The Actor's Candid Musical Selections: From Early Loves to Unexplained Aversions
The first song I fell in love with
My earliest memory is walking into a space at kindergarten where they were blasting Yellow Submarine by the Fab Four. I was mesmerized by the sonic landscape, and Lennon bellowing: “Full speed ahead!” When it arrived at the chorus, I distinctly thought: “This must be music!”
The very first 45 I purchased
When I was eight, I was victorious in a competition at school to select a brand new record to play at the weekly dance party we had on Friday afternoons. My instructor took me to a local store, and I opted for Come Back My Love by the group Darts. The first single I bought with my own allowance was Mull of Kintyre by Paul McCartney's Wings from a record shop in Colne. It was number one at the time, and I selected it when my dad mentioned that it was by one of the Beatles.
The track I do at karaoke
I candidly cannot stand public singing and dodge it at all costs. But if forced, I’d choose Summer Wind by Frank Sinatra.
The track I strangely recite all the words to
I just discovered that I know pretty much every word to The Boy in the Bubble, You Can Call Me Al, and the entire album on Graceland by Paul Simon.
The perfect tune to put on at a soirée
It relies on the point of the party you are at. Early doors it would probably be I Heard It Through the Grapevine by the soul legend. As the evening progresses, I’d work through the Artist, the Stones and Bowie, and when it gets lively, Phat Planet by the electronic act, Born Slippy .NUXX by the techno pioneers, and Ascension by Gorillaz, which is an undeniable hit.
The song I can never listen to
I for some reason cannot stand Mr Brightside by the Killers.
The ultimate piece to have sex to
Come Together by the Beatles.
The record that altered my perspective
When I was twelve and starting to learn the six-string, I’d only listen to early rock and roll, and was consumed by The King, the rock pioneer, Jerry Lee Lewis, the New Orleans legend, Buddy Holly and the rockabilly star. Then my childminder introduced me to Let There Be Rock by AC/DC. It was still guitar music, but it was powerful rock music. The moment he put the record on the record player, I was captivated.
The track that gets me up in the morning
What’d I Say in its full glory by The Genius.
The piece that gets me emotional
Virtually any music makes me touched. The Queen of Soul, The Chairman of the Board, Presley and the Beatles all bring a tear to my eye because of the tune and pure brilliance of the singing. But The Ocean by the Sheffield crooner hits me hard every time.
The track I’d like played 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.
