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The earliest song I was captivated by
My earliest memory is walking into a space at kindergarten where they were blasting Yellow Submarine by the Fab Four. I was enthralled by the sonic landscape, and John Lennon bellowing: “Full speed ahead!” When it got to the refrain, I recall believing: “This must be music!”

The inaugural 45 I acquired
When I was eight, I was victorious in a contest at school to select a brand new vinyl to play at the weekly dance party we had on Friday afternoons. My teacher took me to a local store, and I opted for Come Back My Love by the group Darts. The first single I bought with my own allowance was Mull of Kintyre by Wings from a music store in Lancashire. It was No 1 at the time, and I chose it when my dad mentioned that it was by one of the Beatles.

The track I do at sing-along
I candidly do not enjoy public singing and avoid it at all costs. But if I had to, I’d choose Summer Wind by Ol' Blue Eyes.

The track I inexplicably recite every lyric to
I recently realised that I know pretty much all the lyrics to The Boy in the Bubble, You Can Call Me Al, and each track on Graceland by the legendary songwriter.

The best song to blast at a soirée
It hinges on what stage of the evening you are at. For the beginning it would most likely be I Heard It Through the Grapevine by the soul legend. As the evening progresses, I’d move on to the Artist, the Stones and Bowie, and when it hits its peak, Phat Planet by Leftfield, Born Slippy .NUXX by the techno pioneers, and Ascension by the virtual band, which is an massive track.

The song I can not listen to
I for some reason cannot stand Mr Brightside by the Las Vegas band.

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

The LP that transformed me
When I was 12 and starting to study the guitar, I’d only listen to classic rock and roll, and was fixated on Elvis, the rock pioneer, Jerry Lee Lewis, Fats Domino, Buddy Holly and Eddie Cochran. Then my childminder 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. Instantly after he placed the vinyl on the turntable, I was hooked.

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

The piece that gets me emotional
Most music leaves me touched. Aretha Franklin, The Chairman of the Board, Elvis and the Fab Four all bring a tear to my eye because of the melody and pure beauty of the voices. But The Ocean by Richard Hawley hits me hard consistently.

The music I’d like played at my final send-off
The King. If I’m given a cremation, I’ll have Burning Love. If I’m buried, I’ll have Way Down.