The Who vs. Zep/Power Chords/Marshall Stack

[mpetersen@hjt.com]

     My feeling about the thread "the Who versus Zep" is that it is similar 
     to the argument about whether Pete "invented" power chords and the 
     Marshall Stack.
     
     I think that "pioneered" is probably a better term for it.  There's no 
     question that the Who pioneered the way for later bands like Zep.  
     Similarly, Pete didn't invent Power chords, but he certainly pioneered 
     their use in Rock music.  Much of the early use of the guitar in rock 
     is riff based upon single notes and not chordal in nature.  WN changed 
     that forever.  Hendrix's "Manic Depression" is a perfect example of a 
     chordal instrument the guitar, being used exclusively to play single 
     notes in a rock song, in fact off-hand I can't think of one bar of 
     Manic Depression which has more than one note being struck 
     simultaneously.    Similarly, Pete may have had the idea for the 
     Marshall stack, but "invention" is probably too strong a word.
     
     We don't live in a black and white world, where it's possible to 
     determine without a doubt which came first the chicken or the egg, so 
     all of this will forever be subject to any one persons interpretation. 
     In fact, this reminds me of a statement a history professor once of 
     mine once made when defining the term history, "History is a debate".
     
     Now, to add fuel to the "Who vs Zep" debate.  I've often thought that 
     LAL was heavily influenced by Zep.   Daltrey's vocals seem to be 
     dripping with Plant influences.  The guitar is very prominent and the 
     long MG segue (sp?), as well as the many extended guitar solo's seem 
     to echo Page's influence at the time.  LAL also represents a change 
     from Pete's guitar work being almost exclusively chordal like WN and 
     being more solo based.
     
     Anyone else notice the similarities?
     
     -Mark