Is Deep Purple in the same league with Led Zeppelin?

[Astronaut]

Actually this is the kind of threads that shows in which league people are. The ones that ask them selves this type of question and the ones that find it______(insert pejorative adjective) the need of ranking to the point of starting poles over bands/musicians/albums/vegetables.
I got along in the game but voted Y as it seems to me the only respectful option.
Don’t you feel the cringe every time someone writes “oh X is soooo underrated!!” Or “Y is sooo under appreciated!”; just because no one else knows that artist in your bloc; it surely means no one else in the world must know; right? I doubt that artist in question even cares if anyone knows him at all. Well if he’s alive anyway.
It’s just an ego thing right?

 

[DJ Bebop]

So were Jimmy Page and Ritchie Blackmore.

Yep Donovan too!
Its interesting to listen to the things they did in the studio for others then hear what they wanted to do in a band situation.

 

[Briton]

I don't know why there is a need to make a comparison, there is no comparison, both great in their own right.

Well you could say the same about Bass Guitars, but there are still plenty of comparison threads on here. It is how forums work my friend!

 

[PhatBottomBass1]

As we all know, John Paul Jones played organ and bass for ledzep. Who played organ and bass on Deep Purple?

Lord & Glover

But, you can name one DP song in three notes!

The WHO has no comparison...!!

 

[DJ Bebop]

I just remember listening to the Beatles and Stones and found this album at my local mom and pop record store...

Putting on "Good Times Bad Times" and thinking my musical education had just turned a corner

As I did then and still do, I listen to everything.

 

[TravStaff]

my personal opinion (I am a proud American) is that I like Purple a lot more than Zep. A lot of it is probably due to Zep over saturation. From the time I first started listening to rock radio I’ve heard way more Zeppelin, usually the same damn songs that I could care less if I never hear again. I’d much rather hear “Nobody’s Fault but Mine” than Kashmir again.

Yes there are overplayed DP songs too, I don’t need to hear Smoke on the Water or Hush again but There are SO many great DP songs that don’t get airplay Burn, Stormbringer, Speed King, Knocking at your Door.

I saw Purple on the Perfect Strangers tour (that was the LP name wasn’t it? Been a long time). Amazing show. Never saw Zeppelin.
Both are great bands but I like DP more. It’s all opinions though everyone is entitled to their take.

 

[pepj]

I'd favour Purple but no doubting the contribution of both.

When you say 'in the same league' you are only talking fan preference, imv.
Not sure how you'd measure anything else.

 

[MidnightRunner]

I don't know if it's a Europe vs America thing, or if it's a age thing. Led Zeppelin continues to be popular with young people who get into classic rock. But I don't know anyone from my generation who listen's to Deep Purple. If you were around when those bands were making music maybe you see them as the same, but I don't feel like Deep Purple has held up, or continued to be popular with new audiences the same way as Zeppelin has. I mean you can't watch a Marvel movie without hearing a Zeppelin song. But what do I know, honestly the only thing I know about Deep Purple is the trope about kids who don't know how to play guitar playing the Smoke on the Water riff. And honestly that isn't a very flattering trope. If a whole generation of kids have grown up believing that a band's most popular song is annoyingly repetitive and can be played by anyone it's not really going to make people run out and buy the records. Kind of like Blue Oyster Cult and the more cowbell skit, the joke has become more famous than the music.

All young(er) classic rock fans should hear "Child in Time" at least once, that's an essential DP song for recognizing a true musical greatness of the band, not "Smoke on the Water". I've seen a lot of Youtube reaction videos where young American people listen and react to that song and that's a good thing.
I think in Europe Child in Time has the same status as Stairway to Heaven among classic rock fans, it's a huge classic and one of the most popular and revered classic rock songs.

 

[DavidEM]

Your thoughts? Are these two bands in the same league? If not, why?

I think the European and American perspective on DP vs. LZ are quite different.
In America Deep Purple are generally not considered to be the same tier as Zep, while in Europe Zep and Purple are considered the same tier, because in Europe Deep Purple generally have a much higher status than in the USA. In America Zep could have a status "the ultimate rock gods". That was always my impression. Maybe I'm wrong.

Let's discuss.

NO ONE is in the same league as Led Zeppelin. Full Stop.

 

[Michael Favata]

I mean it’s not even close. Not here in America. Zeppelin would instantly sell out a stadium. Zeppelin. The Stones. The Who. The Beatles. Pink Floyd. Those were your “super groups” back in the day. (70s) Me and my friends loved Sabbath. And We liked Deep Purple. But they just were not in Zeppelins class. Not even close. Not in the US. Queen was huge in the UK. Not here. Purples “Made In Japan” and “Machine Head” was in every rock lovers collection. But EVERYONE had all of Zeppelins albums. It seemed like it anyway.

 

[SoPro]

I agree that rankings are lame. (In the same way I agree that 2+2=4.) But I think the point is well taken that Zep are considered gods and dominate the classic FM best of lists, while DP is Rodney Dangerfield-like in getting no respect. And I find this a pity, since DP had musicians every bit as brilliant, imho. I'll let drummers argue over Bonham vs. Paice and most days I'd give zep the nod basswise (not that it's a competition.) But incredible as Plant was, he never could have done J.C. Superstar: . And Jon Lord is up there with Wakeman, Emerson, and Argent for me. The world is far better for his having been here. And for every novice struggling to master guitar solos from Black Dog or Rock n Roll, I give you Highway Star. Aside from the fact that both bands have mostly embarrassingly bad lyrics, Stairway and Smoke are equally perfect in their own overplayed ways. TBH, the lyrics to Smoke On The Water aren't quite Alice's Restaurant, but for telling a true story, they are pretty damn good. And not only is the riff as iconic as it gets, but Blackmore's solo is melodic, lean, and quintessential. I rarely post responses to questions like this, but where appreciation for DP is concerned, too much is never enough.

 

[Koshchei]

As we all know, John Paul Jones played organ and bass for ledzep. Who played organ and bass on Deep Purple?

If you don't know who Roger Glover is, that's your own look-out, but he's an incredibly accomplished bassist, composer, and producer.

Jon Lord is even more impressive. As a composer, his work is very evocative of Elgar, RVW, and Saint-Saens, and he's easily of the same calibre.

Obligatory Links:

 

[dasherf17]

I think they were equally as good, only different. Sure, Zep were more popular in the states. But Purple had plenty of fans.

They each have their own thing, no doubt...got to see them at the Armory, the last gig on The Long GoodbyeTour...excellent show...
Turns out it WASN'T their last, as they put a record out the following year with plans of a tour for THAT LP...cool...
Led Zeppelin is...what can be said about them nut they, too, are great...but they can't be compared...similar genre (like Emerson Lake and Palmer/Powell), yes, but....

 

[meldrumandbass]

For whatever reason I don’t consider them even remotely similar. I don’t hate DP but I’d never go out of my way to hear anything by them like I would for LZ.

Not in same league for me.

 

[meldrumandbass]

I agree and who can touch Plant's vocal chops.

 

[marchone]

Material and style trump sole musicianship every time. Led Zeppelin had more hooks in a catalog that out published Deep Purple by 108 to 68 recordings.

 

[eeLALlen]

I grew up in Italy, and Purple were definitely considered in the same league as Zep there. I started following DP since their first album, and was truly blown away by the "In Rock" album when I first heard "Speed King" via Radio Luxembourg! Suddenly Italian copy bands started springing up with Hammond organs and flashy Strat-toting guitarists (Bath Soap was one of the local cover bands in my area - they were excellent). I think Led Zeppelin deliberately cultivated a mystique and image thanks to Jimmy Page and Peter Grant's savvy marketing. But Deep Purple remained a true working man's band, logging mega-hours on the road. I got to see the original DP Mk II lineup in 1985 when they reunited for the Perfect Strangers tour, and they were AWESOME! To me Ritchie Blackmore was/is a far more technically elegant guitarist than Jimmy Page, and I still love JP for his sloppy-yet-perfect solos!

 

[marchone]

To me Ritchie Blackmore was/is a far more technically elegant guitarist than Jimmy Page, and I still love JP for his sloppy-yet-perfect solos!

Sloppy is a style. See Keith Richards. And more than a few old blues men.

 

[slam dunk]

Your thoughts? Are these two bands in the same league? If not, why?

I think the European and American perspective on DP vs. LZ are quite different.
In America Deep Purple are generally not considered to be the same tier as Zep, while in Europe Zep and Purple are considered the same tier, because in Europe Deep Purple generally have a much higher status than in the USA. In America Zep could have a status "the ultimate rock gods". That was always my impression. Maybe I'm wrong.

Let's discuss.

I learned to play listening to Deep Purple far more than I did Zeppelin. Much of the music seems very dated now, but as someone else mentioned, Made In Japan is just an absolutely killer live hard rock album. There’s so much straight ahead incredibly high energy playing and aggressive jamming it’s hard not to be drawn in. The interesting writing Tommy Bolin brought to the band when he joined showed just how versatile and accomplished the musicians could be.
That said, the many classic Zeppelin songs are their great legacy. I believe they have sold two or three times the number of records worldwide than what DP has. Many Zeppelin songs have much more substance and have aged far better IMO than DP songs.
Also, the members of Zeppelin, Plant, Page and Bonham in particular, are far more familiar to the general public than the DP lineup. They clicked individually with their audiences. There was and still is an incredible mystique surrounding Zeppelin.
For these reasons and others, I feel Zeppelin and their music will be remembered far longer than Deep Purple. They’re on a higher tier.

 

[marchone]

They both spawned a lot of garage bands.