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The Led Zeppelin Discussion Thread


Entre_Perpetuo
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Zep Qestion  

65 members have voted

  1. 1. What's your favorite Led Zeppelin Album

    • Led Zeppelin
      3
    • Led Zeppelin II
      3
    • Led Zeppelin III
      5
    • Houses Of The Holy
      18
    • Physical Graffiti
      21
    • Presence
      9
    • In Through The Out Door
      1
    • Coda
      0
    • ______
      5


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Where is Led Zeppelin IV in the poll?

 

 

To me, the top 3 are Houses of the Holy, IV and II. Those three are tough to pick between- kind of like Hemispheres, Permanent Waves and Moving Pictures

 

Just behind those three are Led Zeppelin and Physical Graffiti

 

it's the final untitled choice

 

I kind of figured that...but its the only album out of order

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How do you all compare them to Rush?

 

I like rush more personally, but zep are undeniably more important and more influential, and rush might not even exist as we know them without led zep, so I might have to concede that zep's the "better" band. as much as I love early rush, they got off to a rocky start compared to zep, who kind of started right at the top and basically stayed there until, in my opinion, presence.

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Where is Led Zeppelin IV in the poll?

 

 

To me, the top 3 are Houses of the Holy, IV and II. Those three are tough to pick between- kind of like Hemispheres, Permanent Waves and Moving Pictures

 

Just behind those three are Led Zeppelin and Physical Graffiti

 

it's the final untitled choice

 

I guess IV is the "official name"? We always called it Zoso in high school because supposedly that was what the runes said. I always liked II and III the best; II for Plant's all out attack on She's Just a Woman and Ramble On and III for Immigrant Song and the acoustic experiments on the second side. I hear the Immigrant Song opening lick in soooooo many other people's songs. (I know, serves Led Zep right after some of the recent accusations . . .)

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I can't stop watching Achilles Last Stand from Knebworth. I had forgotten what a song it is!

 

Easily my favorite song by them, but i have never seen that video, i might look it up :)

 

Bobby, please do. And watch them do In The Evening and Kashmir from Knebworth too.

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I can't stop watching Achilles Last Stand from Knebworth. I had forgotten what a song it is!

 

Easily my favorite song by them, but i have never seen that video, i might look it up :)

 

Bobby, please do. And watch them do In The Evening and Kashmir from Knebworth too.

 

In the Evening is the highlight from In Through the Out Door

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I can't stop watching Achilles Last Stand from Knebworth. I had forgotten what a song it is!

 

Easily my favorite song by them, but i have never seen that video, i might look it up :)

 

Bobby, please do. And watch them do In The Evening and Kashmir from Knebworth too.

 

In the Evening is the highlight from In Through the Out Door

 

Find it and watch it, Tex. You'll love it.

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How do you all compare them to Rush?

Led Zeppelin is undoubtly the bigger band. More popular. More influential. More critically acclaimed. More commerically successful.

 

Personally, I probably love Rush's music more. Timing wise I experienced Rush at their artistic, commerical and popular peak. Led Zeppelin has always been through the history books.

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I know I'm not supposed to like IV the most, but I do. It's the strongest beginning to end, I think, in terms of great songs. After that Zep III, for me.

 

My overall favorite songs are probably No Quarter (epic), Fool In the Rain (good fun), and Nobody's Fault... (Bonzo!).

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http://www.therushforum.com/index.php?/topic/92070-rush-and-led-zeppelin/#entry3460085

 

I don't know if this belongs here or in music of the spheres, but with all this talk of ranking Rush albums I have been thinking of ranking Rush's albums with my other favorite band, Led Zeppelin. Here's my first stab at it:

 

Houses of the Holy

Caress of Steel

Hemispheres

2112

Led Zeppelin IV

Moving Pictures

Led Zeppelin I

Led Zeppelin II

Permanent Waves

Physical Graffiti

A Farewell to Kings

Led Zeppelin III

Presence

Clockwork Angels

In Through the Out Door

Fly By Night

Test For Echo

Vapor Trails (Remix)

Roll The Bones

Coda (remastered)

Grace Under Pressure

Signals

Rush

Presto

Hold Your Fire

Power Windows

Snakes and Arrows

Counterparts

 

 

Some things I noticed:

I seem to like the proggy elements of LZ and Rush, but appreciate the harder LZ more than the same in Rush.

When ranking just Rush albums, I had Clockwork Angels higher. I just couldn't imagine putting CA higher than any of LZ's first 6 albums, and even Presence edged it out.

Like with most bands, the best stuff comes early in the career, even if most bands not named LZ need a couple of albums to hit their stride.

I saw LZ4 and MP to be basically the same type of albums...classics with hit after hit. The Camera Eye is amazing and falls out of that narrative, but Vital Signs and Witch Hunt are weaker than any song on LZ4, hence the rating.

I saw AFTK and Physical Graffitti to be about the same, but PG got the nod (unfairly) because it has more music to pull from, and therefore had more master class songs on it.

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http://www.therushforum.com/index.php?/topic/93162-rush-vs-led-zeppelin-round-ii/#entry3537042

 

For giggles, I've decided to pit my two favorite bands against each other...again. I'll start off with LZ's discography, and then move over to Plant ones to round out Rush's later albums. Page's efforts would beat Rush's comparable records, but Page doesn't have enough to sustain the comparison. And I thought it would be unfair to use his 2 releases and basically pit Rush against the better of Page/Plant.

 

Rush v LZ1 - Blowout. Both are derivative, but LZ knows who they are and crafts several classics right out of the box, sounding like a band that had been together for a long time.

FBN v LZII - Another blowout. LZ is pumping out classics, and probably has 5 songs better than any song on FBN

CoS v LZIII - CoS gets the nod. Both bands make dramatic changes, but I just love the epics too much.

2112 v. LZIV - Both bands are firing on all cylinders. Rush found their first signature sound, but LZ made one of the most memorable records in history.

AFTK v HotH - Even though AFTK is strong, this is another blowout. My favorite record of all time blends everything great about the band, and Rush hits a little bump with an excellent, but flawed record.

Hemispheres v. Physical Graffiti - Too close to call. Physical Graffiti has great songs and classics in abundance, and is clearly loose and having fun with some of their other arrangements. There's nothing too fun about Hemispheres, but it is pure awesomeness.

PeW v Presence - PeW. Rush changes their sound again, and delivers a classic. LZ gets darker and heavier than ever, but this was a one-man record. Achilles' Last Stand almost pushes LZ even here, but it's not quite enough. TSOR remains one of the best songs of all time, and PeW is much deeper.

MP v. ITTOD - Rush's most famous work is better than LZ's swansong. The Camera Eye is a magical keyboard epic, while Carouselembra is a keyboard editing mistake that lasts over 10 minutes.

Signals v Pictures at 11 - Rush changes gears again, and Plant strikes out on his own. His first effort is uneven, and even the lackluster Signals can eke out a win.

GuP v The Principle of Moments - Blowout. Plant finds his solo voice and creates an amazing record, while Rush start to sink into key-malaise.

PoW v. SnS - Plant's worst keyboard record against Rush's worst. PoW wins on the strength of 3 songs, while SnS produced just 2.

HYF v N&Z - Plant makes a rockin' keyboard record, showing that it can be done. Rush does not.

Presto v Manic Nirvana - Both are moves in the right direction, but Plant is more confident and successful.

RTB v Fate of Nations - Both bands make stronger moves, with both producing their best work in a decade. Tie.

CP v Walking to Clarksdale - Rush's worst album goes up against a disappointing reunion effort. Still, Page/Plant come up with 4 great songs and a few other solid ones, and CP has very little to like on it other than the return of real rock sound.

T4E v Dreamland - Rush's biggest blowout. T4E is a deep and great album, while Plant searches for inspiration in the musical past. Plant's album is interesting, but not nearly as memorable.

VT v Might ReArranger - Rush comes back with a vengeance, and Plant just comes back.

S&A v Raising Sand - Plant shows his diversity, crafting a deep, nuanced, and beautiful record. Rush gives us 8 songs that sound the same (and not very good) and a few others. Blowout for Plant.

CA v. Band of Joy - Another Rush blowout. Rush's best work in 20 years is one of the best records by a band this far into their careers ever made. Plant is trying and experimenting, but it is another forgettable record for him.

 

8 for Rush, 9 for LZ/Plant, 2 ties. I guess this is why these are my two favorite bands. If you want to include Feedback, it'd be a tie between the two bands, as S&A would edge out the Band of Joy, and CA would dominate Lullaby and the Ceaseless Roar.

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There's a bit that doesn't work with my two attempts on this subject, but the overall theme is about the same. I think that LZ shined brightest, but that Rush kept up a high standard for a long time and probably has more music that I consider great.
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I gotta tell ya, I don't feel the love for Houses of the Holy as much as some of my fellow TRFers. The reason, most likely, is the dreaded overplayed syndrome.

 

I think "The Crunge" is among Led Zeppelin's very few failed experiments. When I'm in certain moods, it just grates on me. I feel the same way about "D'yer Mak'er". I don't think they are bad songs, just bad Led Zeppelin songs.

 

And, I never really get the urge to listen to "The Ocean".

 

Everything else, top notch Zeppelin.

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Is there any special reason other than preference that Jimmy kept his guitar slung so low?

 

it was sexy!

 

And the same reason so many rock players in their old age have hand and wrist problems. :LOL:

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As much as enjoy LZ in the studio, particularly PG, for me LZ excelled on the road,and there two live albums recorded on US tours in 1972 +1973 ,How The West Was Won and The Song Remains The Same,are outstanding documents of Zeppelin live.

 

Special mention too for Plant's solo albums should be mentioned.

His first two solo records ( Pictures at Eleven and The Principle of Moments) are excellent.

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On the fact that the IV is out of order and untitled: I wanted to be all technicall and leave it as a blank option in the poll, but the first time. I submitted it it deleted that option since I hadn't written anything in the box, so I added it back on at the end with an underline. I would've put it back in order, but I didn't want to leave the poll sit for too long without Zep's most famous album.
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New discussion point--my qualm with LZ:

 

Often times I find when I'm listening to LZ that I love the vocals, drums, and bass consistently, but Page is a total wild card. He might play something really cool and inspired, or he might fumble around for notes in a pretty amateur sounding manner, and often times I find he does a bit of both. I suppose it's mostly his leads I'm talking about, but he takes so many of them, it just seems like they could sound a bit less...sloppy?

Edited by Entre_Perpetuo
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New discussion point--my qualm with LZ:

 

Often times I find when I'm listening to LZ that I love the vocals, drums, and bass consistently, but Page is a total wild card. He might play something really cool and inspired, or he might fumble around for notes in a pretty amateur sounding manner, and often times I find he does a bit of both. I suppose it's mostly his leads I'm talking about, but he takes so many of them, it just seems like they could sound a bit less...sloppy?

 

You know he was a heroin addict from about 1975 until 1980, right? Are you talking about before 1975?

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Of the 25 best songs from the bands combined, I wouldn't put more than 3 Zep songs on the list. And Rush would have at least the top 7 albums.

 

You opinion may differ.

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New discussion point--my qualm with LZ:

 

Often times I find when I'm listening to LZ that I love the vocals, drums, and bass consistently, but Page is a total wild card. He might play something really cool and inspired, or he might fumble around for notes in a pretty amateur sounding manner, and often times I find he does a bit of both. I suppose it's mostly his leads I'm talking about, but he takes so many of them, it just seems like they could sound a bit less...sloppy?

 

You know he was a heroin addict from about 1975 until 1980, right? Are you talking about before 1975?

 

I tend to assume nearly anyone famous in that decade was on some kind of drugs, but most of them still manage to sound consistenly good, bad, average, inspiring, etc. Page just makes me mad because I often feel like he had much more potential had he just worked harder.

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