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The first song I became enamored with
My most primal memory is entering a space at nursery school where they were spinning Yellow Submarine by the Fab Four. I was captivated by the audio textures, and Lennon bellowing: “Full speed ahead!” When it got to the hook, I remember thinking: “This must be music!”

The first single I acquired
When I was eight years old, I won a competition at school to choose a brand new record to play at the mini disco we had on Friday afternoons. My teacher took me to Woolworths, and I picked out Come Back My Love by Darts. The first single I purchased with my own allowance was Mull of Kintyre by Paul McCartney's Wings from a music store in Lancashire. It was topping the charts at the time, and I selected it when my father noted that it was by one of the Beatles.

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

The song I strangely remember every lyric to
I recently discovered 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 Paul Simon.

The ideal song to put on at a soirée
It depends on the point of the party you are at. For the beginning it would most likely be I Heard It Through the Grapevine by Marvin Gaye. As the party deepens, I’d transition into Prince, the Stones and Bowie, and when it really kicks off, Phat Planet by Leftfield, Born Slippy .NUXX by the techno pioneers, and Ascension by Gorillaz, which is an massive track.

The track I can never listen to
I inexplicably cannot stand Mr Brightside by the Las Vegas band.

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

The record that transformed me
When I was 12 and starting to study the guitar, I’d only listen to early rock and roll, and was fixated on The King, Chuck Berry, the killer, Fats Domino, Buddy Holly and the rockabilly star. Then my childminder introduced me to Let There Be Rock by the Australian rockers. It was still guitar music, but it was electrifying rock music. The moment he placed the vinyl on the record player, I was a fan for life.

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

The song that makes me cry
Virtually any music leaves me touched. Aretha Franklin, The Chairman of the Board, Presley and the Fab Four all bring a tear to my eye because of the melody and sheer brilliance of the vocals. But The Ocean by Richard Hawley gets me going every time.

The song 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.