He is one of the most gifted actors of his generation, and Stephen Graham‘s star turn as the leading man in Netflix hit Boiling Point is just another momentous achievement in his glittering career. However, it would seem he also has a love of music too.
The unique thing about Graham’s acting is his realism, boasting a skill that forces viewers to genuinely believe in the characters that he plays. Graham has portrayed several iconic personalities from a wide variety of backgrounds, including Welsh, Geordie, Scouse, Irish, Texan and even Jamaican.
Back in 2019, Graham picked out the eight songs that he simply couldn’t live without on the longstanding BBC Radio show Desert Island Discs, during which time, he revealed himself to have a genuinely eclectic taste in tunes, ranging from prog-rock and hip-hop to soul and Britpop.
Graham’s first selection was Kasabian’s ‘Fire’. Discussing the importance of the tune in his life, he said: “It’s just the joy this track that it has brought to my family and me. They’re a local band; they’re a Leicester band. I live in Leicester, and they’ve adopted me as one of their own. They’re the best band I’ve seen live, actually.”
Paying reverence to one of soul’s all-time greats, Graham then selected the Marvin Gaye classic ‘Save the Children’ for inclusion on his list. He said of Gaye and the track: “Marvin Gaye was one of those beautiful voices that I’d hear on a Sunday morning when me and my ma would be cleaning up. Because it was just me and my ma for the first ten years of my life, so this one’s for my mum.”
Chaka Kahn’s iconic ‘Ain’t Nobody’ is the special song that Graham shares with his wife. He said of the classic 1980s hit, “This is our song. And no matter wherever we are, if we’re at a family gathering, we’re just like two little meerkats. We pop up, look for each other, and go running to each other.”
Stephen Graham’s favourite songs:
- Kasabian – ‘Fire’
- Marvin Gaye – ‘Save the Children’
- Young MC – ‘Know How’
- Pink Floyd – ‘Shine on You Crazy Diamond’
- Rufus and Chaka Khan – ‘Ain’t Nobody’
- Maverick Sabre – ‘I Need’
- Oasis – ‘Talk Tonight’
- DJ Fresh and High Contrast ft. Dizzee Rascal – ‘How Loves Begins’
Graham also selected the Oasis classic that Noel Gallagher wrote during his brief departure from the band during their first US tour, ‘Talk Tonight’. Discussing the tune, Graham said, “I love the sentiment, I love the words, I love what it’s about. The words in this are beautiful.”