THIS week's Tracks of my Life is with Paul Jones, Editor of the County Gazette...

I AM a music geek.

I wrote my dissertation on Nick Hornby’s High Fidelity (a touching tale of how a devoted music fan’s relationship with music often destroys his real-life love) because I relate to the lead character, Rob, and his obsessive devotion to all things musical.

So when I was asked to complete the ‘Five Tracks of my Life’, I knew it would be hard.

And as a music geek, I knew I would have to write this introduction because there’s no way I can isolate five tracks from the thousands upon thousands of songs and pieces of music that matter to me without a caveat, a footnote, if you will.

Because in the greatest traditions of top fives, this is not a list of my five favourite songs.

Or the five songs I would call the ‘best’ songs. There is no Pink Floyd here, no Pearl Jam, no Elgar, no Jarre, no Hendrix (NO HENDRIX!), no Radiohead, no Slipknot, no Sabbath, no Alice In Chains, no Marvin, no Aretha, no Led Zep...

I can’t go on, or I will have to start again, or do lists for different moods, different feelings, different days, times or seasons...

The point is, a balance has to be struck, like when making a mix tape, in order to let the list flow.

You need an opener (a rocker to get people going), an emotional number, and lord knows, a myriad of other things.

I apologise for getting self indulgent and pretentious, but such is the curse of the music lover.

I already think all of these songs should be changed...

But here they are:

TRACK 1:Drain You (Live at Reading ‘92): Nirvana

The best example of the effortless, tortured genius of Kurt Cobain and a ferocious band at the peak of their powers. And that scream. Three people showing a band can change the world just by being very, very good.

TRACK 2: Born For Me: Paul Westerberg

‘When we kiss, when we breathe... You were born for me.’

A piece of genius; everything a love song should be. My wife and I’s first dance. If only I could write her something half as good...

TRACK 3: Hurt (Quiet): Nine Inch Nails

A different kind of love song, Trent Reznor’s heartbreaking ode to heroin addiction tells a wider story of obsession and self loathing.

The live version from Further Down The Spiral is just perfect. The below is from Reading Festival 2007, a very special moment.

TRACK 4: Tell Her This: Del Amitri

Justin Currie is a genius, and no one seems to realise. Never have words and a guitar been so perfectly matched than on this song. He is a peerless lyricist.

TRACK 5: Rockin’ In The Free World: Neil Young

Uncle Neil’s perfect, political, angry protest song seems more relevant now than ever.

Also, find the version where Young joins Pearl Jam during their performance of the song at a Toronto show in 2011, the version below. Incredible.