I know more than 20 Zep songs but I dont think I know single from the Who. No contest.. not even close.
It's not something you have to write a treatise about, you just know it when you hear it. When the beginning of this song comes on the radio, chills run down my spine. Spoiler <object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/K_-k8A9aAlE?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/K_-k8A9aAlE?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object> And when these drums start up, you just want to crank it with the windows down and floor it. Spoiler <object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/cK_ZCNucxmI?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/cK_ZCNucxmI?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object> They just have more a more diverse sound than The Who, this one is just fun: Spoiler <object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/W7iqZE0KciE?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/W7iqZE0KciE?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object> And this one is soothingly beautiful: Spoiler <object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/LpTgGIhf6G4?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/LpTgGIhf6G4?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>
So who is "better" out of: Plant/Daltry vs. Luciano Pavarotti? Page/Townshend vs. Yngwie Malmsteen? Bonham/Moon vs. Buddy Rich? Jones/Entwistle vs. Billy Sheehan? "Better" is relative as to talent in a given genre. I love The Who and I think their place in the every-day knowledge of the general populace is vastly underrated. Same with Black Sabbath. Neither band gets their due from the general music-listening public. Motley Crue is another example of a band not getting their due. They get lumped in with the trash 80's bands that copied them. I had a good friend refer to Maiden and Priest derisively as "80's bands." I wanted to choke him, but I can't fault him for his ignorance. As to Led Zeppelin vs The Who, though, Zep had the greater body of work across musical genres and is as a result (in my opinion, anyway) even more influential than virtually anyone else, ever. None of this means that I think that The Who or any of the other bands shouldn't get even more respect. They should, absolutely.
Dude... We JUST had this discussion. Search is your friend. http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?t=75244&highlight=zeppelin IBTL.
I think the WHO is seriously underrated. And, sometimes, I thing Zep is overrated. But head to head -- Zep trumps Who. Try as I might, I can't argue it any other way.
The next poll should be King Crimson vs. ELP for supreme English prog rock band (excluding Floyd, simply because they're too popular). And then maybe Beach Boys vs. Doors vs. Love for supreme L.A. psych rock.
Songwriting and originality....the Who has it spades. But The Who also started well before, unless you want to count all the Page bands before Zepplin...it makes the comparison a bit unfair. Led Zepplin is a blues band at the end of the day, done by young English whippersnappers...but they do it damn well. Their best songs are stolen blues riffs, that should almost be regarded as covers but that's the way the genre works. They re-adapted old music for a new era and a new audience and like the Stones, created legions of blues fans whether the listeners knew it or not. The Who (much like The Kinks)are probably cooler, and if I was English and grew up in the 60's and into the whole mod culture maybe I'd lean that way, but I didn't...and I'm not. If we were comparing only 60's mod bands, I'd probably be contrarian (again) and vote The Faces. All of them are great players, but talent-wise, Page is in his own galaxy. I voted Led Zepplin.
The Who. Two who were unbelievable on their instruments (Moon, Ox) and two that were damn good at what they did (Roger, Pete). And I'm sorry, but Bonham is not the equal of Moon. There's never been anyone like Moon, but several like Bonham. Songwriting is not even close... Pete wins that in a mile. Innovation? The Who. In Concert? Not close, unless you like to see guys standing around. I love Zeppelin, but The Who, man, The Who. <embed id=VideoPlayback src=http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docid=-3099526434105125496&hl=en&fs=true style=width:400px;height:326px allowFullScreen=true allowScriptAccess=always type=application/x-shockwave-flash> </embed>
I disagree with those that say Zep are more diverse. I give the nod to The Who there. I agree with Deji that The Who are better song writers and have more originality. Its a really close call, I love them both, however I still voted for Zepplin. Zepplin's songs just have more soul. For reference here are a few Who songs. <object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Jlyt0M8jINM?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Jlyt0M8jINM?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object> <object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/x2KRpRMSu4g?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/x2KRpRMSu4g?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object> <object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/x2KRpRMSu4g?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/x2KRpRMSu4g?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>
That last song was supposed to be behind blue eyes. <object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/BfuWXRZe9yA?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/BfuWXRZe9yA?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>
Come on, we all know the myth surounding Zeppelin, their music is about the middle ground btw the dark and light. Gris Gris. Dancing w/the debble. To answer the question, I was a much bigger Who fan when I was younger but turned into a big Zep fan later on and would choose them over the Who, anyday. Pure power.
It also depends on whether you listen to music for only the music or if the lyrics are a big part of it. If the latter, then you can't possibly say Led Zeppelin because Pete Townshend is, outside of Dylan, arguably the greatest lyricist of all time. And Zep's lyrics are average at best. However, it is perfectly understandable how many would prefer Zep- it's the music, which is extremely diverse and powerful, and the fact that they created a series of near-perfect albums (e.g. every song being great) and did not have any down periods, like post-Keith Moon Who. They have a very tidy, neat discography- 8 studio albums, 1 live, 1 compilation (Coda). Led Zep's music is very controlled, precise, crisp, perfectionist, etc. The Who's is chaotic, borderline sloppy, and probably less "virtuostic"- although Entwistle was a master. The Who is my favorite band of all time, and it is because of their chaos, out-of-control approach. The Who's music, particularly, is also much more steeped in reality-with the exception of Tommy, of course. The Who's music is about social unrest, political upheaval, their "generation," real-life incidents, etc. I feel that the better band is The Who but it's really close and anyone who says that it's not probably doesn't like The Clash, The Kinks, The Rolling Stones (except for maybe their 1968-1973 period) and bands of that nature. They probably like Pink Floyd, The Beatles, and bands in that category. It's not surprising that more people like music such as that by Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, and Pink Floyd. Most prefer a more crisp, clean, precise sound. That's why all 3 of those groups' albums have sold between 8 million and 24 million, while even a band like The Rolling Stones' highest-selling album, Some Girls, sold 6 million. And The Who's biggest selling album, Who's Next, has only sold 4 million (Led Zeppelin IV has sold 23 million, by comparison). So the poll isn't that surprising. The Who has their rightful place in history, and anyone that wants to hear a really awesome, personal album should buy The Who By Numbers- it's that good, top 10 of all time in my P.O.
Oh, I forgot about live- The Who was, by all accounts, the best live band of all time, even by die-hard Zeppelin fans. The Who have put out some very creative, interesting CDs that are definitely worth a listen- start with Who's Next, then Quadrophenia, then The Who By Numbers. It is really good music. Who Are You, Sell Out, Tommy, and the awesome compilation Odds and Sods are great. And the lyrics- hoo, boy: I feel like I want to break out of the house My heart is a-pumping, I've got sand in my mouth I feel like I'm heading up to a cardiac arrest I want to scream in the night, I want a manifest I've got that wide awake, give-and-take, five o'clock-in-the-morning feeling I've got the hots for the sluts in the well thumbed pages of a magazine I want to drive, want to fly like I do in the dreams I've never really been in I want to hump, want to jump, want to heat up, cool down in a dream machine I'm dreaming ... from the waist on down I'm dreaming ... but I feel tired and bound I'm dreaming ... of a day when a cold shower helps my health I'm dreaming ... dreaming - of the day I can control myself Day I can control myself Drive like a priest and then I'm shooting lights I'm burning tires with some guy whose hair is turning white I know the girls that I pass, they just ain't impressed I'm too old to give up, but too young to rest I've got that numb-to-a-thumb over-dubbed Feeling social when the world is sleeping The plot starts to thicken then I sicken and I feel I'm cemented down I'm so juiced that the whorey lady's sad sad story has me quietly weeping But here comes the morning Here comes the yawning demented clown
Edit: The Rolling Stones do have an album called Hot Rocks which has sold over 10 million, I think, but it's a greatest hits and those tend to be the biggest sellers. They have never had a studio recording sell over 6 million, whereas Zep, Floyd, and the Beatles have several.
It's an absolutely legitimate question unless someone has some bizarre taste in music- either way. Same debate if you compared The Doors's debut album vs. The Velvet Underground's debut album. You're going to hear the same "Are you kidding?" responses in favor of The Doors being that much better. But it's not. Geez, people make it sound like we're comparing Led Zeppelin to The Bay City Rollers. It's THE WHO, FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!! It's hilarious to read the extreme responses on the side of the Zep fans, as if The Who were a lip-synching teenybopper band. If it weren't for Keith Moon, they wouldn't even be called Led Zeppelin!!!
Now that's just stupid- Pinball Wizard is the worst? Open up a can of stupid for that one there, in addition to Zepplin instead of Zeppelin.
Other than both being 4 pieces made up of very talented musicians, these two bands aren't very similar in style. The Who are extremely underrated, particularly Pete as a guitarist. I think Moon is more unique than Bonham but at the same time he'd sound like **** in Zeppelin and Bonham blew the fu#king walls down on his kit. I listen to both these bands for guitar, drums, and bass. I don't have a clue what they're singing about. Zep wins hands down, though I love 'em both. Cbrownfanclub is probably my favorite poster but he's just off here.
