The Actor's Revealing Musical Selections: Starting with Childhood Favorites to Unexplained Aversions
The first tune I became enamored with
My earliest memory is stepping into a room at preschool where they were playing Yellow Submarine by the Fab Four. I was enthralled by the audio textures, and Lennon shouting: “Full speed ahead!” When it arrived at the refrain, I distinctly thought: “This must be music!”
The inaugural record I acquired
When I was eight, I was victorious in a competition at school to select a brand new vinyl to play at the mini disco we had on Friday afternoons. My instructor took me to a local store, 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 number one at the time, and I chose it when my father mentioned that it was by a former member of the Beatles.
The song I do at sing-along
I candidly do not enjoy public singing and dodge it at all costs. But under duress, I’d select Summer Wind by Frank Sinatra.
The song I strangely know every lyric to
I recently realised that I have memorized almost all the lyrics to The Boy in the Bubble, You Can Call Me Al, and every song on Graceland by Paul Simon.
The best song to play at a soirée
It depends on which phase of the event you are at. At the start it would most likely be I Heard It Through the Grapevine by the soul legend. As the night wears on, I’d move on to the Artist, the Stones and Bowie, and when it gets lively, Phat Planet by Leftfield, Born Slippy .NUXX by the techno pioneers, and Ascension by the virtual band, which is an massive track.
The track I can no longer listen to
I strangely cannot stand Mr Brightside by the Las Vegas band.
The best track to make love to
Come Together by John, Paul, George, and Ringo.
The record that altered my perspective
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, Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, Fats Domino, Buddy Holly and Eddie Cochran. Then my babysitter introduced me to Let There Be Rock by the Australian rockers. It was still rock’n’roll, but it was powerful rock ’n’roll. Instantly after he dropped the record on the record player, I was a fan for life.
The song that motivates me in the AM
What’d I Say parts 1 & 2 by Ray Charles.
The track that gets me emotional
Virtually any music leaves me moved. Aretha Franklin, Frank Sinatra, Elvis and the Fab Four all stir my emotions because of the harmony and pure brilliance of the singing. But The Ocean by the Sheffield crooner gets me going every time.
The track I’d like played at my final send-off
The King. If I’m cremated, I’ll have Burning Love. If I’m laid to rest in the ground, I’ll have Way Down.
