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The earliest tune I was captivated by
My earliest memory is stepping into a room at kindergarten where they were playing Yellow Submarine by the Beatles. I was captivated by the audio textures, and John Lennon shouting: “Full speed ahead!” When it reached the refrain, I remember thinking: “This must be music!”

The inaugural 45 I acquired
When I was eight, I won a competition at school to select a brand new vinyl to play at the weekly dance party we had on Fridays. My teacher took me to a local store, and I picked out Come Back My Love by Darts. The first single I purchased with my own pocket money was Mull of Kintyre by Wings from a music store in Lancashire. It was No 1 at the time, and I selected it when my father mentioned that it was by a former member of the Beatles.

The tune I sing at sing-along
I candidly actively avoid public singing and avoid it at all costs. But if I had to, I’d go with Summer Wind by Ol' Blue Eyes.

The piece I oddly know each line to
I recently realised that I know almost every word to The Boy in the Bubble, You Can Call Me Al, and every song on Graceland by the legendary songwriter.

The best tune to play at a party
It relies on which phase of the evening you are at. For the beginning it would probably be I Heard It Through the Grapevine by the soul legend. As the party deepens, I’d move on to Prince, the Stones and David Bowie, and when it gets lively, Phat Planet by the electronic act, Born Slippy .NUXX by the techno pioneers, and Ascension by the virtual band, which is an absolute banger.

The track I can not bear
I for some reason detest Mr Brightside by the Las Vegas band.

The ultimate song to have sex to
Come Together by John, Paul, George, and Ringo.

The LP that altered my perspective
When I was 12 and just learning to play the guitar, I’d only listen to early rock and roll, and was obsessed with Elvis, the rock pioneer, Jerry Lee Lewis, the New Orleans legend, Buddy Holly and the rockabilly star. Then my childminder introduced me to Let There Be Rock by AC/DC. It was still guitar music, but it was powerful rock ’n’roll. Instantly after he put the record on the record player, I was a fan for life.

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

The track that makes me cry
All music leaves me moved. Aretha Franklin, Frank Sinatra, Presley and the Fab Four all stir my emotions because of the tune and sheer beauty of the voices. But The Ocean by the Sheffield crooner hits me hard consistently.

The music I’d like to be played at my memorial service
Elvis. If I’m cremated, I’ll have Burning Love. If I’m buried, I’ll have Way Down.