It must have been very exciting to compile a Motown selection.

It was very exciting and a dream come true. That a Motown record will have my name on it is a real honour.

How did it come about?

It came about because I know Paolo (Hewitt, writer). I went to a book launch of his a while ago and Daryl Easlea (writer and Motown UK Catalogue Label Manager) was there. He said what he did and asked if I would like to do something with the Motown catalogue. Anyhow we all got talking then it was a case of selecting 20 of my favourite records and talking about why I liked them.

I’m guessing you have more than 20 favourites. How did you decide on the final track listing?

I didn’t think about it too much because I thought I could literally be here for five years – I’d better do it off the top of my head, pick the tracks I really like. But most of the tracks are interchangeable, I could have picked another song by the artist or another 10 songs and it was, Well what do I feel like today? So if I’d picked them today it might have been a totally different compilation. There are a few inviolate ones on there though, that are absolutely among my favourite pieces of music ever. But it’s hard with a back catalogue that size. I’ve never thought that all of Motown was great because a lot of it is cheap, cynical fucking cash in, 15 versions of the same song but the really great stuff is some of the best music of the century. So I didn’t think about it too much, it was a case of off the top of my head what do I really love, go!