The Actor's Candid Playlist: From Early Favorites to Unexplained Aversions
The first tune I became enamored with
My most primal recollection is walking into a space at nursery school where they were spinning Yellow Submarine by the Beatles. I was enthralled by the sound effects, and Lennon bellowing: “Full speed ahead!” When it reached the refrain, I recall believing: “This must be music!”
The first 45 I bought
When I was eight years old, I was victorious in a competition at school to select a brand new vinyl to play at the mini disco we had on Fridays. 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 Paul McCartney's Wings from a music store in Colne. It was topping the charts at the time, and I selected it when my dad mentioned that it was by one of the Beatles.
The track I sing at karaoke
I honestly do not enjoy public singing and dodge it at all costs. But if I had to, I’d go with Summer Wind by Ol' Blue Eyes.
The piece I strangely know each line to
I just discovered that I know almost every word to The Boy in the Bubble, You Can Call Me Al, and every song on Graceland by the legendary songwriter.
The perfect song to blast at a party
It relies on which phase 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 move on to Prince, the Rolling Stones and David Bowie, and when it hits its peak, Phat Planet by Leftfield, Born Slippy .NUXX by the techno pioneers, and Ascension by Gorillaz, which is an absolute banger.
The song I can no longer hear
I strangely loathe Mr Brightside by the Las Vegas band.
The best track to make love to
Come Together by the Beatles.
The record that altered my perspective
When I was 12 and just learning to study the guitar, I’d only listen to early rock and roll, and was obsessed with The King, Chuck Berry, the killer, the New Orleans legend, Buddy Holly and the rockabilly star. Then my babysitter 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 AM
What’d I Say parts 1 & 2 by Ray Charles.
The track that gets me emotional
Virtually any music makes me emotional. The Queen of Soul, Frank Sinatra, Presley and the Fab Four all make me cry because of the tune and pure brilliance of the singing. But The Ocean by the Sheffield crooner gets me going consistently.
The song I’d like performed 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.
