The Actor's Candid Musical Selections: From Early Loves to Peculiar Aversions
The first tune I was captivated by
My earliest memory is walking into a space at nursery school where they were playing Yellow Submarine by the Beatles. I was captivated by the audio textures, and John Lennon yelling: “Full speed ahead!” When it reached the chorus, I recall believing: “This must be music!”
The very first single I bought
When I was eight years old, I won a competition at school to choose 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 chose Come Back My Love by the group Darts. The first single I bought with my own savings was Mull of Kintyre by Paul McCartney's Wings from a record shop in Colne. It was number one at the time, and I chose it when my father pointed out that it was by one of the Beatles.
The song I do at karaoke
I candidly do not enjoy public singing and steer clear at all costs. But under duress, I’d select Summer Wind by Frank Sinatra.
The track I inexplicably recite all the words to
I recently discovered that I have memorized pretty much the entire lyrical content to The Boy in the Bubble, You Can Call Me Al, and the entire album on Graceland by Paul Simon.
The ideal track to blast at a party
It relies on the point of the event you are at. For the beginning it would likely be I Heard It Through the Grapevine by Marvin Gaye. As the party deepens, 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 Underworld, and Ascension by Gorillaz, which is an massive track.
The song I can no longer hear
I for some reason cannot stand Mr Brightside by the Las Vegas band.
The best track to have sex to
Come Together by John, Paul, George, and Ringo.
The LP that transformed me
When I was twelve and just learning to play the six-string, I’d only listen to 1950s rock and roll, and was consumed by The King, Chuck Berry, the killer, the New Orleans legend, Buddy Holly and Eddie Cochran. Then my childminder brought round Let There Be Rock by AC/DC. It was still guitar music, but it was electrifying rock music. The moment he dropped the vinyl on the turntable, I was a fan for life.
The tune that wakes me in the morning
What’d I Say in its full glory by The Genius.
The piece that brings me to tears
Virtually any music leaves me emotional. The Queen of Soul, The Chairman of the Board, Presley and the Fab Four all make me cry because of the melody and utter beauty of the vocals. But The Ocean by the Sheffield crooner hits me hard every time.
The song I’d like to be played at my final send-off
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.
