John Bonham

That is difficult to argue with. Zeppelin showed everyone how to do rock music, and they've been doing it ever since. Bonham was an essential part of that. I'm a big fan!
 
How come nobody on here has the balls to just say he was the greatest drummer of the rock era? Hands down. Not one of, but the. You know it's true. No single human has ever done as much for rock drumming as he has. 30 years later and that is still an indisputable fact.

Cos other people have balls to think that maybe drummers like Mitch Mitchell, Keith Moon, Ginger Baker, Carl Palmer, Neil Peart, etc. were just as good or even better??
 
To start off Bonham is my fav. my username say it all.The way I see it is that Bonham too

Rock drumming is like Hendrix was too Rock guitar yes there is probably better technical

drummers but nobody brought drums too the forefront like Bonham did IMO Keith Moon is

the only other drummer that comes close for that time.Bonham brung

Tympani's,Gongs,Big Bass Drums,only a 5 piece kit and played the kit

with his hands.I know there were other drummers that did that but again he brung it to the

forefront just like Hendrix played the Guitar with his teeth,behind his back,and was the

master of feedback yes there was probably other guitar players that did that but again

he brung it too the forefront.They (Bonham & Hendrix) were Original,the Real Deal and

that's why their legacy lives on.

Keep Swatin'
Bonzolead
 
Cos other people have balls to think that maybe drummers like Mitch Mitchell, Keith Moon, Ginger Baker, Carl Palmer, Neil Peart, etc. were just as good or even better??

The fact that Bonham gets voted number 1 rock drummer in polls, or number 2 drummer after Buddy Rich, suggests he made quite an impression on people. The real question is, what aspects of his drumming were it that impressed people and continue to do so even now?
 
The fact that Bonham gets voted number 1 rock drummer in polls, or number 2 drummer after Buddy Rich, suggests he made quite an impression on people. The real question is, what aspects of his drumming were it that impressed people and continue to do so even now?

HIs groove, feel and his general approach to drumming and the passion/energy he put into his playing is what makes him stands out the most. When one plays from the soul - that's when people's attention is aroused. Bonham did that.
My point was, all this silly business of 'greatest drummer of all time' is just going to get people nowhere (as it has been said THOUSANDS of times) - he was a damn great drummer - I think that says enough, as well as the fact Zeppelin are amongst the highest credited rock musicians of all time.
 
Just wanted to wish Bonzo a belated birthday... he would have been 60 two Saturdays ago. I watched The Song Remains the Same and some of the concerts on the DVD in his honor.
 
Sticks he used, what size?

I have read different things about what stick size Bonzo used, anyone have the real info?
 
Hi fellow Bonham lovers. Just wanted to throw in my 2 cents. What I loved about Bonham's drumming was his power combined with his groove. His natural feel for time. His ability to be understated - to do nothing where other mere mortals would have to do a fill - eg Kashmir, For Your Life, Levee. The bass drum work in "Good Times Bad Times" always gets special mention, but listen to the drumming towards the end of the song for an illustration of his ability to manipulate time. The fills in D'yer Maker is another example. I watched the great Steve Smith perform Bonham licks but it was just the great Steve Smith performing Bonham licks. Capturing the soul and essence of Bonham's style is what's difficult and elusive....

He is missed!
 
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Re: Sticks he used, what size?

I have read different things about what stick size Bonzo used, anyone have the real info?

this is a good question. everyone says he played with the biggest sticks available, 'trees' but I think I have read an interview with Jason Bonham where he said he actually used 5A or 5Bs sometimes. I think he also used Promuco sticks. He probably changed quite often.
 
Has anyone listened to the album Coda? If you listen to "Bonzo's Montreux" you can hear his squeaky bass drum pedal clear as day!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wK9FBBrff3A
You can really hear it at the .29-.36 mark
and also I believe at the start of the second break he hits the rim of the snare instead of the head.Justs goes to show he was human LOL "Poor Tom" is one of my favorites off that album as usual for Bonham such a great snare & bass drum groove with the hi-hat to keep it all there.

Keep swattin'
Bonzolead
 
Being a huge led zeppelin fan, and of course of Bonzo, I just want to mention that his drum work was HUGE over the years he played, I admire him for his creativity (specially for fills), for his unmatched power, and his capacity to play at weird time signatures and the way he could play drums in a gentle way (ghost notes everywhere) while sounding the Bonham way.
But I think if you wanna explore Bonham and Led Zep completely you have to go the bootleg way, I mean there are live performances where you can hear his AMAZING fills and technique, this guy was a monster, he improvised his playing "on the fly", his bass drum is incredibly fast in some shows (faster than anything recorded on the albums), you can also hear his influences his different types of playing. He was indisputably a corner stone for Hard Rock drum playing.
 
I rember my 1st concert @ The Forum in L.A. 1977........
Led Zep and BONZO in the house ! Man, What an experience.
 
John Bonham....Moby Dick, Immigrant Song, The Ocean, Ramble On....John Bonham
 
He is my favorite and most influencial drummer, he knew what all of this is about, the feel, the power, the techniche, everything! For me he's the best drummer ever he actually was the reason i started playing and has been with me ever since. RIP Bonzo you truly rock!
 
John Henry Bonham was great.
So crazy during Moby Dick to play with his hands (it made the snare sound like a bongo, but who cares).
One of the greatest EVER!
When Bonzo played the snare drum with his hands during Moby Dick he turned his snares off that's why it sounded like a bongo or even a timbale the clearity is better.They'll never be another one like him. besides my dad he is my greatest influence.

Bonzolead
 
My first big influence.

His legacy grows as the years pass.

Even stuff I didn't like at the time like The Crunge, Fool In The Rain, Hots On For Nowhere were years ahead of their time.

The James Dean of drumming....
 
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