"Listen, I've been asked that question, on and off, for 40 years. Still The Best After All These Years! They wouldn’t be where they are if it weren’t for the oozing talent coming out from each one of them. John Bonham is often considered one of the best drummers of all time that unfortunately died too soon. “Led Zeppelin stormed onto the music scene in … A new documentary has just emerged that takes a look at the thunderous genius of John Bonham behind the kit.Simply titled, What Makes John Bonham Such a Good Drummer? But he didn’t get a proper kit until he was 15. “Instead of playing the bass clean on every beat, Bonham accents the beats with triplets which spices up the rhythm.”. John Bonham Bio: John Henry Bonham (31 May 1948 – 25 September 1980) was an English musician and songwriter, best known as the drummer for the British rock band Led Zeppelin. Robert Plant recommended John Bonham as a potential drummer to join Jimmy Page's new group. Writing about Bonzo they said, “On the very first cut of the very first Led Zeppelin LP, John Bonham changed rock drumming forever. Though his time in Led Zeppelin would last barely over a decade, drummer John Bonham created booming beats and fast-thrill fills that are still being copied by … Photographer © Jorgen Angel. This way of adding flair to the drumbeat by breaking the rhythm with triplets is something Bonham picked up from jazz musicians. From the mammoth sound of his drums in ‘When The Levee Breaks’ to the r&b influenced, Stevie Wonder inspired ‘Trampled Under Foot’, you’re sure to find a track on this list that made it clear to you exactly why Bonham is still considered the best drummer in the world! Led Zeppelin are rightfully rock legends and one of the reasons for that is they had one of the greatest drummers in the world. For instance, detailing how on the opening track, “Good Times Bad Times”, for Led Zeppelin’s debut album he was already defining his style while also forging a new, untravelled path for what drumming in a rock band could mean—a path that would go on to affect and influence pretty much every rock drummer who came after him. Bonham was the bedrock for the group’s powerful sound. This way of adding flair to the drumbeat by breaking the rhythm with triplets is something Bonham picked up from, , “On the very first cut of the very first Led Zeppelin LP, John Bonham changed rock drumming forever. Robert Plant & Jimmy Page performing at Madison Square Garden in New York City in June 1977. Individually, the band members of Led Zeppelin can have valid claim that they’re a league of their own. The band catapulted onto the music scene in 1969. Jimmy Page in action at a concert in Copenhagen in February 1970. It felt as though he was just talking to the drums, and they reacted to the instructions. ... Good on her and wish the best. Years later, Jimmy Page was still amused by the disorienting impact that ‘Good Times Bad Times,’ with its jaw-dropping bass-drum hiccups, had on listeners: ‘Everyone was laying bets that Bonzo was using two bass drums, but he only had one.’ Heavy, lively, virtuosic and deliberate, that performance laid out the terrain Bonham's artful clobbering would conquer before his untimely death in 1980. By early 1968, John Bonham had built up a strong reputation amongst musicians and bands in the Redditch area for being one of the best drummers around. ‘D’yer Mak’er’ (1973) Often laughed at from afar, Led Zeppelin’s attempt at both reggae and some poorly-formed Viz-comic-level puns may not be up there in some of the band’s best work. Take John Bonham, for example. Everyone could still feel the impact of his power and might. Not on a drum kit, you understand, but using pots and pans—or tinned food. I watched it on my phone at first. Photographer © Bob Gruen. His contributions to rock music were revolutionary, and his talent unmatched and irreplaceable. Bonham was esteemed for his speed, power, fast bass-drumming, distinctive sound, and "feel" for the groove. His contributions to rock music were revolutionary, and his talent unmatched and irreplaceable. English drummer John Bonham was born in 1948, at the age of five he began playing drums making his first rock drum set with containers and coffee tins. Considered by some publications to be one of the greatest drummers in rock. It’s safe to say that, for most of us, there exist two distinct eras in the annals of drum set performance, the first consisting of everything before John Bonham, the second beginning January 12, 1969. The importance of Led Zeppelin's John Bonham is simply unmeasurable. Bonham In The Studio. ... was drummer John Bonham. This past Sunday, May 31st, would have been Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham‘s 67th birthday.To mark the occasion, here are what Dave Grohl believes are the 10 quintessential Bonham recordings:. BY JOHN NATELLI. 1) “Achillies Last Stand” – Presence: “This song has some fireworks, and it’s a good example of Bonham’s reckless side. John Henry Bonham (May 31st, 1948 – September 25th, 1980), known as John Bonham, was an English musician and songwriter, best known as the drummer for the British rock band Led Zeppelin.Esteemed for his speed, power, fast bass drumming, distinctive sound, and "feel" for the groove, he is regarded by many as the greatest and most influential rock drummer in history. John Bonham used a variety of drum sticks throughout his drumming career. In the video essay below by YouTube channel Polyphonic, they detail exactly what made Bonham, or Bonzo, so damn good. Although every member of Led Zeppelin was extremely talented, for me John Bonham stands out the most. It all adds up to a fascinating—and quite technical—look at a fascinating drummer. 28.9k. John was also known by his nickname ‘Bonzo’, John had the combination of power, stamina, technique and stage presence that made him stand out and has inspired drummers for the last 50 years. But while all of the band were talented, one of them in particular was especially brilliant. © 2021 Rockarchive - All rights reserved. To try and calculate the impact of John Henry Bonham on rock drumming is to attempt the impossible. Certainly not with their own list of the top 10 songs that properly showcase Bonham’s talents, that’s for sure. “Klaatu”- The Mysterious Band That Sounded…, Little Feat featuring Bonnie Raitt- “Dixie…, Savoy Brown- The British Blues-Rock Band With “Tell…, Chris Daughtry and Kelly Clarkson Sing “Fast…, Miley Cyrus Covers Pink Floyd “Wish You Were…, The Moment The Beatles Entered Shea Stadium 1965 –…. Get The Led Out: John Bonham’s 10 Greatest Drumming Moments. Screenshot via YouTube / Polyphonic. By continuing to browse the site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Advertisement. It was the way he integrated this unusual drumming technique with the other band members’ instruments. drummagazine.com. Best known as the drummer for the British rock band Led Zeppelin. Polyphonic illustrates Bonham’s genius by analysing his performances and playing. “Led Zeppelin stormed onto the music scene in 1968,” the video begins. Q Magazine’s picture editor says "Live rock photos don’t get any cooler than Jorgen’s timeless shot of Jimmy Page. METALLICA's Lars Ulrich joined Howard Stern on his SiriusXM show, "The Howard Stern Show", this week.While on the program, Ulrich was asked to weigh in on whether LED ZEPPELIN's John Bonham or RUSH's Neil Peart is the greatest drummer of all time. You can only imagine Jimmy Page's reaction to first seeing him in 1968, ending his search for a new drummer to form a new band, the New Yardbirds (later renamed Led Zeppelin.) Rockarchive is delighted to be able to offer many iconic images of Led Zeppelin as limited edition photographic prints which you can buy here. In an interview with his brother, Mick Bonham back in 1973 the Led Zeppelin drummer revealed some of his drumming influences. John Bonham is the most influential Rock Drummer of all-time. Describing the style of John Bonham's drumming instantly conjurs up visions of the thunderous power he created. From snare drum stampedes, through hi-hat syncopation and jazzy interludes and sheer brutal power, Bonham was the percussive engine at the heart of Zeppelin – just ask anyone from Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters to Black Stone Cherry’s John Fred, or for that matter any of the hundreds of disciples who recently voted him the greatest drummer ever. Esteemed for his speed, power, fast bass-drumming, distinctive sound, and “feel” for the groove. "A huge box full of stick was delivered - the thickest I'd ever seen. Everyone has its own personal opinion about everything…Anyone can choose for themselves who is the best or not. Without his expert sense of rhythm, incredible restraint and tight fills, who knows where Led Zeppelin would have ended up in music history? A Brief History of Mr. Bonham. Posted by 2 years ago. In the video essay below by YouTube channel Polyphonic, they detail exactly what made Bonham, or Bonzo, so damn good. Their ferocious and wild style of rock ‘n’ roll redefined the genre forever. So, playing along with Jimmy Page’s guitar riffs for instance, which ultimately helped tighten and heighten the band’s sound, helping them gel. John Henry Bonham or Bonzo as we all know him was perhaps the best drummer ever. For Grohl, Bonham really was the beginning of something special, “Led Zeppelin, and John Bonham’s drumming, especially, opened up my ears.” Before that, Grohl had been a hard and fast punk rocker, “I was into hardcore punk rock; reckless, powerful drumming, a beat that sounded like a shotgun firing in a cement cellar.” Jorgen Angel entered the world of rock photography as a schoolboy & has been in the music industry from the late 60's up til the early 80's. When roadie Glen Colsen set his gear up early on, he remembers them being very big sticks. And when he was at his rhythmical best, he never gave his audience any wankery. Led Zeppelin’s John Bonham said about his drumming influences: “I don’t consider that I’m particularly influenced […] As live rock experiences go, Led Zeppelin's legendary five night residency at Earls Court in May 1975 are some of the best ever. BY JOHN NATELLI. level 2. Years later, Jimmy Page was still amused by the disorienting impact that ‘Good Times Bad Times,’ with its jaw-dropping bass-drum hiccups, had on listeners: ‘Everyone was laying bets that Bonzo was using two bass drums, but he only had one.’ Heavy, lively, virtuosic and deliberate, that performance laid out the terrain Bonham's artful clobbering would conquer before his untimely death in 1980. John Bonham’s 10 best Led Zeppelin songs: 10. John would break two or three drumsticks a night, and I'd have to hand him a new stick while standing at the side of the stage." During the main section of this entry on the Top 10 Led Zeppelin John Bonham Songs, the drummer effortlessly switches between 4/4 and 7/8 time, which lends a nervy unpredictability to the song. To try and calculate the impact of John Henry Bonham on rock drumming is to attempt the impossible. Early on, his drumming heroes were Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich. It was Bonham who laid down the foundation from which the band grew, and came to define themselves from. You can tell he’s taking chances as the tape rolls. This site uses cookies. Every song has a stellar drum part by Bonzo. Easily The Best Drummer Of All Time. John Bonham Celebrated as being one of the greatest drummers of all time, John Bonham was the drummer for the rock and roll band Led Zeppelin. You cannot just simply put someone into a title of being the ‘BEST’. John Henry Bonham (1948-1980) was born in post-WWII Birmingham and was playing the drums by age five. John Bonham also played for Screaming Lord Sutch on Lord Sutch and Heavy Friends in 1970. Eventually taking them to the top and becoming one of the biggest rock bands in history. Brian Tichy is best known for his drumming with Whitesnake, Billy Idol, Foreigner, Sass Jordan, and Ozzy Osbourne. Why John Bonham is One of the Best Drummers Ever. Led Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in London in 1968 & considered one of the most innovative & influential rock bands in history. On September 24, 1980, Led Zeppelin drummer John Henry Bonham—aka “Bonzo,” aka “The Beast”—downed forty (40!) With that being said, John Henry Bonham was part of the English rock band Led Zeppelin. John Bonham rock drum set game Play Led Zeppelin's songs with John Bonham's drums Led Zeppelin's drummer John "Bonzo" Bonham was one of the greatest rock 'n' roll drummers in the history of music. His method of displacing the beats and accents also took inspiration from blues and funk, notably James Brown. Posted on 21st August 2017 by Kevin Holmes, John Bonham. But what made Bonzo such a Good (BEAST) Drummer? Other sources have said that John Bonham used Ludwig 2A (in 1977 to 1980 - Jeff Ocheltr… "She's not doing the triplets, that's from the recording she's playing along with," I said to myself. But what also impressed with Bonham, explains the video, is that he wasn’t just doing this in a vacuum on his own. He took influence from jazz drummers like Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich applying their techniques to rock music. 8 year old Japanese girl covers John Bonham's drumming on Led Zeppelin's "Good Times Bad Times" Close. It’s safe to say that, for most of us, there exist two distinct eras in the annals of drum set performance, the first consisting of everything before John Bonham, the second beginning January 12, 1969. 2. share. At his most brutally paleolithic he never bludgeoned dully, at his most rhythmically dumbfounding he never stooped to unnecessary wankery, and every night on tour he dodged both pitfalls with his glorious stampede through ‘Moby Dick.’”, Check out the video below and you can check out more videos from Polyphonic at their YouTube channel, Rockarchive is delighted to be able to offer many iconic images of Led Zeppelin as limited edition photographic prints which you can buy. Led Zeppelin are rightfully rock legends and one of the reasons for that is they had one of the greatest drummers in the world. Robert Plant & Jimmy Page performing in New York City in 1977, their eleventh & final concert tour of North America by the English rock band. Describing the style of John Bonham's drumming instantly conjurs up visions of the thunderous power he created. In this video, everything about John Bonham’s drumming was illustrated bits by bits. Glen Colson - "John Bonham: A Thunder of Drums" by Chris Welch. “From the first listen his style was evident.” notes the video, pointing out his use of the bass drum. "It's fucking hard," Lars said (see video below). Besides substituting for Jason Bonham with Foreigner, he has organized, produced, and played in the drummer tribute “Bonzo, The Groove Remains The Same”, celebrating the 25th anniversary of the death of Led Zeppelin’s John Bonham. Man of Many, 22 Sep 2017. However, one man to escape relatively unscathed was Bonham whose drumming on this is full, fat and ready to go. it looks at his roots in jazz and funk, and the way he pioneered the amalgamation of these influences in … One of the most accomplished drummers in rock music, the late John Bonham of Led Zeppelin was an integral part of the band’s sound. Widely regarded as one of the best drummers in rock, Led Zeppelin’s John Bonham had a knack for timing and precision that was unmatched – and it’s unlikely that we’ll ever see another drummer quite like him again. Report Save. A drummer that Rolling Stone named as the greatest of all time in their list of the top 100. “Their raucous take on rock and roll redefined the genre and made them the biggest band on earth for the better part of a decade.”. Bob Gruen began making photos of Rock Stars thirty years ago and is one of the most well known and respected photographers in Rock'n Roll. 2 years ago. One of the most accomplished drummers in rock music, the late John Bonham of Led Zeppelin was an integral part of the band’s sound. It is said that when Bonham when at his lowest, he never played a dull. 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