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Originally Posted by Rainard Jalen
If we're talking The Who from My Generation up to Quadrophenia, then no contest, The Who. Townshend was a MUCH more ambitious and adventurous songwriter than Page/Plant/Jones/Bonham, and more innovative to boot. He was (at his best) probably the most artistically ambitious songwriter in British popular music period, perhaps even over-ambitious. Of course The Who then sold out and became hacks, so later 70s The Who onwards is far inferior to Led Zep.
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They were different eras. The Who was formed while Jimmy Page was still in The Yardbirds (i think). The first Led Zeppelin album was released four years after The Who famously released
My Generation. To declare one writer to be better than a whole band is an insult to what they - and the sole writer - accomplished. Plus, however great a songwriter Townshend was, he was no match to the Lennon/McCartney duo. (But then again, noone was). And I do disagree that "The Who sold out and became hacks." They lost creative energy, maybe, but so do all good bands (unless they die when they were popular).
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Originally Posted by ProggyMan
Lol. Seeing as you don't even know the name of the Who's most famous song you don't know much about them. I didn't know Led even used keyboards and Entwhistle is much better than JPJ. Bonham's only slightly better than Moon and Townshend is close to Page. Songwriting wise no one in Hard Rock matches Townshend. Vocally Daltrey is worlds better technically than Plant and doesn't exactly stand around on stage. The Who have much better lyrics as well. Live the Who were incredibly tight and even now in 2007 they put on a damn good show.
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Haha, I "forgot". (The last time I used that misnomer, I was being hassled by a drunk friend. Guess I never really remembered.) Fair enough. I will concede Entwistle to be great, but JPJ was a good keyboardist (have you heard Rock and Roll, No Quarter, or Kashmir? - the last two are on synth but whatev), and he was a top notch bassist (see The Crunge, and again, Bron-Yr-Aur Stomp) Maybe Entwhistle was better. But JPJ was no Ringo Starr; he was very talented. Although I agree with everything else, I have trouble believing too many drummers can even compete with Bonham (and certainly there aren't too many great bands that respected their drummers like Zeppelin respected Bonham). Moon was great; he was one of the greats, but he wasn't Bonham. Not even close. In the words of another venerated drummer, Dave Grohl:
"No one has come close to that since, and I don't think anybody ever will. I think he will forever be the greatest drummer of all time."
Well, maybe Meg White.