John Simm's Honest Musical Selections: From Early Loves to Unexplained Aversions
The initial track I was captivated by
My earliest recollection is stepping into a space at kindergarten where they were playing Yellow Submarine by the Fab Four. I was mesmerized by the audio textures, and Lennon shouting: “Full speed ahead!” When it arrived at the hook, I recall believing: “This must be music!”
The first 45 I acquired
When I was eight years old, I won a competition at school to pick a new record to play at the weekly dance party we had on Fridays. My teacher took me to Woolworths, and I picked out Come Back My Love by the group Darts. The first record I purchased with my own allowance was Mull of Kintyre by Wings from a music store in Lancashire. It was No 1 at the time, and I selected it when my father noted that it was by one of the Beatles.
The tune I do at sing-along
I candidly cannot stand karaoke and dodge it at all costs. But under duress, I’d select Summer Wind by Ol' Blue Eyes.
The song I strangely recite each line to
I recently discovered that I have memorized almost the entire lyrical content to The Boy in the Bubble, You Can Call Me Al, and the entire album on Graceland by the legendary songwriter.
The perfect tune to blast at a soirée
It relies on the point of the event you are at. At the start it would likely be I Heard It Through the Grapevine by the soul legend. As the night wears on, I’d work through Prince, the Rolling 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 absolute banger.
The number I can no longer hear
I strangely cannot stand Mr Brightside by the Las Vegas band.
The best track to make love to
Come Together by the Beatles.
The album that transformed me
When I was 12 and beginning to play the six-string, I’d only listen to early rock and roll, and was fixated on Elvis, Chuck Berry, the killer, Fats Domino, Buddy Holly and Eddie Cochran. Then my childminder played Let There Be Rock by the Australian rockers. It was still guitar music, but it was powerful rock music. The moment he put the record on the record player, I was a fan for life.
The song that gets me up in the AM
What’d I Say in its full glory by Ray Charles.
The piece that brings me to tears
Most music makes me touched. The Queen of Soul, The Chairman of the Board, Elvis and the Fab Four all make me cry because of the harmony and pure beauty 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
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.
