Elton John or Led Zeppelin

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This isn't about which band you prefer. Obviously if I made the poll that simple, Led Zeppelin would demolish Elton, here, even if I wildly prefer him to the potheads. Considering there's no hard, cold evidence of what prog REALLY is, considering we made it all up and it's an opinion, which band do you think is more prog?
HOLD ON A SECOND BROTHER! You think I'd start off this poll without any words on it myself? I'm not going to let folks think all Elton did was Crocodile Rock and leave him standing in the damn dust, boyo. That would make the poll lopsided. I'm fairly certain lots of folks know lots about Led Zeppelin, but have ran from Johnny boy's material out of a perverse fear. Blah blah Houses of the Holy, blah blah such and so. Here's some fun facts about both.

Their debut albums came out in the same year, a few months from each other. Elton's, entitled Empty Sky, had the eight minute title track, along with celtic flute solos, psychedelic rock, hard rock, blues, etc. I'm saying it was more diverse and experimental than the Zep debut, which was mostly blues and hard rock. 

They both had long songs. In My Time of Dying was eleven minutes, and so was Funeral For a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding. But here's something interesting: Led Zeppelin never had a rock opera or concept album. While, surely enough, Elton had one of each. Tumbleweed Connection was a concept album about the old West, and Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy was a rock opera (or rock story, or at the very least an autobiographical concept album). 

They both had a double album. They both had simple rockers and long-winded bloozers. They both had banal lyrics, but when it came to making music more serious, lyrically, well...which do you think took more thought into deepness or artistry? John's Tower of Babel or Zep's Good Times Bad Times? And even if you're the kinda guy who doesn't care none no how about lyrics, at least don't blindly think this is Rain Song vs. Crocodile Rock. It isn't. And for the love of god, listen to the material before blabbering on your nonsensical replies. If you've only heard one Elton John song, why would you think you know? 

And as a final note: I don't worship either group. As far as I'm concerned, I like Led Zep, and like Elton a lot. I'm speaking only of his active years between 1969 and 1975, really. This was just a fun idea I had for a poll, it's probably been done before, but I didn't feel like searching and I figured I wanted to see new results. 

Edited by Alitare - May 18 2011 at 09:09

Poll Question: Which do you think is more progressive?
Poll Choice	Votes	Poll Statistics
Dem ol' Zeptsers	0	[0.00%]
The glasses guy (oh, and piano, too)	1	[100.00%]
This topic is closed, no new votes accepted

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Alitare Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member Joined: March 08 2008 Location: New York Status: Offline Points: 3595	Topic: Elton John or Led Zeppelin Posted: May 18 2011 at 09:04
	This isn't about which band you prefer. Obviously if I made the poll that simple, Led Zeppelin would demolish Elton, here, even if I wildly prefer him to the potheads. Considering there's no hard, cold evidence of what prog REALLY is, considering we made it all up and it's an opinion, which band do you think is more prog? HOLD ON A SECOND BROTHER! You think I'd start off this poll without any words on it myself? I'm not going to let folks think all Elton did was Crocodile Rock and leave him standing in the damn dust, boyo. That would make the poll lopsided. I'm fairly certain lots of folks know lots about Led Zeppelin, but have ran from Johnny boy's material out of a perverse fear. Blah blah Houses of the Holy, blah blah such and so. Here's some fun facts about both. Their debut albums came out in the same year, a few months from each other. Elton's, entitled Empty Sky, had the eight minute title track, along with celtic flute solos, psychedelic rock, hard rock, blues, etc. I'm saying it was more diverse and experimental than the Zep debut, which was mostly blues and hard rock. They both had long songs. In My Time of Dying was eleven minutes, and so was Funeral For a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding. But here's something interesting: Led Zeppelin never had a rock opera or concept album. While, surely enough, Elton had one of each. Tumbleweed Connection was a concept album about the old West, and Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy was a rock opera (or rock story, or at the very least an autobiographical concept album). They both had a double album. They both had simple rockers and long-winded bloozers. They both had banal lyrics, but when it came to making music more serious, lyrically, well...which do you think took more thought into deepness or artistry? John's Tower of Babel or Zep's Good Times Bad Times? And even if you're the kinda guy who doesn't care none no how about lyrics, at least don't blindly think this is Rain Song vs. Crocodile Rock. It isn't. And for the love of god, listen to the material before blabbering on your nonsensical replies. If you've only heard one Elton John song, why would you think you know? And as a final note: I don't worship either group. As far as I'm concerned, I like Led Zep, and like Elton a lot. I'm speaking only of his active years between 1969 and 1975, really. This was just a fun idea I had for a poll, it's probably been done before, but I didn't feel like searching and I figured I wanted to see new results. Edited by Alitare - May 18 2011 at 09:09

Icarium Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member VIP Member Joined: March 21 2008 Location: Tigerstaden Status: Offline Points: 34055	Posted: May 18 2011 at 09:42
	I really like Elton John have most of the 69 -1975, I would add up to Blue Moves in 1977 (also a double album), and songs like A song for Guy is fearly proggy and instrumental. the s/t album is he's most progressive, and Captain Fantastic is a very good crossover prog album, this is my faovuire part http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpJqesGI-vA&feature=related followed by Curtains Im not familiar enough with Zeppelin to wote, but they are on my large wish list. I recently bought Empty Sky and Honkey Chateu, I my first album I listen to is Don't shoot me im only the piano player (puuuhh long title), which is a REALLY good album, very overlooked, I lack Caribou, Roch in the Westies and Blue Mooves