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The initial tune I fell in love with
My first memory is walking into a room at kindergarten 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 refrain, I recall believing: “This must be music!”

The first record I acquired
When I was eight years old, I won a competition at school to pick a brand new vinyl to play at the small dance we had on Friday afternoons. My teacher took me to a local store, and I picked out Come Back My Love by Darts. The first record I purchased with my own pocket money was Mull of Kintyre by Wings from a music store in Colne. It was topping the charts at the time, and I chose it when my father pointed out that it was by one of the Beatles.

The track I sing at karaoke
I honestly cannot stand karaoke and avoid it at all costs. But if I had to, I’d choose Summer Wind by Ol' Blue Eyes.

The song I inexplicably recite each line to
I just realised that I can recall 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 best tune to put on at a party
It depends on the point of the party you are at. Early doors it would most likely be I Heard It Through the Grapevine by the soul legend. As the party deepens, I’d move on to the Artist, the Rolling Stones and 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 no longer bear
I inexplicably loathe Mr Brightside by the Killers.

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

The LP that transformed me
When I was twelve and starting to play the six-string, I’d only listen to 1950s rock and roll, and was obsessed with Elvis, the rock pioneer, Jerry Lee Lewis, Fats Domino, the glasses-wearing icon and Eddie Cochran. Then my childminder introduced me to Let There Be Rock by AC/DC. It was still guitar music, but it was high voltage rock ’n’roll. Instantly after he put the vinyl on the turntable, I was a fan for life.

The song that motivates me in the AM
What’d I Say in its full glory by The Genius.

The song that brings me to tears
Virtually any music makes me emotional. The Queen of Soul, The Chairman of the Board, Elvis and the Fab Four all bring a tear to my eye because of the tune and pure brilliance of the vocals. But The Ocean by the Sheffield crooner gets me going consistently.

The song I’d like performed at my memorial service
The King. If I’m cremated, I’ll have Burning Love. If I’m buried, I’ll have Way Down.