The Actor's Revealing Playlist: Starting with Childhood Favorites to Peculiar Aversions
The earliest track I fell in love with
My earliest recollection is stepping into a room at nursery school where they were blasting Yellow Submarine by the Beatles. I was enthralled by the audio textures, and Lennon bellowing: “Full speed ahead!” When it got to the chorus, I remember thinking: “This must be music!”
The very first 45 I bought
When I was eight, I won a competition at school to pick a new record to play at the weekly dance party 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 record I bought with my own pocket money was Mull of Kintyre by Wings from a music store in Lancashire. It was topping the charts at the time, and I selected it when my father pointed out that it was by a former member of the Beatles.
The song I perform at karaoke
I frankly cannot stand public singing and avoid it at all costs. But if forced, I’d select Summer Wind by Ol' Blue Eyes.
The track I strangely recite all the words to
I recently became aware that I have memorized virtually every word 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 party
It relies on what stage of the evening you are at. For the beginning it would probably be I Heard It Through the Grapevine by the soul legend. As the evening progresses, I’d work through the Artist, the Stones and David Bowie, and when it hits its peak, Phat Planet by Leftfield, Born Slippy .NUXX by Underworld, and Ascension by the virtual band, which is an massive track.
The track I can not listen to
I for some reason cannot stand Mr Brightside by the Killers.
The ultimate piece to have sex to
Come Together by the Beatles.
The LP that changed my life
When I was twelve and just learning to learn the guitar, I’d only listen to classic rock ’n’roll, and was consumed by The King, the rock pioneer, Jerry Lee Lewis, Fats Domino, the glasses-wearing icon and Eddie Cochran. Then my babysitter played Let There Be Rock by the Australian rockers. It was still guitar music, but it was electrifying rock music. As soon as he dropped the vinyl on the record player, I was a fan for life.
The tune that gets me up in the AM
What’d I Say in its full glory by Ray Charles.
The song that makes me cry
Virtually any music leaves me emotional. The Queen of Soul, Frank Sinatra, Elvis and the Fab Four all make me cry because of the harmony and utter brilliance of the singing. But The Ocean by the Sheffield crooner hits me hard consistently.
The track I’d like played at my memorial service
Elvis. 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.
