The Actor's Candid Musical Selections: Starting with Childhood Loves to Unexplained Aversions
The first track I became enamored with
My earliest memory is walking into a room at nursery school where they were spinning Yellow Submarine by the Fab Four. I was captivated by the audio textures, and Lennon shouting: “Full speed ahead!” When it arrived at the refrain, I remember thinking: “This must be music!”
The inaugural record 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 Woolworths, and I opted for Come Back My Love by Darts. The first record I bought with my own pocket money 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 noted that it was by one of the Beatles.
The song I perform at sing-along
I frankly do not enjoy karaoke and avoid it at all costs. But if I had to, I’d choose Summer Wind by Ol' Blue Eyes.
The piece I strangely remember every lyric to
I just became aware that I know pretty much the entire lyrical content to The Boy in the Bubble, You Can Call Me Al, and the entire album on Graceland by the legendary songwriter.
The perfect track to play at a party
It depends on the point of the evening you are at. Early doors it would likely be I Heard It Through the Grapevine by the soul legend. As the evening progresses, I’d work through the Artist, the Stones and David 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 song I can not hear
I strangely cannot stand Mr Brightside by the Killers.
The best song to get intimate to
Come Together by the Beatles.
The album that changed my life
When I was twelve and starting to play the six-string, I’d only listen to 1950s rock and roll, and was fixated on Elvis, Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, Fats Domino, the glasses-wearing icon and the rockabilly star. Then my babysitter brought round Let There Be Rock by the Australian rockers. It was still guitar music, but it was electrifying rock music. As soon as he placed the vinyl on the record player, I was hooked.
The track 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 makes me emotional. The Queen of Soul, Frank Sinatra, Elvis and the Fab Four all make me cry because of the melody and pure perfection of the singing. But The Ocean by the Sheffield crooner gets me going every time.
The song I’d like performed at my funeral
Elvis. If I’m given a cremation, I’ll have Burning Love. If I’m laid to rest in the ground, I’ll have Way Down.