The first song I remember hearing
The Beautiful South – ‘A Little Time’
“My parents had it on tape and literally every time we were in the car, we’d listen to it. I know those songs so well. As soon as I hear Paul Heaton’s voice I’m back there. It’s really nostalgic to me. The song is a duet, and weirdly, when I was very young, I used to think it was my parents singing to each other…”
The first song I fell in love with
Fat Les – ‘Vindaloo’
“It’s not very cool, I know. But I would play that song constantly – I’m definitely more of a ‘Vindaloo’ guy than a ‘Three Lions’ guy. I’ve always loved that sort of humour.”
The first CD I bought
Wheatus – ‘Teenage Dirtbag’
“I think I was 11 when it came out – and for the first time, it felt like there was something that was my own. I didn’t find it via my Dad, but by MTV, and so I felt ownership of it. I love that band. I was starting to explore alternative rock and I really wanted to be in a band. Still do really. And so anything with guitar was something I was really hungry for. Could I be in a band? I don’t think I’m cool enough.”
The first gig I ever went to
Shakira – Wembley Arena, 2002
“I went with [‘Harry Potter’ co-star] Emma [Watson]. I’d never been to a gig like that. I’d been to, like, banger racing previously. That’s the only time I think I’d seen any sort of mass gathering of people there just to watch one thing. I didn’t really know any songs, but she was great. Very memorable. We met her afterwards. I was an 11-year-old boy, so there was a lot going on. That time of my life was very exciting.”
The song that reminds me of home
Squeeze – ‘Cool For Cats’
“I’m away from home these days a lot more than I used to be and if I hear anything by Squeeze I’m instantly transported back there. They’re pretty local to where I grew up [Watton-at-Stone, Hertfordshire]. There’s so much in their songs I can relate to. It’s like they’re singing about things that I know.”
The song I do at karaoke
Kanye West – ‘Gold Digger’ Feat. Jamie Foxx
“I have been known to do karaoke. I’ve been with M. [Night Shyamalan] actually. That was the night [the Servant cast] all went do hip-hop karaoke. I can’t rap. I did it with Nell [Tiger Free] who I’m in Servant with. I choked. I still have nightmares about it. There was a rowdy crowd. I didn’t know the lyrics. It was awful. I hope to God there’s no recording of it out there. What did M. do? Nothing. He just watched me crumble.”
The song I want played at my funeral
Baz Luhrmann – ‘Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen)’
“My instinct is that I just want silence. But if I really do have to pick a song, I’ll have this. I always go back to that. More songs should be useful like this. There’s some great pearls of wisdom in there!”
The song that reminds me of the NME Awards
The Weird Sisters – ‘Magic Works’
“We used to go all the time, right at the time I was discovering music. I was an NME reader too and I always had an amazing time. [The Harry Potter cast] collected an award once – well, we were supposed to but we were late. Jarvis Cocker collected it instead. He was the singer in the Weird Sisters [Myron Wagtail] who played the Yule Ball in the films. Jarvis gave the award to us later when we’d turned up. It’s on my shelf at home, though I dropped it and the finger snapped.”
The song that makes me want to be in a band
Anything by Oasis
“I wish I was a Gallagher. I actually wish I was a Gallagher more than I wish I was in a band. I love their attitude. I wish I had that confidence. That ability to just not care. I’ve never met them. I was supposed to the day they split up. I think I live close to one of them so I’ve probably seen the back of Liam Gallagher’s head or something.”
‘Servant’ season three streams on Apple TV+ from January 21