The Actor's Honest Playlist: Starting with Childhood Loves to Unexplained Dislikes
The initial track I fell in love with
My first memory is stepping into a room at preschool where they were blasting Yellow Submarine by the Beatles. I was captivated by the sound effects, and John Lennon bellowing: “Full speed ahead!” When it got to the hook, I recall believing: “This must be music!”
The very first 45 I bought
When I was eight years old, I won a contest at school to select a new vinyl to play at the mini disco we had on Friday afternoons. My instructor took me to Woolworths, and I chose Come Back My Love by Darts. The first single I bought with my own savings 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 dad noted that it was by one of the Beatles.
The tune I do at sing-along
I candidly cannot stand karaoke and steer clear at all costs. But if I had to, I’d select Summer Wind by Frank Sinatra.
The track I inexplicably remember each line to
I not long ago became aware that I know virtually all the lyrics to The Boy in the Bubble, You Can Call Me Al, and every song on Graceland by the legendary songwriter.
The perfect tune to blast at a party
It relies on which phase of the evening you are at. At the start it would likely be I Heard It Through the Grapevine by the soul legend. As the evening progresses, I’d work through Prince, the Rolling Stones and David Bowie, and when it really kicks off, Phat Planet by the electronic act, Born Slippy .NUXX by Underworld, and Ascension by the virtual band, which is an absolute banger.
The number I can never listen to
I for some reason detest Mr Brightside by the Las Vegas band.
The ideal piece to have sex to
Come Together by John, Paul, George, and Ringo.
The LP that changed my life
When I was 12 and just learning to study the six-string, I’d only listen to 1950s rock ’n’roll, and was fixated on The King, the rock pioneer, Jerry Lee Lewis, Fats Domino, the glasses-wearing icon and Eddie Cochran. Then my childminder brought round Let There Be Rock by the Australian rockers. It was still rock’n’roll, but it was high voltage rock music. The moment he put the record on the record player, I was captivated.
The song that gets me up in the AM
What’d I Say in its full glory by The Genius.
The song that gets me emotional
All music makes me touched. The Queen of Soul, The Chairman of the Board, Presley and the Beatles all make me cry because of the tune and sheer brilliance of the singing. But The Ocean by Richard Hawley hits me hard consistently.
The song I’d like played at my funeral
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.
