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Led Zeppelin Playlist: Aqualung

A serial playlist creator, Matt Hales (aka Aqualung), made ARTISTdirect a top ten Led Zeppelin playlist, in addition to his touring playlist. How he finds the time in between recording his newest album, Memory Man, and going on the road, we just don't know. Hales counts it down from ten, with his own introduction...

Led Zeppelin serves one main purpose, which is to whip Dave [the drummer] into a frenzy in the back lounge while we drive across America on our tour bus. As far as I'm concerned, Zeppelin is a funk band, and I'll punch anyone who says different. Here's the top ten post-show wig-out tunes:

10. "Out on the Tiles" (Led Zeppelin III) [clip]
Mainly for the bass sound and the strange gravity-defying chorus. The end goes on a bit too long. That's why it's number 10 and not, say, number 7.

9. "Gallows Pole" (III) [clip]
This was the first Led Zeppelin track I ever heard, which was sent to me on a cassette by my cousin Chris, who was into progressive rock in a big way. You never knew what to expect when you put the tape on, but on this occasion what I heard was a guy with the weirdest voice I'd ever heard screaming what seemed to be an old English folk song. And then the drums came in and I understood. I also like the guitar at the end that sounds like a fiddle.

8. "That's the Way" (III) [clip]
I am fond of Zeppelin III, though I can't stand "Tangerine" and its out-of-tune guitar solo. "That's the Way" evokes summer afternoons in the English countryside with a fresh breeze blowing through your sideburns and a saucy serving wench being liberal with the cider while in the background Morris Men club each other to death. No drums in this, but sometimes That's The Way It Oughta Be.

7. "Ocean" (Houses of the Holy) [clip]
There are drums on this, though. The snare sounds like a pistol, and there's a lot of space left for it.

6. "For Your Life" (Presence) [clip]
Presence is an album with a darkness in its heart. This is one of the seediest riffs you can get, featuring the dirtiest tambourine. And the bit where the drums turn round so the snare is where the kick should be is unspeakably brilliant. Diabolically brilliant, in fact.

5. "Custard Pie" (Physical Graffiti) [clip]
The air drummer's favourite. John Bonham doesn't believe in bars.

4. "Ramble On" (Led Zeppelin II) [clip]
Everyone loves "Ramble On," don't they? Probably because it actually has the balls to mention both Mordor and Golem in the lyrics. There's no subtext here; this is what Hobbits would actually sing about. Who knew their rhythm section would be so tight?

3. "Misty Mountain Hop" (Led Zeppelin IV) [clip]
I'm not sure whether they're located in Middle Earth or Haight Ashbury, these mountains he's packing his bags for. Surely one of the most wonky songs ever made, you can imagine John Paul Jones playing the tune on the Fender Rhodes with his knuckles. I like to just listen to the drums, that's more than enough pleasure for me.

2. "When the Levee Breaks" (IV) [clip]
It's like King Kong is playing the drums.

1. "Hots on for Nowhere" (Presence) [clip]
I can't understand why this isn't considered Zeppelin's finest moment and not bloody "Stairway." If your objective is to get yourself a bit giddy and over-excited, this is your man. It starts, it stops, it bucks, it shakes; it'll try and throw you but you've just got to keep hanging on to the very end of the false end, and then hang on some more. If it feels so good then it must be right.

Tune into Aqualung's Touring Playlist.

Read our interview with Aqualung.