The Actor's Revealing Musical Selections: From Early Loves to Unexplained Dislikes
The first track I fell in love with
My earliest memory is stepping into a room at kindergarten where they were playing Yellow Submarine by the Beatles. I was mesmerized by the audio textures, and John Lennon yelling: “Full speed ahead!” When it arrived at the hook, I remember thinking: “This must be music!”
The first 45 I purchased
When I was eight years old, I won a contest at school to select a brand new record to play at the small dance we had on Friday afternoons. My teacher took me to Woolworths, and I chose Come Back My Love by Darts. The first single I bought 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 dad pointed out 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 under duress, I’d select Summer Wind by Frank Sinatra.
The track I inexplicably recite every lyric to
I recently realised that I know almost every word to The Boy in the Bubble, You Can Call Me Al, and the entire album on Graceland by the legendary songwriter.
The perfect song to play at a party
It relies on which phase of the evening you are at. At the start it would probably be I Heard It Through the Grapevine by the soul legend. As the party deepens, I’d work through Prince, 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 the virtual band, which is an undeniable hit.
The number I can not listen to
I inexplicably loathe Mr Brightside by the Killers.
The ideal track to make love to
Come Together by the Beatles.
The record that transformed me
When I was twelve and just learning to learn the six-string, I’d only listen to 1950s rock and roll, and was consumed by Elvis, Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, the New Orleans legend, Buddy Holly and Eddie Cochran. Then my babysitter played Let There Be Rock by AC/DC. It was still rock’n’roll, but it was electrifying rock ’n’roll. Instantly after he put the record on the record player, I was captivated.
The song that gets me up in the morning
What’d I Say in its full glory by Ray Charles.
The track that brings me to tears
All music makes me touched. The Queen of Soul, The Chairman of the Board, Presley and the Fab Four all make me cry because of the harmony and sheer brilliance of the singing. But The Ocean by the Sheffield crooner strikes a chord without fail.
The song I’d like to be played at my final send-off
Elvis. If I’m cremated, I’ll have Burning Love. If I’m laid to rest in the ground, I’ll have Way Down.