zep/who in the 70's

[Kevin Winn <kwinn@steptech.com>]

Amira theorizes:
>>>
Being a Zep fan in the '70's was like being part of an "exclusive club."
<<<

No, it wasn't.  Being a Zep fan in the 70's was like being part of an   
*ocean.*  It was an absolute *minimum* for anyone who was not into Disco   
(god, I still shudder at the word...).  Being into the Who was much   
closer to an exclusive club.  Zep was the biggest machine Rock had ever   
seen.  They managed to keep that mysterious air about them because they   
were so nebulous and evasive.  The Who were an open book.  There was no   
pretense.  They were huge (basically because or the phrases "teenage   
wasteland" and "they're all wasted"), but a lot of people couldn't handle   
the honesty (still can't), or it went right by 'em.

Compare these two lyrics (I just picked these two passages because they   
were the first to spring to mind - you could do it randomly and come up   
with the same result):

"There's a lady who's sure
all that glitters is gold,
and she's buying a stairway to heaven."

"I don't need to fight
to prove I'm right;
I don't need to be forgiven."

In one, you're escaping.  In the other, you damn well better be able to   
face yourself.  It's no wonder that Zep sold so well.  The 70's were the   
definition of escapism.  Not that I didn't do my share of escaping... Zep   
facilitated that nicely (and had a great sound, to boot...), and will   
always be my #2 band.

OK,
KLW