“In MY IDEAL WORLD everyone has seen Harold AND Maude!”

… everyone has read Musicophilia by Oliver Sacks

It is just the most incredible account of the phenomenal power of music – which we still don’t really yet really understand. Neurologist Oliver Sacks details and documents its power across every neurological condition – from autism to schizophrenia, to Parkinson’s, to dementia. I’d 1,000% love to see his ideas adopted into the mainstream.

… we all eat plant-based food

I used to eat fish, I never ate meat. We need to give the oceans a chance, to give everything a break. When you look at the meat industry, so much of what we eat is the reason that we’re having all sorts of health issues. We need an entirely plant-based diet.

… everyone has watched Harold and Maude

Our experience of finding love and joy in the simple things, in the little things, is not something to be underestimated. We can get caught up with so much stuff that doesn’t matter, and Harold and Maude, a 1971 film by Hal Ashby, reminds me of what really matters in life. Which is just to be present and appreciative, and in the moment as much as possible.

… I could protect endangered experiences

I’d love to be able to create more ways of being present and connecting – genuinely.

In an ideal world, social media would crumble.

… the soundtrack would be The Beatles’ Abbey Road

That was the first album that I really remember transporting me into another world. Everything that I’ve done is in a way trying to recreate that feeling of this album coming to life around me. That’s what Raw Space felt like. It was my interpretation of opening up Abbey Road and the lyrics coming out of the artwork – transforming the room that you were in.

… people ask why

Everyone should question why they’re doing something, and what their intention is.

And really tune in to that a lot more.

… everyone is born with limitless imagination.

I have been hugely influenced by a dear friend of mine, Allee Willis, a multi-discipline artist who passed away a couple of years ago. Her and I were absolutely singing from the same hymn sheet. I am also inspired by the imaginations of William Blake, Jim Henson, and oceanographer Dr. Sylvia Earle.

… I would not be scared

In an ideal world, I would not be petrified of the impending doom of humanity’s inevitable divine demise!

… everyone has listened to my podcast!

I feel funny saying this, but I say this not because it’s not actually about me. It’s called ‘Orange Juice for the Ears‘ – this line was taken by a line from Musicophilia about the power of music and how deep that goes. On the show, I invite a myriad of wonderful people from Nobel Prize-winning Robert Wilson through to punk icon Henry Rollins. I ask all these people working in very different fields for the first song imprinted on them, the albums that shaped who they are, the music they’d send into space, and the record they’d pass on to their kids – while talking about their life and work. They’re so inspiring and that’s why I’d recommend it.