chillumpuffer Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 The Who. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strider Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 None. Oh sure, The Beatles and The Stones and Hendrix all had their moments of greatness, but their best days were behind them by the time I was old enough to appreciate them for the most part. As for Cream, The Who, Pink Floyd, Rush, and others....they don't come close, in my opinion. Grateful Dead? Phish? Ummm, not quite. I see many people mentioning Queen. Queen had moments of brilliance but never a sustained run of greatness. Their early concerts were wild but also wildly erratic and their later ones filled with too much pop fluff and soundtrack tunes. Many bands had a great album or a great concert tour but what set Led Zeppelin above the others in my estimation was the length and breadth of their run. Even if you want to deduct points for the long drum solos, their concerts were still out-of-this-world. And not in a shallow cheap way like Kiss...anybody can set off flashpots and explosions. It doesn't take much imagination to hire a pyrotechnics crew. Led Zeppelin set off explosions in your mind with their music and sheer charismatic aura. It wasn't just how hard they rocked or the musicianship or the stage-show trappings, either...it was something else. An indefinable weirdness...a strange otherness to their music that took you out of this world onto a different plane of existence. Pink Floyd and other psychedelic bands would try to achieve this but I found their efforts often fell flat. In Pink Floyd's case, it was simply because tempo-wise their songs were always the same boring pace and Roger's lyrics so whiny and misanthropic at times that it left me cold. Because of all the varied influences flowing thru Led Zeppelin's music...Celtic folk, Mississippi Delta and Chicago blues, North African and Arabic trance, Detroit Motown, Memphis funk, San Francisco acid rock, Yardbirds/Cream blues-rock...there was a textural density to their music and concerts that no other band of the time possessed. There have only been a few bands that I have seen where for a brief moment or two, I thought they were achieving a Led Zeppelin-like mystical, musical alchemy...to the point where I might have entertained the notion that what I was hearing was just as good as Led Zeppelin in their prime. And none of them were from Seattle. 1. Early Jane's Addiction...by early, I mean the first run of the band from 1986-1991. When they would slam into "Ocean Size", "Pigs in Zen", "Mountain Song", or the ethereal "Then She Did" or "Summertime Rolls", there was a vibe that was so intense and unreal that made those early Jane's Addiction shows electrifying. When JA were on, they were scary-good. And "Three Days" is no less than the "Stairway to Heaven" of the 90s, complete with epic guitar solo. 2. Sigur Ros. Coming all the way from Iceland, this is the music I imagine Jimmy would have created if he had spent more time developing his bowed-guitar technique as a way to compose songs instead of just a special-effect in the middle of "Dazed and Confused". Jonsi also had a way of singing that was just as alien-like as early Robert Plant. 3. Sonic Youth...mainly the SST years, especially the "EVOL" to "Daydream Nation" period. A strange choice to most of you, I am sure...but when Lee and Thurston would get their guitars clanging and banging in those weird alternate tunings, it was unlike any guitar noise I had heard, save the Velvet Underground and Jimmy's theremin and noise solo workouts. It was chaotic...it was loud...it was beautiful. Plus, Steve Shelley was an underrated drummer. The later Sonic Youth would get a little erratic album-wise, but every once in a while they would drop a mind-melting song or two...i.e. the mesmerizing 17-minute freakout of "The Diamond Sea". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClashWho Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 Why is that funny? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strider Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 Why is that funny? I don't know...it's pretty self-explanatory. But I'll let CP speak for himself. You might have to wait a tad, though, as he has jury-duty this week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClashWho Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 Well, personally, I think The Who is a lot better than Led Zeppelin. Better singles, better albums, better concerts. I think if any Led Zeppelin fan wants to understand the appeal of The Who, the rock doc The Kids Are Alright is a great place to start. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walter Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 To each his own...but then one has to wonder - why the f*ck are you here and not at a Who forum? Hmmm.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walter Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 Agreed CP! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#1fan Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 Mettalica, mr bungle, megadeth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gospel Zone Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 I recently heard and interview on the radio with Alice Cooper. He said The Yardbirds were a better band than Led Zeppelin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sathington Willoughby Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 Mettalica, mr bungle, megadeth Another comedian! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sathington Willoughby Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 I recently heard and interview on the radio with Alice Cooper. He said The Yardbirds were a better band than Led Zeppelin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClashWho Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 To each his own...but then one has to wonder - why the f*ck are you here and not at a Who forum? Hmmm.... Why is this thread here? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldenguitar Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 Mettalica, mr bungle, megadeth No,seriously,it's not yet the first of April ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldenguitar Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 I recently heard and interview on the radio with Alice Cooper. He said The Yardbirds were a better band than Led Zeppelin. Sure, and Mozart's sister was better than Mozart himself:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClashWho Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 To each his own...but then one has to wonder - why the f*ck are you here and not at a Who forum? Hmmm.... Is this forum for all Led Zeppelin fans, or just the ones where Led Zeppelin is your favorite band? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jb126 Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 I suppose it depends upon the original poster's definition of "better". I'm wonderful! ^ For some reason this made me laugh, more than a few times. Love it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grasbo Posted November 27, 2014 Share Posted November 27, 2014 Led Zeppelin of course,but,the Beatles were more influential and ground breaking.I missed the boat on the Beatles because i was too young(I am 52)and I have older friends who lived through these times and all the groundbreaking work these artists did laying the foundations for artists to come.The Stones,Dylan,The Who,Hendrix,etc.As far as the 70s go nobody imo could touch Zep.I liked Purple,Rush, Heep,Focus,Elp,Yes,etc all great bands but Zep was above them for many reasons.Unlike many of my friends I have moved on and not got stuck in my ways and embraced new music through the years like Dire Straits(Mark Knopfler,great guitarist),Marillion,U2,Punk,Dream Theatre, Porcupine Tree,Opeth,etc as well as listening to blues, alternative,reggae,jazz,classical,but at the end of the day its Zep.Like a good wine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoe Posted December 1, 2014 Share Posted December 1, 2014 The Beatles have been my first love for years, and as I've only recently discovered Zeppelin I couldn't possibly demote The Beatles from the number one spot just yet. And to be honest, I'm not sure if I ever will. I'm in the honeymoon period with Led Zeppelin where I can't stop listening to them, watching them, reading all about them (to be fair, this could last some time)...but I'm trying to remain rational when considering this question. Cause from the outside looking in, anyone would assume that Zep are my favourite band without a shadow of a doubt! I like both bands for different reasons, which I could go on about all day and night. John Lennon's voice completely touches my soul...Robert Plant's voice has such raw energetic passion, it's so powerful...gives me goosebumps. Though while it is technically better than Lennon's...John's voice connects with me on a very deep level. We had similar childhoods and I think this makes me relate more. Led Zeppelin win on musicianship...The Beatles on melody. The Beatles are my comfort, they always make me feel better. They are my safe place, my home. They make me happy with the present, with my life and how things are going. Happy to be alive, just as I am. And even though their songs are so different, every one of them brings me this comfort. Led Zeppelin aren't so comfortable...but I don't want them to be. They make me feel a whole wealth of emotions. I listen to Bron-Y-Aur Stomp and I want to take my dogs to a log cabin and go walking in the forest and appreciate nature. I listen to Since I've Been Loving You and I'm so in love yet utterly heartbroken. I listen to Going to California and I want to run away from everything. I listen to Whole Lotta Love and I want to... This juxtaposition serves good purpose though. We need these contrasts in life, I certainly do. Balance is the key in everything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy Jam Posted December 10, 2014 Share Posted December 10, 2014 Zeppelin first thats all! Better than the Beatles, Stones, Who, Hendrix, Cream, etc... I agree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chillumpuffer Posted December 11, 2014 Share Posted December 11, 2014 Well, personally, I think The Who is a lot better than Led Zeppelin. Better singles, better albums, better concerts. I think if any Led Zeppelin fan wants to understand the appeal of The Who, the rock doc The Kids Are Alright is a great place to start. Goodbye Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdg1 Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 Van Halen could have been better than Led Zeppelin. I mean they had a kick ass backing vocalist in Michael Anthony (albeit mediocre bassist). A monstrously huge electric guitar riff maker and soloist in Eddie van Halen. The potential is on display in their best album, '1984', and their covers of "You really got me" and "(Oh) Pretty Woman". Who doesn't like the songs 'Panama' or 'Dance the night away'? Slew of guitar driven songs like 'Girl Gone Bad', 'Drop Dead Legs', 'Ain't talking bout love'...etc But they self destructed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sathington Willoughby Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 Van Halen could have been better than Led Zeppelin. I mean they had a kick ass backing vocalist in Michael Anthony (albeit mediocre bassist). A monstrously huge electric guitar riff maker and soloist in Eddie van Halen. The potential is on display in their best album, '1984', and their covers of "You really got me" and "(Oh) Pretty Woman". Who doesn't like the songs 'Panama' or 'Dance the night away'? Slew of guitar driven songs like 'Girl Gone Bad', 'Drop Dead Legs', 'Ain't talking bout love'...etc But they self destructed. Who doesn't like the songs 'Panama' or 'Dance the night away'? Me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sathington Willoughby Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 Van Halen=Tacky, Cheesy hair metal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdg1 Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 And yeah U2 is better than Led Zeppelin even though U2's singer aint that good. Zeppelin never did any album as good as 'The Joshua Tree'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sathington Willoughby Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 And yeah U2 is better than Led Zeppelin even though U2's singer aint that good. Zeppelin never did any album as good as 'The Joshua Tree'. Are you a comedian? You're hilarious! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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