Nice post. Every so often I'll read somewhere about how Zeppelin was "the most original group ever". Oh boy, so far from the truth (the band was fantastic--just not original). Page was very adept at (pick one or more) stealing, borrowing, appropriating, re-arranging music created by others and turning it into an "original" composition. Page had an ear for a great tune, was an exceptional guitarist and was an absolute master of studio recording without question. Original--not so much.

My vote for what I want to see in the pin is a Mudshark...

I'd probably vote for Cream or the JH Experience, but a good argument could be made for Led Zep. The biggest knock against them was they broke no new ground (even so they certainly were the best rock band of the 70's). Cream introduced/perfected the free-form improvisational rock power trio and laid the groundwork for all those who came after. Hendrix was revolutionary, earth shattering, and never matched.

You make good points, Pinfidel, and music appreciation is mostly based on the listener's opinion--lots of great bands out there. I wouldn't put too much money on Phil, as Hendrix was so humble he thought almost everyone was the better guitarist. Two that immediately come to mind are Billy Gibbons and Terry Kath. Very good to great guitarists, but not in his league--nobody is--although some will make an argument for Jeff Beck...

Hmm...I thought I had already made this observation--but then again, that's rock and roll!

I think that is the best/most powerful opening cut on any album I've ever heard. I'd suspect Page had something to do with the order of the songs on the album.

Not one of the first, they just did it best. The Yardbirds, Spencer Davis Group, Manfred Mann, Small Faces, Fleetwood Mac, Cream, Stones, Animals, etc. came before LZ playing American Blues straight ahead or rocked-up. Everyone borrowed riffs and ideas from their influences--still do. The big difference with Zeppelin--they blatantly ripped off existing tunes by bending around the music and/or slightly (or not so slightly) altering the lyrics. Not cool to claim these were then "original" compositions. It took a lawsuit or three years later to assign the writing credits to where they rightfully belonged. Others for whatever reason did not pursue legal action. Page was a master at putting together a great "new" song using other artists work. His work as a producer and session musician also gave him exposure to innumerable songs. Listen to the last recordings or live bootlegs of the Yardbirds with Page on guitar--you will hear the birth of Led Zeppelin, who did some of the same tunes as Page did with the Yardbirds (only now they were "Page" creations). Page was brilliant.

Years ago I was discussing music evolution with a friend of mine and conceded your point that rock was just a spin off of African/Gospel/Blues music. My buddy, rather than accept this as fact told me he was not so sure his people could take all the credit. He told me to dig back into Hill and Appalachian music and I would hear some of the same music patterns and rhythms. No way those two groups ever intersected--perhaps an interesting root of the rock tree...