Kiss vs Queen vs Led Zeppelin

[jesse_custer]

to all their major albums? Hey listen to the minor ones too lol

Nah. Led Zeppelin through Presence is enough for me.

[ImpulseUCF]

I don't want to be a dick, but how does Kiss even get into a conversation regarding Zepp and Queen?

Best summation of the thread, IMO. :)

[jesse_custer]

In fairness to KISS, they were incredibly popular at one time and have a very loyal cult following.

[ImpulseUCF]

In fairness to Queen, I went back and reread this whole conversation. On the whole, the thread has been very unfair to Brian May. I see other guys getting praised for crafting strong riffs, melodies, packing a punch and matching a song, and man, Brian May owns this. His solos aren't always the most complex, but egads, they don't need to be. It's hard to imagine a solo that is more perfectly an extension of its song than Bohemian Rhapsody. After the opera section builds and builds into this absolute crescendo, May's solo explodes into the absolutely perfect climax. It's not the most complex solo, but it burns, it blisters, and it fits the song perfectly. Not only that, it is what the song has been building to, and after the solo, it fades on out.

It's also not just what he plays, but how he plays it. Nobody else wrenches and rips the notes out of the guitar the way he does. Queen's orignal on Stone Cold Crazy blows Metallica's cover right of the water in terms of intensity, heaviness, and all-around solid hard rock. There is a lot of subtlety and nuances of his delivery I didn't always notice before. Add this to the complex arrangements and mixes of harmonies, both vocal and guitar, as well as the superb songwriting and crossover appeal, and I think May and Queen deserve more credit than they've gotten so far.

[jesse_custer]

Just to clarify, I wasn't saying May can't play well, but given the comparisons that were coming up, I had to dismiss him. I agree with you on May's strengths as Queen's guitarist, but I really do think he is beaten soundly by Townshend and Page overall. Townshend's rhythm playing is fucking ridiculous, and Page can do a LOT of different things as a guitarist.

[ImpulseUCF]

I agree, Kiss is relevant in the popularity aspect of the discussion. I don't think they have quite the lasting impact of LZ or Queen, though, but their commercial success and cult following are undeniable.

Also, in the past, I admittedly hadn't listened to all of The Who's work, largely because I wasn't terribly impressed with what I had heard. Seeing this discussion has encouraged me to be thorough, walk the walk, and listen to their discography (services like Spotify now existing sure make this a lot easier, too). So far, I've made it through Tommy, and...my opinion is unchanged (for the most part). Their first album is great early 60s rock, even more sophisticated than their peers I'd say. Their first 3 albums are great for what they are, especially for their time period. Beyond that, frankly, I'm still unimpressed, and I think they are drastically overrated. They're a good band, but I wouldn't put them in the same sentence as Led Zeppelin or Queen. I do appreciate them more than I did before, though.

But again, that's me, and this is why these threads come down to personal preference in the end.

[jesse_custer]

Tommy is pretty bad in parts.

Who's Next is impressive. That's when their sound got big.

[ImpulseUCF]

That's what I'm on now. It's definitely a step up from Tommy. The good thing about the times we do is it's so easy to dive into so much old music.

[ImpulseUCF]

Doubt anyone cares at this point (if ever), but for sake of closing the loop... I made it through Who Are You and just couldn't take it anymore. I tried to listen to a few songs from Face Dances and just couldn't. No It's Hard or Endless Wire. To each his own, but I still don't get The Who. Yes, they were particularly good early on, especially compared to their peers, but aside from their first...say, three albums and the occasional good song from their 70s work, I find them grossly overrated and out of place in this discussion.

Led Zeppelin had their share of duds in the end, but their first six albums were absolutely rock-solid. Queen was definitely better early on, but even their later albums had at least a few excellent songs each. Their last album with Freddie is haunting and heartbreaking, too. The Who was a great early British rock group. Anyway, I've hogged the thread enough. Too long, didn't read - The Who is still not my bag.

[jesse_custer]

I don't mind your opinion about The Who because it's perfectly valid from my perspective. They weren't a perfect band.

Where we differ is Led Zeppelin. I think their catalogue is just as inconsistent as The Who's. For example, many view Led Zeppelin II as a great album, and while I can agree that it is an important and influential album, it has some really weak, phoned-in material that prevents it from reaching the heights of their first album.

At this point in my life, I would rather hear a collection of The Who's greatest hits than any album by Led Zeppelin. I don't know if that really means anything, though.

As far as Queen and KISS go, I think they're in a lower class than Led Zeppelin and The Who. Queen had some brilliant songs throughout their career, but I have no desire to go through any of their albums. KISS is a cult band. You either love them or tolerate them or hate them.

[ImpulseUCF]

Right on. i agree that Led Zeppelin's first album is better than II, and I agree KISS is a cult band. Disagree with pretty much everything else in your post, but hey, that's personal preference for you. Thanks for the civll discussion.

Time to change the channel. I wonder if there is a 70s funk thread yet...

[kane]

I am just watching this, so it is Queen for me

[doolbnoom]

i break it down like this:

KISS- simply a popular band. simple riffs, extreme show. saw them on "psycho circus" tour. just becuz, i guess...

QUEEN- extremely popular w/ one of the grandest showmen. good musicians, partially influential. have one of the greatest rock anthems ever w/ 'we will rock you'.

LED ZEP- totally influential. one of the greatest bands ever. also popular.

[SlightlyMad]

Queen had some brilliant songs throughout their career, but I have no desire to go through any of their albums.

Maybe you would change your mind if you did. I would recommend starting with Sheer Heart Attack (3rd album, 1974).

[ImpulseUCF]

Maybe you would change your mind if you did. I would recommend starting with Sheer Heart Attack (3rd album, 1974).

Seconded. Forgot arguing between the various bands for a minute. This is a brilliant album and where Queen really started to come into their own. Also, it effectively shows how unbelievably diverse their songs were. It has a little of everything they've done except the disco - blistering rockers, catchy pop songs, more emotional ballads, and disposable silliness. The opening track, Brighton Rock, has showtunes, blistering rock, speed metal, and zaniness all in ONE SONG. Great album.