John Bonham

Bonhamfan said:
Your right. Bonham's beats are sampled quite a bit though along with other great drummers, and that is why I dislike rap, it seems so unimprovised, it's to easy to create and it all sounds the same. There is no heart in that type of music IMO.

Ah, the voice of ignorance speaks. That, I'm quite sure, is what a lot of jazz snobs said about Bonham and rock music in general at the time. Go grab yourself a few Roots records - particularly the live ones - and then tell me there's no heart in the music, and that it's easy to create. As for sampling, go grab yourself a copy of "Safe From Harm" by Massive Attack and then tell me it's a worse song than the Billy Cobham groove it was built on top of. Or any of the work of DJ Shadow, who knows more about drums and groove than 95% of drummers.

If drummers are to stay influential we have to get with the times. Hip hop is a huge part of our musical culture at the moment, being totally ignorant of it is pretty hard to excuse if you want to consider yourself a serious musician.

If Bonham was around today I'm sure he'd be a mean hip hop drummer. I'd love to see that, actually, he'd be awesome at it.
 
finnhiggins said:
Ah, the voice of ignorance speaks. That, I'm quite sure, is what a lot of jazz snobs said about Bonham and rock music in general at the time. Go grab yourself a few Roots records - particularly the live ones - and then tell me there's no heart in the music, and that it's easy to create. As for sampling, go grab yourself a copy of "Safe From Harm" by Massive Attack and then tell me it's a worse song than the Billy Cobham groove it was built on top of. Or any of the work of DJ Shadow, who knows more about drums and groove than 95% of drummers.

If drummers are to stay influential we have to get with the times. Hip hop is a huge part of our musical culture at the moment, being totally ignorant of it is pretty hard to excuse if you want to consider yourself a serious musician.

If Bonham was around today I'm sure he'd be a mean hip hop drummer. I'd love to see that, actually, he'd be awesome at it.


I think you miss read my sentence. I was by no means talking about old-school rap. I am talking about the likes of 50 cent, P diddy, etc. Sorry if you miss-read but that is what I meant. And if you notice singers like 50 cent usually don't even go on stage with a drummer let alone record with a drummer on one of their albums.
 
I'm still waiting to see a live video or even hear live audio of "when the levee breaks."
some other songs i still wanna hear live are "hey hey what can i do," "fool in the rain," and "livin lovin maid" Am i just missing them because i dont think videos for those songs even exist
 
Bonhamfan said:
I think you miss read my sentence. I was by no means talking about old-school rap. I am talking about the likes of 50 cent, P diddy, etc. Sorry if you miss-read but that is what I meant. And if you notice singers like 50 cent usually don't even go on stage with a drummer let alone record with a drummer on one of their albums.

Yeah, but 50 Cent is like the hip hop equivilent of the Monkees or something. He doesn't belong in any kind of serious musical discussion of styles :)
 
Brain chemistry is important in how a person expresses themselves on an instrument. I had surgery 4 years ago and was put out for hours and was not let out until someone could drive me home. I was told not to drive for 24 hours.

They did not tell me I could not plat the drums though! And I did. I played like never before. I was able to do things I could never imagine and can never recreate. I don't drink or do drugs. Thats a good thing.

But sometimes I wonder if I did, would I be a better musician?

Would Bonham be the drummer he was without the alcohol?
 
finnhiggins said:
Yeah, but 50 Cent is like the hip hop equivilent of the Monkees or something. He doesn't belong in any kind of serious musical discussion of styles :)


Hahahahaha, funny comparison

The only reason I brought it up was because of the sampeling discussion. And new age rappers like 50 cent eminem (shudders) P diddy etc. use beats from the old school drummers and I dislike new age rappers because of that. Again funny comparison lol
 
Would Bonham be the drummer he was without the alcohol?

well most importantly he would have been the drummer he was for a lot longer.

i don't think his alcohol improved nor feuled his skill as adrummer. drinking was more a part of his character, culture and family. bonzo was for me more of a studio genious and a great live showman. in the studio the choices and execution of them showed a man with a deep understanding of drumming who was completely on top of things...live he was the wild man of rock with everything that went with it. when i play live i have a few beers for the devil may care mood that puts me on the edge...but in the studio i don't drink (heck who wants to try and stay drunk or even tipsy for those kinds of hours....eeeugh)

j
 
drinking was more a part of his character, culture and family.

yea, after reading his new biography, written by his brother, drinking was just in his famiy, they were hard working englishmen that relied on a couple of beers to unwind a night.
 
i enjoyed that book, did you? didn't learn much about how bonzo played drums but did get more of a feel for the man. also learned a bit more about his influences. i think the book settles the debate on whether carmine appice taught him the bass drum triplet...he did not. bonzo developed that independantly. he only became aware of and met vanilla fudge when zep supported them on the first american tour. bonzo had been using the triplet for years before that.

j
 
NUTHA JASON said:
i enjoyed that book, did you? didn't learn much about how bonzo played drums but did get more of a feel for the man. also learned a bit more about his influences. i think the book settles the debate on whether carmine appice taught him the bass drum triplet...he did not. bonzo developed that independantly. he only became aware of and met vanilla fudge when zep supported them on the first american tour. bonzo had been using the triplet for years before that.

j

I told everyone that a long time ago. I have recordings of Bonzo from 1966 and 1967 with his good 'ole bass triplets.
 
When you guys talk about Bonham's triplets, are you referring to the "broken triplets" he does on like Good Times, Bad Times or something else?
 
yes, thats what were talking about, his insane foot speed

i enjoyed that book, did you?

i did, it deffinetly showed his more personal side. Although, i dont know if his brother didnt know about John Bonhams other drug use, or he shyed away from telling people it, or if bonham just didnt use drugs other than alcohol. Becuase from other articles i've read about Led Zeppelin, i heard about strong acid and LSD use in the entire band.
 
this 'bonzo used drugs' debate is a hard one. in the book mick hardly tries to hide his brother's faults so why would he shy away from mentioning drugs? after all i've read and seen i would only put it AS MY OPINION that bonzo probably tried a bit out here and there because its obvious that jimi and robert were doing loads, but bonzo was more for drinking and rowdiness. look at the fantasy sequences in 'song remains the same'...everyone is away with the fairies and wizards except bonzo...he's drag racing and roaring around the english countryside on his chopper. doesn't get much realer than that. a lot of people i know and knew took drugs and i see very few signs in john of the character quirks that come with long term use (nor the wasted skinny look - lol - bonzo was a big boy). i do see the alcoholic depressions and flares of anger and joviality. but IMO no drugs.

j
 
Bonham hands down is my favourite drummer i love his power behind the drum set. His ledgendary triplets and who can forget about his right foot! my god he is better and maybe faster then most people that have a double pedal
 
NUTHA JASON said:
this 'bonzo used drugs' debate is a hard one. in the book mick hardly tries to hide his brother's faults so why would he shy away from mentioning drugs? after all i've read and seen i would only put it AS MY OPINION that bonzo probably tried a bit out here and there because its obvious that jimi and robert were doing loads, but bonzo was more for drinking and rowdiness. look at the fantasy sequences in 'song remains the same'...everyone is away with the fairies and wizards except bonzo...he's drag racing and roaring around the english countryside on his chopper. doesn't get much realer than that. a lot of people i know and knew took drugs and i see very few signs in john of the character quirks that come with long term use (nor the wasted skinny look - lol - bonzo was a big boy). i do see the alcoholic depressions and flares of anger and joviality. but IMO no drugs.

j

NJ...Alcohol, is a drug and a very powerful one...
 
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