# The Who vs. Led Zeppelin **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 14, 2007, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-who-vs-led-zeppelin/429984 "2007-12-14T12:01:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-who-vs-led-zeppelin/429984/161 "2012-07-25T21:44:05Z")
My thing with Zep is that the drummer in my old band was a huge LZ fan, and was constantly calling ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic a “ripoff artist”. He seemed to honestly believe LZ was completely original in everything they did. But really, what artist _doesn’t_ “borrow”, at least a little? Even my favorite band, Rush, is guilty. Compare this: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/YfDqR4fqIWE/hqdefault.jpg "Raymond Scott Quintette - Powerhouse - Hit Parade") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfDqR4fqIWE) to this: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/UNilsLf6eW4/maxresdefault.jpg "La Villa Strangiato - Rush") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNilsLf6eW4) ---
**Author:** ![Docta\_G](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/2bfe46/32.png) [@Docta\_G](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Docta_G)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2012, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-who-vs-led-zeppelin/429984/162 "2012-07-26T21:47:06Z")
> [@Mister\_Rik](#): > > My thing with Zep is that the drummer in my old band was a huge LZ fan, and was constantly calling ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic a “ripoff artist”. He seemed to honestly believe LZ was completely original in everything they did. > > But really, what artist _doesn’t_ “borrow”, at least a little? Even my favorite band, Rush, is guilty. Compare this: > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfDqR4fqIWE&feature=player\_detailpage#t=89s](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfDqR4fqIWE&feature=player_detailpage#t=89s) > > to this: > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNilsLf6eW4&feature=player\_detailpage#t=348s](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNilsLf6eW4&feature=player_detailpage#t=348s) LZ flat-out stole other people’s music–music by artists they ostensibly revered. Furthermore, they stole some well known and GREAT music. Howlin’ Wolf made music for adults. LZ made music for adolescents. ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2012, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-who-vs-led-zeppelin/429984/163 "2012-07-26T21:54:57Z")
> [@Docta\_G](#): > > LZ made music for adolescents. Hell fuckin’ yeah! That’s why we all loved 'em back then, when we were kids. ---
**Author:** ![MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MPB_in_Salt_Lake)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2012, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-who-vs-led-zeppelin/429984/164 "2012-07-26T21:57:01Z")
Anyone get pre-sale tickets to The Who’s upcoming _Quadrophenia_ tour? ---
**Author:** ![Docta\_G](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/2bfe46/32.png) [@Docta\_G](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Docta_G)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2012, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-who-vs-led-zeppelin/429984/165 "2012-07-26T22:01:55Z")
> [@Fiddle\_Peghead](#): > > Hell fuckin’ yeah! That’s why we all loved 'em back then, when we were kids. Some are permanently adolescent. Also: What do you mean “we”? ---
**Author:** ![Docta\_G](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/2bfe46/32.png) [@Docta\_G](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Docta_G)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2012, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-who-vs-led-zeppelin/429984/166 "2012-07-26T22:03:07Z")
> [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](#): > > Anyone get pre-sale tickets to The Who’s upcoming _Quadrophenia_ tour? Yeah, I bought those in 1982. Oh wait … ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2012, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-who-vs-led-zeppelin/429984/167 "2012-07-26T22:03:52Z")
> [@Docta\_G](#): > > Some are permanently adolescent. > > Also: What do you mean “we”? Please let it go. Zep is a band with proven endurance. It’s done. ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2012, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-who-vs-led-zeppelin/429984/168 "2012-07-26T22:14:39Z")
> [@Docta\_G](#): > > Some are permanently adolescent. :rolleyes: > [@](#): > > Also: What do you mean “we”? My friends and I, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2012, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-who-vs-led-zeppelin/429984/169 "2012-07-26T22:22:39Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > Please let it go. Zep is a band with proven endurance. It’s done. Yes. Geez, **Docta G** , weren’t you ever young? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2012, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-who-vs-led-zeppelin/429984/170 "2012-07-26T23:05:28Z")
> [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](#): > > Anyone get pre-sale tickets to The Who’s upcoming _Quadrophenia_ tour? I’m taking my brother and his wife to the show at Staples Center as a birthday/Christmas present. The AMEX presale tickets weren’t that great (Sect 102), but I plan on being in the first 10 rows for one or two of the other shows. I saw the Fathom screening of the Quad documentary on Tuesday night. Being a Who geek, I had already seen it online, but it was great to see them on the big screen, larger than life and blasting away. ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2012, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-who-vs-led-zeppelin/429984/171 "2012-07-26T23:17:05Z")
> [@Mister\_Rik](#): > > This article explains it fairly well: > > [The 5 Most Famous Musicians Who Are Thieving Bastards | Cracked.com](http://www.cracked.com/article_18500_the-5-most-famous-musicians-who-are-thieving-bastards.html) Funny stuff, but I’m not buying it. The Spirit song, “Taurus”, has a brief descending line played on the guitar that is the same in “Stairway”, but the “upper” melody notes don’t exist in the former. Zep took a short musical idea, expanded on it greatly, and created a whole new song that has _nothing_ to do with Spirit’s song, which doesn’t even have lyrics. I’m not saying Zep never stole, but you have to come up with a lot more than this to prove it. ---
**Author:** ![Docta\_G](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/2bfe46/32.png) [@Docta\_G](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Docta_G)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-who-vs-led-zeppelin/429984/172 "2012-07-27T19:31:08Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > Please let it go. Zep is a band with proven endurance. It’s done. So is Nazism. I don’t like it either. Cheap Nietzsche ripoff artists. Oh yes I did. ---
**Author:** ![Docta\_G](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/2bfe46/32.png) [@Docta\_G](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Docta_G)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-who-vs-led-zeppelin/429984/173 "2012-07-27T19:32:55Z")
> [@Fiddle\_Peghead](#): > > Yes. Geez, **Docta G** , weren’t you ever young? 🙂 I should let it go because you disagree? I think you should let it go and buy some Blind Willie Johnson. I mean, geez. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-who-vs-led-zeppelin/429984/174 "2012-07-27T19:35:12Z")
> [@Docta\_G](#): > > I should let it go because you disagree? I think you should let it go and buy some Blind Willie Johnson. > > I mean, geez. You should let it go because you are taking an interesting thread and making it about you. :rolleyes::mad: ---
**Author:** ![Docta\_G](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/2bfe46/32.png) [@Docta\_G](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Docta_G)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-who-vs-led-zeppelin/429984/175 "2012-07-27T19:38:13Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > You should let it go because you are taking an interesting thread and making it about you. :rolleyes::mad: No I’m not. I’m disagreeing with you, and giving reasons for my position. You just don’t like it that I disagree. P.S. I saw LZ in July 1977 in Seattle. They sucked. A year later I saw the Clash and Springsteen, and forgot all about Led Hobbit. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-who-vs-led-zeppelin/429984/176 "2012-07-27T19:43:48Z")
> [@Docta\_G](#): > > No I’m not. I’m disagreeing with you, and giving reasons for my position. You just don’t like it that I disagree. > > P.S. I saw LZ in July 1977 in Seattle. They sucked. A year later I saw the Clash and Springsteen, and forgot all about Led Hobbit. Feh. You’re walking right past the OP, which asserts that both bands are great and asks which do you prefer on a player-by-player basis, and are trying to resposition the discussion about how Zep are ripoff artists. That has been covered as a topic in other threads. Let it go and quit threadshitting. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-who-vs-led-zeppelin/429984/177 "2012-07-27T19:49:28Z")
**Docta G** , you’ve made your point – you don’t like Led Zeppelin. Please drop the subject so that others can discuss the OP. The fact that you don’t think it’s worth discussing doesn’t give you the right to hijack the discussion. Thanks, **twickster** , Cafe Society moderator ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2012, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-who-vs-led-zeppelin/429984/178 "2012-07-28T00:44:30Z")
> [@Fiddle\_Peghead](#): > > Funny stuff, but I’m not buying it. The Spirit song, “Taurus”, has a brief descending line played on the guitar that is the same in “Stairway”, but the “upper” melody notes don’t exist in the former. Zep took a short musical idea, expanded on it greatly, and created a whole new song that has _nothing_ to do with Spirit’s song, which doesn’t even have lyrics. I’m not saying Zep never stole, but you have to come up with a lot more than this to prove it. I’m on the fence on the Spirit song. I think there clearly was influence in Stairway to Heaven, but it’s original enough that I don’t think it’s wholesale reappropriate. But they did completely lift or substantially borrow a good number songs without credit. Did you see my examples? [Here they are again.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tiiY4ciKFQA) If you just want one example, here’s Jake Holmes’ [Dazed and Confused.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTsvs-pAGDc) Led Zeppelin’s version should have at least credited him. The lyrics and main chord progression is pretty much a dead ripoff. ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2012, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-who-vs-led-zeppelin/429984/179 "2012-07-28T01:03:28Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > Feh. You’re walking right past the OP, which asserts that both bands are great and asks which do you prefer on a player-by-player basis, and are trying to resposition the discussion about how Zep are ripoff artists. That has been covered as a topic in other threads. Let it go and quit threadshitting. Thanks, **Wordman**. I don’t mind the thread being resurrected and morphing into a “who’s better” thread, but I do love both bands and this is not about trashing either. Truth be told told, I’d pick the\*\* Kinks\*\*, but that’s another topic… ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2012, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-who-vs-led-zeppelin/429984/180 "2012-07-28T01:43:48Z")
> [@Docta\_G](#): > > So is Nazism. I don’t like it either. Cheap Nietzsche ripoff artists. > > Oh yes I did. You did, but rather poorly. Nazism didn’t have proven endurance. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-who-vs-led-zeppelin/429984.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-who-vs-led-zeppelin/429984.md?page=10)