A slight rearrangement of the classical Cox and Merz rule suggests that the shear stress value of steady shear flow, tau(gamma), and complex modulus value of small amplitude oscillatory shear, G*(omega) = (G'2 + G"2)(1/2), are equivalent in many respects. Small changes of material structure, which express themselves most sensitively in the steady shear stress, tau, show equally pronounced in linear viscoelastic data when plotting these with G* as one of the variables. An example is given to demonstrate this phenomenon: viscosity data that cover about three decades in frequency get stretched out over about nine decades in G* while maintaining steep gradients in a transition region. This suggests a more effective way of exploiting the Cox Merz rule when it is valid and exploring reasons for lack of validity when it is not. The tau-G* equivalence could also further the understanding of the steady shear normal stress function as proposed by Laun.