats Domino, the glasses-wearing icon and Eddie Cochran. Then my childminder played Let There Be Rock by AC/DC. It was still rock’n’roll, but it was powerful rock ’n’roll. As soon as he placed the record on the record player, I was hooked.

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

The song that makes me cry
Most music leaves me moved. Aretha Franklin, Frank Sinatra, Presley and the Beatles all make me cry because of the tune and utter beauty of the singing. But The Ocean by Richard Hawley hits me hard without fail.

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