The Actor's Revealing Playlist: From Early Loves to Peculiar Aversions
The initial track I was captivated by
My earliest recollection is walking into a space at kindergarten where they were blasting Yellow Submarine by the Fab Four. I was mesmerized by the audio textures, and John Lennon shouting: “Full speed ahead!” When it reached the refrain, I distinctly thought: “This must be music!”
The inaugural record I acquired
When I was eight, I won 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 Woolworths, and I picked out Come Back My Love by Darts. The first single I purchased with my own pocket money was Mull of Kintyre by Wings from a record shop in Lancashire. It was topping the charts at the time, and I selected it when my dad pointed out that it was by a former member of the Beatles.
The tune I sing at sing-along
I candidly actively avoid karaoke and avoid it at all costs. But under duress, I’d choose Summer Wind by Ol' Blue Eyes.
The track I strangely recite all the words to
I just realised that I can recall pretty much the entire lyrical content to The Boy in the Bubble, You Can Call Me Al, and each track on Graceland by the legendary songwriter.
The perfect track to blast at a gathering
It depends on what stage of the evening you are at. For the beginning it would likely be I Heard It Through the Grapevine by Marvin Gaye. As the party deepens, I’d work through Prince, the Rolling Stones and Bowie, and when it gets lively, Phat Planet by Leftfield, Born Slippy .NUXX by the techno pioneers, and Ascension by Gorillaz, which is an absolute banger.
The track I can never bear
I strangely cannot stand Mr Brightside by the Las Vegas band.
The ideal song to have sex to
Come Together by John, Paul, George, and Ringo.
The record that transformed me
When I was 12 and just learning to play the six-string, I’d only listen to classic 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 played Let There Be Rock by AC/DC. It was still rock’n’roll, but it was high voltage rock ’n’roll. As soon as he placed the vinyl on the record player, I was captivated.
The song that wakes me in the AM
What’d I Say in its full glory by The Genius.
The track that gets me emotional
All music makes me moved. Aretha Franklin, Frank Sinatra, Elvis and the Beatles all make me cry because of the melody and pure perfection of the singing. But The Ocean by the Sheffield crooner gets me going without fail.
The music 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 buried, I’ll have Way Down.