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The earliest track I was captivated by
My first memory is walking into a room at kindergarten where they were spinning Yellow Submarine by the Beatles. I was enthralled by the sonic landscape, and Lennon yelling: “Full speed ahead!” When it got to the chorus, I recall believing: “This must be music!”

The inaugural 45 I acquired
When I was eight years old, I won a competition at school to pick a new vinyl to play at the weekly dance party we had on Friday afternoons. My instructor took me to a local store, and I chose Come Back My Love by Darts. The first record I purchased with my own allowance was Mull of Kintyre by Paul McCartney's Wings from a music store in Lancashire. It was No 1 at the time, and I selected it when my father noted that it was by a former member of the Beatles.

The tune I perform at karaoke
I frankly cannot stand karaoke and avoid it at all costs. But if I had to, I’d select Summer Wind by Ol' Blue Eyes.

The piece I inexplicably remember every lyric to
I recently became aware that I have memorized pretty much every word to The Boy in the Bubble, You Can Call Me Al, and every song on Graceland by the legendary songwriter.

The best tune to blast at a party
It depends on what stage of the party you are at. At the start it would likely be I Heard It Through the Grapevine by Marvin Gaye. As the party deepens, I’d work through the Artist, the Rolling Stones and Bowie, and when it really kicks off, Phat Planet by Leftfield, Born Slippy .NUXX by Underworld, and Ascension by the virtual band, which is an undeniable hit.

The song I can no longer hear
I inexplicably detest Mr Brightside by the Las Vegas band.

The ultimate song to have sex to
Come Together by John, Paul, George, and Ringo.

The LP that changed my life
When I was twelve and beginning to study the guitar, I’d only listen to classic rock and roll, and was obsessed with Elvis, Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, Fats Domino, the glasses-wearing icon and the rockabilly star. Then my childminder played Let There Be Rock by the Australian rockers. It was still rock’n’roll, but it was high voltage rock music. As soon as he dropped the vinyl on the turntable, I was a fan for life.

The track that gets me up in the morning
What’d I Say parts 1 & 2 by The Genius.

The piece that gets me emotional
All music makes me touched. Aretha Franklin, Frank Sinatra, Presley and the Fab Four all stir my emotions because of the tune and utter perfection of the singing. But The Ocean by Richard Hawley gets me going without fail.

The song I’d like to be played at my final send-off
The King. 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.