John Simm's Revealing Playlist: Starting with Childhood Loves to Unexplained Dislikes

The initial track I became enamored with
My first recollection is entering a room at nursery school where they were playing Yellow Submarine by the Fab Four. I was captivated by the audio textures, and Lennon yelling: “Full speed ahead!” When it arrived at the refrain, I remember thinking: “This must be music!”

The first record I acquired
When I was eight years old, I was victorious in a contest at school to choose a brand new vinyl to play at the mini disco we had on Friday afternoons. My teacher took me to Woolworths, and I chose Come Back My Love by Darts. The first record I purchased 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 selected it when my dad mentioned that it was by one of the Beatles.

The track I perform at karaoke
I honestly do not enjoy public singing and dodge it at all costs. But under duress, I’d choose Summer Wind by Frank Sinatra.

The track I inexplicably recite every lyric to
I not long ago realised that I can recall pretty much every word to The Boy in the Bubble, You Can Call Me Al, and every song on Graceland by the legendary songwriter.

The best track to blast at a party
It depends on what stage of the event you are at. At the start it would probably be I Heard It Through the Grapevine by Marvin Gaye. As the night wears on, I’d work through Prince, the Stones and 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 absolute banger.

The track I can no longer bear
I inexplicably loathe Mr Brightside by the Las Vegas band.

The ideal track to make love to
Come Together by the Beatles.

The album that changed my life
When I was twelve and beginning to play the guitar, I’d only listen to early rock and roll, and was fixated on Elvis, the rock pioneer, Jerry Lee Lewis, Fats Domino, Buddy Holly and Eddie Cochran. 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. The moment he placed the vinyl on the record player, I was captivated.

The track that motivates me in the AM
What’d I Say parts 1 & 2 by The Genius.

The piece that gets me emotional
Virtually any music leaves me emotional. The Queen of Soul, The Chairman of the Board, Presley and the Beatles all bring a tear to my eye because of the harmony and pure brilliance of the singing. But The Ocean by the Sheffield crooner gets me going every time.

The music I’d like to be played at my funeral
The King. If I’m given a cremation, I’ll have Burning Love. If I’m buried, I’ll have Way Down.