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The initial track I fell in love with
My most primal recollection is entering a room at preschool where they were blasting Yellow Submarine by the Beatles. I was enthralled by the sound effects, and John Lennon bellowing: “Full speed ahead!” When it arrived at the hook, I remember thinking: “This must be music!”

The first record I purchased
When I was eight years old, I won a competition at school to select a new record to play at the weekly dance party we had on Fridays. My instructor took me to a local store, and I chose Come Back My Love by the group Darts. The first single I bought with my own pocket money was Mull of Kintyre by Paul McCartney's 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 do at sing-along
I honestly do not enjoy public singing and avoid it at all costs. But under duress, I’d select Summer Wind by Ol' Blue Eyes.

The piece I oddly remember 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 gathering
It hinges on what stage of the party you are at. At the start it would probably be I Heard It Through the Grapevine by Marvin Gaye. As the evening progresses, I’d work through Prince, the Rolling Stones and David 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 absolute banger.

The song I can never listen to
I inexplicably detest Mr Brightside by the Killers.

The ultimate piece to get intimate to
Come Together by the Beatles.

The record that altered my perspective
When I was 12 and beginning to play the guitar, I’d only listen to classic rock ’n’roll, and was fixated on Elvis, Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, the New Orleans legend, Buddy Holly and Eddie Cochran. Then my babysitter played Let There Be Rock by the Australian rockers. It was still guitar music, but it was high voltage rock music. The moment he placed the record on the record player, I was hooked.

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

The track that makes me cry
All music leaves me touched. The Queen of Soul, The Chairman of the Board, Presley and the Fab Four all make me cry because of the tune and utter perfection of the singing. But The Ocean by the Sheffield crooner gets me going every time.

The track I’d like performed at my memorial service
The King. If I’m cremated, I’ll have Burning Love. If I’m laid to rest in the ground, I’ll have Way Down.