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The initial song I was captivated by
My earliest recollection is stepping into a room at preschool where they were spinning Yellow Submarine by the Fab Four. I was enthralled by the audio textures, and John Lennon yelling: “Full speed ahead!” When it reached the chorus, I distinctly thought: “This must be music!”

The inaugural single I purchased
When I was eight, I won a contest at school to select a brand new vinyl to play at the small dance we had on Friday afternoons. My instructor took me to Woolworths, and I opted for Come Back My Love by Darts. The first record I bought with my own allowance 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 father pointed out that it was by one of the Beatles.

The tune I perform at karaoke
I candidly actively avoid public singing and steer clear at all costs. But if forced, I’d go with Summer Wind by Ol' Blue Eyes.

The piece I strangely recite each line to
I not long ago became aware that I know pretty much the entire lyrical content to The Boy in the Bubble, You Can Call Me Al, and each track on Graceland by the legendary songwriter.

The perfect song to put on at a gathering
It hinges on which phase of the party you are at. For the beginning it would likely be I Heard It Through the Grapevine by the soul legend. As the evening progresses, I’d transition into Prince, the Rolling Stones and Bowie, and when it gets lively, Phat Planet by Leftfield, Born Slippy .NUXX by the techno pioneers, and Ascension by Gorillaz, which is an absolute banger.

The track I can never hear
I inexplicably loathe Mr Brightside by the Las Vegas band.

The ideal track to make love to
Come Together by the Beatles.

The record that transformed me
When I was 12 and starting to learn the six-string, I’d only listen to 1950s rock ’n’roll, and was consumed by Elvis, the rock pioneer, Jerry Lee Lewis, Fats Domino, the glasses-wearing icon and Eddie Cochran. Then my babysitter introduced me to Let There Be Rock by the Australian rockers. It was still rock’n’roll, but it was high voltage rock ’n’roll. As soon as he dropped the record on the record player, I was captivated.

The song that motivates me in the AM
What’d I Say in its full glory by The Genius.

The track that gets me emotional
Most music makes me touched. The Queen of Soul, Frank Sinatra, Elvis and the Beatles all bring a tear to my eye because of the melody and pure perfection of the singing. But The Ocean by Richard Hawley gets me going every time.

The song I’d like performed at my final send-off
Elvis. If I’m cremated, I’ll have Burning Love. If I’m laid to rest in the ground, I’ll have Way Down.