The first song I remember hearing
I was living in New York in Flushing, Queens in the early 60s, the time of the British invasion of the Beatles. But my favourite was My Boy Lollipop by Millie Small, an artist from Jamaica. It was the first record that [Island records founder] Chris Blackwell promoted. He would take all the records, put them in the trunk of his car and go around selling them in stores in London.
The song I inexplicably know every lyric to
I don’t know why, but Sympathy for the Devil by the Rolling Stones. It’s as if it were my life story.
The song I do at karaoke
I was invited to my wife’s high school reunion in Seattle, which had a karaoke bar. This fellow came up and told me his brother had died tragically in an accident that week and that his favourite song was Jane Says by Jane’s Addiction. I ended up singing it, with this man I didn’t know, in honour of his brother. It was the most teary-eyed, bizarre version I’ve ever done.
The best song to play at a party
One year I had the opportunity to DJ for [fashion designer] Marc Jacobs at New York fashion week. I remember Donald Trump was there. I was very nervous and mistakenly put on the wrong song to start the set, but it was the best song I could have played: Black Dog by Led Zeppelin.
The song I secretly like but tell everybody I hate
Give It Away by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. I think the lyrics are pretty easy to decipher.
The song I can no longer listen to
My Hero, by Foo Fighters, takes me back to my best mate, Taylor Hawkins [who died last year]. I am just not ready to hear that song.
The best song to have sex to
Anything by Cocteau Twins. Every song sounds like an orgasm. This morning, it was Cherry-Coloured Funk.
The song that changed my life
When I first heard I Want to Hold Your Hand by the Beatles, it was being played on the radio so the whole world could hear their lovely view of the world. It was beautiful, with an innocence and joy.
The song that gets me up in the morning
I remember when we would listen to the radio in the mornings and the whole house would explode to Good Lovin’ by the Young Rascals. It sounds like the Beatles’ Twist and Shout, and would make my dog bark. She was a stray called Annie that I lost as quickly as I found her. One day I let her out to use the bathroom and she just never came back.
The song I want played at my funeral
I have a song that I’ve written for Taylor [Hawkins] that’s not released yet called Until the Kingdom Comes. So that’ll be out within a year. But you haven’t heard it yet.
Perry Farrell’s Heaven After Dark club event takes place at Studio 338, London.
