“Zeppelin is a much better band than the Stones…”
Amen to that! For a while in the 70s, there was a rivalry of sorts between the two groups, but I remember an interview at the time with Jimmy Page, who complemented Richards and The Rolling Stones, stating he was a fan. Page is generally gracious to other musicians, but also, I think, knew who was really on top.
I don’t think I’ve ever heard any Zeppelin member speak negatively of another band, which is remarkable considering how the music press dumped on them. They easily could have rubbed their success in the press’s face by criticizing the press’s preferred bands.