It’s with great pleasure that I introduce this week’s compiler, Steve is one of my oldest and best mates and someone else I used to be in a band with. He’s known to Southsea as either Handsome Steve or Artfag Steve. Both affectionate names that are equally deserved. Like me, his most loved and revered band is Led Zeppelin, so I knew we were in safe hands when it came to a playlist. It’s worth noting that when I first met Steve, he was wearing a T Shirt emblazoned with the orange telephone from Menswear’s first single “I’ll Manage Somehow”. Thank God he got back to Led Zeppelin…

“The theme for this playlist came to me pretty much as soon as Charlie asked me to put one together, which given my mind cripplingly hungover state at the time, I took as a sign that it must be divinely inspired. As anyone who knows me will attest – I f***ing love Led Zeppelin, but aside from some dodgy karaoke versions you ain’t gettin’ nuttin’ on Spotify. However, it’s no secret that the band wore their influences on their sleeves and ‘borrowed’ quite heavily from other musicians, most of whom are available – so here it is, a Spotify friendly, indirect Led Zepplin playlist.

It was common practice for bands in the 60’s to cut their teeth playing ‘standards’ and re-interpreting other people’s material in their own style, look at the story of ‘Louie, Louie’ (when was the last time you heard Richard Berry on the radio?) or look at Bob Dylan who built a career out of imitating Woodie Guthrie and a host of lesser known black musicians, and I’m not even going to get started on the Rolling Stones…..
Listen to these songs and then dig out the vinyl and listen to Led Zeppelin, and I think you’ll agree that what the plagiarism freaks miss is the fact that Led Zeppelin absolutely kill it.’

Grab the Pet Sounds playlist HERE and check the past playlists HERE.

‘Beg, Borrow Or Steel’

01 Blackwater Side – Bert Jansch
02 How Many More Years ? – Howlin’ Wolf
03 The Hunter – Albert King
04 Nervous Breakdown – Eddie Cochran
05 You Shook Me – Willie Dixon
06 Dazed And Confused – Jake Holmes
07 When The Levee Breaks – Memphis Minnie
08 Watch Your Step – Bobby Parker
09 I Can’t Quit You Baby – Otis Rush
10 Taurus – Spirit
11 You Need Love – Muddy Waters
12 You Need Loving – The Small Faces
13 Killing Floor – Howlin’ Wolf
14 Travelling Riverside Blues – Robert Johnson
15 Bring It On Home – Sonny Boy Williamson
16 Shake ‘Em On Down – Bukka White
17 Drop Down Mama – Sleepy John Estes