John Simm's Honest Musical Selections: Starting with Childhood Loves to Unexplained Aversions
The earliest song I was captivated by
My first recollection is walking into a room at nursery school where they were blasting Yellow Submarine by the Beatles. I was captivated by the sound effects, and Lennon bellowing: “Full speed ahead!” When it got to the chorus, I remember thinking: “This must be music!”
The inaugural single I purchased
When I was eight years old, I won a competition at school to select a new vinyl to play at the mini disco we had on Fridays. My instructor took me to Woolworths, and I opted for Come Back My Love by the group Darts. The first record I purchased with my own savings was Mull of Kintyre by Paul McCartney's Wings from a record shop in Lancashire. 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 song I sing at sing-along
I honestly do not enjoy public singing and dodge it at all costs. But if forced, I’d go with Summer Wind by Ol' Blue Eyes.
The song I oddly recite all the words to
I not long ago realised that I have memorized almost the entire lyrical content to The Boy in the Bubble, You Can Call Me Al, and each track on Graceland by Paul Simon.
The best song to put on at a soirée
It depends on the point of the evening you are at. Early doors it would probably be I Heard It Through the Grapevine by Marvin Gaye. As the evening progresses, I’d move on to Prince, the Rolling 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 ultimate piece to get intimate to
Come Together by the Beatles.
The LP that changed my life
When I was 12 and beginning to learn the guitar, I’d only listen to 1950s rock ’n’roll, and was obsessed with The King, the rock pioneer, the killer, the New Orleans legend, the glasses-wearing icon and Eddie Cochran. Then my childminder introduced me to Let There Be Rock by AC/DC. It was still rock’n’roll, but it was high voltage rock music. Instantly after he put the record on the record player, I was captivated.
The song that wakes me in the morning
What’d I Say in its full glory by The Genius.
The track that brings me to tears
Most music leaves me touched. The Queen of Soul, The Chairman of the Board, Elvis and the Fab Four all bring a tear to my eye because of the harmony and utter brilliance of the singing. But The Ocean by the Sheffield crooner hits me hard without fail.
The track I’d like performed 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.
