Obviously, both bands have their merits.

Ultimately though, Zeppelin seemed too self-indulgent more often than not, and they were still very much planted in the "traditional" sense of classic rock throughout their life span..

Sabbath, on the other hand, seemed to come out of nowhere. Their approach toward heaviness (in progressions and tone) is something that has been picked up and ran with by so many other bands I like (Black Flag, Motorhead, Slayer, Mudhoney, Kyuss, Melvins, etc ,etc) - which isn't to say Zep didn't have a massive influence on subsequent music, but sometimes that wasn't such a good thing.

Lyrically? Well, anyone who's going to take either band seriously in that department is going to have to take some beatings. Zep, as someone mentioned earlier, flirted with the sort of fairytale bullshit that sat them with the likes of Yes and Styx. Ick.

While Sabbath's lyrics aren't going to blow minds, they were a little more founded in reality instead of esoteric and/or misogynistic musings. Depending on who you are, I'd imagine that could either be good or bad. For me, that's more tolerable.

Zep was a virtuoso band, undoubtedly - putting Jimmy Page and Bonham in the same room was a stroke of genius.

But Iommi - how many riffs did that guy write that're just timeless? The rest of Sabbath might not have been up to par with the chops of their contemporaries in Zeppelin, but again I feel that often worked in the favor because the band seemed much more streamlined in their approach.

While I'd take either one of these bands over about 99% of the other rock acts out there, I'm still gonna say Sabbath by a mile.

Sabbath

Sabbath

I haven't posted here in over a month, and THIS is the numbskull debate that drags me back in?? The same bullshit I used to discuss in high school??

SABBATH.

Give me a break.

Sabbath, duh.

Zeppelin.

Robert Plant sounds like an apprentice witch; Ozzy sounds fucking great (surely Ozzy, along with Bon Scott, is about the only decent singer from the classic rock bands).

Led Zep have a fussy fiddliness that annoys me sometimes; Sabbath are as simple and brutal as a shower of bricks.

Zep have the absolute worst guitar sound out of all the old school heavy rock bands - sounds like he's playing through a wet sponge; Iommi's riffs sound like bad thoughts in the devil's head.

If I am feeling in an intolerant mood toward Led Zeppelin they give me the urge to kick the shit out of them (and with the exception of Bonham, I think I actually could kick the shit out of them); if I tried to kick the shit out of Black Sabbath I get the feeling I'd end up with two broken arms and my house burned down. I like this quality in my heavy rock bands.

If I am in a tolerant mood for Zep, they offer a "deeper" listening experience than the more one dimensional Sabbath.

Both bands have cool names.

Led Zeppelin have John Bonham; Bill Ward is great, but he is not John Bonham.

I have listened to Led Zeppelin more than Black Sabbath in my life.

Hmmm.


If I could only have one of these bands' records for the rest of my life, I'd probably go for Zep.

But the best band...the best band is Black Sabbath.

Edit.

Physical Graffiti - Sides 3 and 4.

Zeppelin (but sabbath isn't far behind)

studio sound: zep wins

bad lyrics: both are guilty but i think i prefer sabbath's bad lyrics

did they fall off: i haven't really heard the latter day albums by either, but i suspect they both fell off. who fell off earlier? not sure.

singer: sabbath wins

who influenced more bands i like: sabbath

riffs: i think i have to go zep on this one. some famed sabbath riffs are just dumb to me -- iron man, nib, etc.

who copied who: i think sabbath copied zep more than vice versa. one example is rat salad, which sounds like a moby dick format drum solo vehicle

guitar solos: i think i don't like either, i guess i'll go sabbath cause iommi doesn't do as much endless wanking

bass: zep. john paul jones writes great riffs and integrates keys WELL

drums: bill ward is surprisingly good and he cooks on symptom of the universe, but c'mon, i have to go zep

zep: 5
sabbath: 4

zep's winning.