That Bozo Sound

well, you can never emulate another drummers sound 100%. Its like SRV doing Hendrix, its close, but not the same. Its all about being thrifty with what you doing and not sounding like a drum machine. To many drummers keep it all at the same volume...hats, bass, snare...all the same volume. I think letting the beat brethe helps alot, not staying 100% on the beat all the time. I LOVEEE Frank Beards beats with ZZTOP, he is soo lose of a player. Same with Chad Smith. Try losening up the beat a bit, get your hats open a bit more, then your getting close. Allot of it has to just do with experiance and listing. figure out what works and what dosent. Im still trying to get Moby Dick too as sound as good as it can. Bonzo was soooooo thrifty man, its crazy. Same with Alex Vanhalen.

Listning to Rock drumers in general. The Spirit of Bonzo carries on into sooo many drumers. Daughtry- Break the Spell, 3 Doors Down- 17 Days, Paramore- Riot!, RHCP- Blood Sugar...so many great albums to listen through to hear other drummers and how Bonzo influenced them. Mike Portnoy did a Zepplen cover band, youtube it, he does a great take on Mody Dick.
 
Highway to Heaven can only be played on a double necked bass drum. This is where most cover bands get it wrong and it loses all authenticity. Of course it wasn't recorded that way in the studio....two bass drums were used there. But to pull it off live, a double neck kick is needed or else you're doomed to failure.

Of course, some drumming characteristics of Bozo himself never go astray either.......obviously we can't emulate the mans touch, but I'm sure a pair of big, red, floppy, clown shoes will help get you part way there.
 
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I think some people missed the joke here :)

Yep - definitely didn't get it as I don't hear 'tone' or see a smiling face on an internet chat forum. And, being my age, there was a tv character called Bozo the Clown - for a minute there I thought maybe he played drums in a band as well as star in a daily kids' tv show ;)

If you're just talking about Bonzo - I would think there was enough information already out there to help you get that sound, or at least try to, since it's pretty much impossible to be a complete clone of somebody.
 
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To get the Bozo sound, especially for something like "When the Wind Breaks" you will have to use a 26 meter diameter bass drum, as he did. Record the kit in the Grand canyon, to get that huge reverby sound. Also you need to use -1AAAA stainless steel sticks. Unfortunately as these are 3 foot long, and weigh several kilograms, you will destroy your Earwig snare with every stroke, so take plenty.

Not surprisingly this track took 7 years just to record the drum part, and it took the engineers 3 months to get over there temporary deafness.

Incidently the excess baggage charge to get the kit to the Grand Canyon may prove prohibitive.

Good luck.
 
Just watch the adventures of Bozo,episode "Bozo meets Jimmy Page".In this episode,Bozo helps Jimmy out by playing drums on his record album.Bozo also meets new friends Robert Plant,John Paul Jones and Peter Grant the fat.:)

Steve B
 
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Highway to Heaven can only be played on a double necked bass drum. This is where most cover bands get it wrong and it loses all authenticity. Of course it wasn't recorded that way in the studio....two bass drums were used there. But to pull it off live, a double neck kick is needed or else you're doomed to failure.

Of course, some drumming characteristics of Bozo himself never go astray either.......obviously we can't emulate the mans touch, but I'm sure a pair of big, red, floppy, clown shoes will help get you part way there.

HAHA! A double-necked bass drum. Gotta love it.

It is well known that Bozo played authentic Silogian symbols and Tamaha drums and had a top hat on his left. His solo on Stairway to Hell is awesome. His actual set is on sale on Craigslist somewhere according to legend, which is why all the drum parts there are misspelled, so keep looking and you may find it ...
 
You have to get really large Pasty cymbols. At least 22" high-hats, and a 40" ride to get those giant beats.
 
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