Political Spin: Pauline McNeill

What was the first record you ever bought? 
I never bought records because I didn’t have the money. And so I can’t remember. It might have been Blondie, but the first album I bought was I think Bella Donna by Stevie Nicks.

What record will always get you on the dance floor?
Any record is going to get me on the dancefloor. Anything.

What is your go-to karaoke song? Do you have a favourite song when your band MC4 are playing that you can’t wait to get to?
Feeling Good by Muse. I love Muse and it has a quiet intro and then it comes in BAM! And then he uses the megaphone – which I have – and then it has all the high notes at the end because I’ve got quite a vocal range. 

What song was the first dance at your wedding? 
I got married in Las Vegas, so there wasn’t a first dance. And my husband hates dancing. We have such opposite tastes. He’s very much into The Clancy Brothers, The Dubliners, and I suppose I quite like the Irish Tenors. But Mary Black is probably the one that we would have in common.

What song do you want played at your funeral?
It changes every week, but probably Everlong by the Foo Fighters. It just gets my blood rushing that one. 

What else is on your list?
Maybe Waterfall by the Stone Roses. The other one I go back to is Long Train Running by The Doobie Brothers. There’s no meanings in any of these songs, by the way. I’m only picking songs I like. I also like dance music, so maybe some techno, I Remember by Deadmau5.

What song is guaranteed to make you cry? Are you a big crier?
I am a big crier, and because of that I don’t watch sad movies. Some people like a big weep, but no, I will not put myself through that. I do cry at the impact music has on me, certain songs do that, like Everlong. Not Deadmau5. Probably Many of Horror by Biffy Clyro.

What record do you absolutely hate that gets stuck in your head?
So many. I hate Brown Eyed Girl. Hate it. I hate 9 to 5, and I have to sing it. 

You sing it? Is it part of your set? 
Yeah. We did a wedding and so we had to add all the stuff you have to sing at a wedding, all the stuff I hate, 9 to 5, Does Your Mother Know, Footloose, Proud Mary. Everybody loves Proud Mary.

You’re not a fan of Proud Mary? 
It’s a weird thing. I hate that song, but then you sing it and it’s the thing about music, it lights up everybody’s night. They love it. And you think ‘oh, that’s an experience then, isn’t it?’

And what about a record that you are embarrassed to own?
I loved Blue, the boyband, and I’ve been to see them live. I took my nieces with me. 

Do you have a favourite member? 
Duncan, obviously.

What was the last band you went to see and who with?
It was a Fleetwood Mac tribute band called McFleetwood. I’ve seen them twice. I really want to see Coldplay. I don’t care what anyone says about Coldplay. I should have probably included some of them in the songs that make me cry.