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The initial song I fell in love with
My earliest memory is walking into a room at preschool where they were spinning Yellow Submarine by the Beatles. I was captivated by the audio textures, and Lennon shouting: “Full speed ahead!” When it arrived at the chorus, I distinctly thought: “This must be music!”

The inaugural single I purchased
When I was eight years old, I won a competition at school to choose a new record to play at the mini disco we had on Fridays. My instructor took me to Woolworths, and I picked out Come Back My Love by the group Darts. The first single I purchased with my own savings was Mull of Kintyre by Wings from a record shop in Colne. It was topping the charts at the time, and I chose it when my dad noted that it was by one of the Beatles.

The tune I sing at karaoke
I candidly cannot stand karaoke and dodge it at all costs. But if forced, I’d choose Summer Wind by Frank Sinatra.

The song I inexplicably know each line to
I recently discovered that I have memorized 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 track to put on at a party
It depends on which phase of the evening you are at. For the beginning it would most likely be I Heard It Through the Grapevine by Marvin Gaye. As the evening progresses, I’d move on to Prince, the Rolling Stones and Bowie, and when it really kicks off, Phat Planet by Leftfield, Born Slippy .NUXX by Underworld, and Ascension by Gorillaz, which is an massive track.

The number I can not hear
I inexplicably cannot stand Mr Brightside by the Killers.

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

The album that altered my perspective
When I was twelve and just learning to learn the six-string, I’d only listen to 1950s rock ’n’roll, and was consumed by The King, the rock pioneer, Jerry Lee Lewis, the New Orleans legend, the glasses-wearing icon and the rockabilly star. Then my childminder brought round Let There Be Rock by AC/DC. It was still guitar music, but it was electrifying rock music. As soon as he placed the record on the record player, I was hooked.

The tune that gets me up in the AM
What’d I Say in its full glory by The Genius.

The track that makes me cry
All 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 utter beauty of the singing. But The Ocean by the Sheffield crooner hits me hard without fail.

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