I like Zeppelin, but they were sloppy even on record, they poached a lot without giving credit (not a unique sin in rock), and their output is some of the most dated of the ‘70s. I was listening to Van Halen I today and it still sounds fresh and vital. Presence, say, is very ponderous now.
And, no, I’m not saying VH is the better band.
I actually love Presence. They were wounded and not riding high....I think that’s the album where they couldn’t rely on flash and mythology and you got the Real Zeppelin. Eddie Trunk considers Van Halen to be America’s Zeppelin - and he may be right.