John Bonham

[JHBThunder842]

No one better than JHB, Rest in peace my friend, rest in peace.

[JHBThunder842]

Originally Posted by Seras

Ever heard of this quote by Bonzo...he once said to Robert Plant

"You ARE good. But you are half as good as a singer as I am a drummer"


Comments anyone?? and please, dont point out the arrogance in this quote...he was just being honest....:)=

Lol I remember reading that quote! I don't remember if its from Stair Way To Heaven Bio, or Thunder of Drums, but john is my personal favorite and will forever live on in the world of drumming as a God.

[Toby_Jackson]

Recently switched over to a Bonham-style 1 rack + 2 floor toms set-up, fitted with coated Remos and clears on the bottom tuned at least a whole tone above the batters. Drums sound FAT!

[scorch whammin]

Still my favorite rock drummer....incredible groove, monster sound, great foot, hand speed, etc....I met his son many years ago when he was playing with Virginia Wolf....also a very good drummer.

[bonzolead]

Originally Posted by JHBThunder842

Lol I remember reading that quote! I don't remember if its from Stair Way To Heaven Bio, or Thunder of Drums, but john is my personal favorite and will forever live on in the world of drumming as a God.

One of my favorite stories from Thunder of Drums is when Bonham would show up at the pub about 2:00am and order 50 Heineken's LOL..........only Bonham or maybe Moonie LOL

Bonzolead

[danduffy1964]

Bonzo had 'feel'.

I've always looked at Physical Grafitti & Presence as influence . All Zep albums were amazing :) I just became more locked into those 2 albums as a teen .

[Ian Williams]

With due respect, what calls my attention from John Bonham. It's that He never recognized and admitted that He learnt few things from Carmine Appice.

Ian Paice and Cozy Powell had admitted it.

[Pachikara-Tharakan]

Everyone learn something from someone else. The trick is mix all those and comeup with something our own.

[jake_larson]

I remember the first time I heard led zepplin about six years ago I honestly didnt like them and didnt see what was so great about Bonham. I started hearing his name pop up over and over again so I decided to check them out. I am really glad I did that. Bonham is such a great drummer with a nice powerful feel.

[bonzolead]

I just wanted too say it's been 29 yrs. ago today we sadly loss the hardest rock drummer ever. Mr. John Henry Bonham...

I'm not gonna go into a soppy post we all know how great he was and still is. I'm just having a Heineken in your honor.

God Bless,
Bonzolead

[Pocket-full-of-gold]

Originally Posted by D.pioks

Here you can post whenever you read, see, or hear about some kind of John Lennon special coming on TV.


I heard this morning that there was a John Lennon special on TV. My boyfriend told me about it. It was real early this morning or something. Did any of you catch it?

I think you may have confused John LENNON for John BONHAM in this particular thread. The Lennon info may well be available from someone at DW, but I doubt you'll find it in this thread.

Try the 'Off Topic' threads for this question, it will draw a better response there I believe.

[Morbid Koala]

I've been reading 'Hammer of the Gods' every year since I was thirteen and every subsequent year that I get older, I realize what a raging a-hole Bonzo was.

It doesn't change a single thing about his total domination of the drums and after all, he was a raging alcoholic in his 20's with the world at his disposal and terminally homesick. That's gonna mess ya' up.

But yeah, the more I read about him, the less I like the dude as a person. Had good taste in drums, an ear for tuning the drums to their fullest potential, impeccable playing and probably my biggest drum hero of all time.

But yeah, wouldn't want to look in his direction at a social gathering.

Maybe he was a little too influenced by Buddy Rich...

Maybe he just missed his family and wanted to be left alone? I didn't dig through all 37 pages, but in the 15 or so I did read I didn't see any mention of How Many More Times.

[Plantagenet]

Originally Posted by Aggressivec

Well he really liked drummers like Gene Krupa and Joe Morello. The way he tuned his toms were influenced by the sound of big band drummers that he would listen to when he was a kid. Hope this helps!

Originally Posted by Ian Williams

With due respect, what calls my attention from John Bonham. It's that He never recognized and admitted that He learnt few things from Carmine Appice.

Ian Paice and Cozy Powell had admitted it.

As I understand it (and I am going by a story told to me, rather than a quote from a reliable source) Bonzo heard Carmen playing and went off to replicate a fill that involved bass triplets.
(In Good Times Bad Times?)
But he didn't know that it was done with a double pedal and he did it single.
Then Carmen watched him playing and asked how he did "that" fill and Bonzo said, Well you should know I got it from you.

Dunno how badly messed up I have got that story but I'm sure he acknowledged the influence of CA.

[Ian Williams]

Fellows,

Check this interesting topic regarding John Bonham. Deborah Bonham and Joan Bonham at the Classic Rock Roll Of Honour Awards.

http://www.daylife.com/topic/John_Bonham

A toast on Mr. Bonham and His Moby Dick, I am having a cup of wine - Salud!

[Bonz0]

Haha I liked the Good Times Bad Times part...such a loss for drumming ='( R.I.P Bonzo!

Hey I just realized you have the same quote as your signature I do!

[Ian Williams]

Originally Posted by Bonz0

Haha I liked the Good Times Bad Times part...such a loss for drumming ='( R.I.P Bonzo!

Que coincidencia, Tu y Yo tenemos las mismas citas, refranes de John Bonham como firmas. Saludos!

[Bonz0]

Si lo note justo cuando se publico el post xD gran coincidencia, pero es una verdad!

[JoeA]

John Henry Bonham

The Single biggest influence on my drumming.

The Man, The Myth, The LEGEND.

No more needs be said.

[Drums101]

Definitely best rock n roll drummer of all time. When the Levee Breaks is the best song. The groove is great.

[virfirjans]

Have you seen this!!!???
http://www.saladrecords.com/bonhamfiles.htm
John Bonham's drum tracks

[Drums101]

Originally Posted by Bonham to the moon

man i'm glad to see that you all love bonham soo much, the last time this forum was up there were some pretty bad arguments cause i said he was better than Peart.

How could someone argue Peart is better? Bonham just has so much more groove.

[mattyg@@]

Ok, i'm about to put my neck on the line. I'd like to know if there is anyone who thinks John Bonham is over rated. What do you really think? Is he only a drum god because he is dead?
Would he be as much of a drumming legend if he was still around? If you're a Bonham fan, please don't attack me for this, I love his playing, but when I see other drummers of his era and the amazing drummers around today, it makes me think, was he really that much better than anyone else? Of course everyone has there own style and feel, but overall as a player what do you think?

[Pollyanna]

For sure. All of the top people are overrated because of the nature of celebrity. Fame builds upon itself.

Still, Bonzo's feel and sound had a special charm. It's not a matter of who's best but who people like the most.

[JPW]

Overrated as what? Someone being overrated as "a drummer" doesn't really tell me anything about what the person is looking for in a drummer. I don't think he's anywhere near the best drummer of all time, but in his own style and time he inspired huge populations of drummers, just like Ringo. But of course if you start to analyze it further in today's standards of lets say fusion music he doesn't get far. But that wasn't what he was about and why he is respected.

[aydee]

I'm curious to know who you think was more deserving of Drum God status?

( Rock drummers/ Bonham contemporaries only )

[dairyairman]

you have to place him in the context of his time. before him no one played like that. he and led zeppelin practically invented that style of heavy grooving and big, open drum sounds that everyone has been copying all these years, including me. he was hugely influential and completely changed the face of drumming as we know it today.

but if you put him head to head with some of the ultra skilled gospel, progressive, metal, and jazz drummers of today he probably isn't going to look all that impressive. even in his day there were lots of drummers who were more technically skilled than him, especially in the jazz world, which was going very strong in those days. he had fantastic chops too, but it was really his innovative style and approach to drumming that made him great, imo.

[Average]

Bonham was one of the early influences on my playing. I was into Zep because it was awesome music and so much different than the other stuff that was on the radio at the time I discovered them (Poison.) Its an incredible band and he was an extremely solid drummer with an awesome sound. I agree with Polly about fame feeding on itself but he was a pretty amazing drummer who would probably have continued to innovate if he wasn't dead.

[Styx]

Originally Posted by mattyg@@

Ok, i'm about to put my neck on the line. I'd like to know if there is anyone who thinks John Bonham is over rated. What do you really think? Is he only a drum god because he is dead?
Would he be as much of a drumming legend if he was still around? If you're a Bonham fan, please don't attack me for this, I love his playing, but when I see other drummers of his era and the amazing drummers around today, it makes me think, was he really that much better than anyone else? Of course everyone has there own style and feel, but overall as a player what do you think?

You Sir, should be shot at the first light of dawn. I would hang my head in shame of even thinking this nonsense.(Can you tell I'm a Bonham Fan!!!)

On a serious note though, I think John was a class act. Do I think Led Zep would have been the same without him.....HELL NO!!! Was he better than anyone else....HELL NO!!! What he was, was a talented musician who gave Led Zep it's energy and Led Zep ooooooozed energy.

Sure, the quickest way to become a rock legend is drowing in your own puke but I think if he were alive today he'd still be giving whatever music he played the energy it needed to rock. I guess playing for one of the greatest rock bands ever didn't hurt either but he's name would still have been spoken by serious drummers for Aeons regardless of the band he played for, he was that good.

[Pollyanna]

Are there any middle-aged rock drummers who haven't been influenced by Bonzo?

I suppose some young drummers wonder what the fuss was about, what with the modern monster players of fusion, funk/hip hop and modern metal, but when I first started playing Ian Paice, Bonzo, Aynsley Dunbar and Bill Ward were my drumming world (along with some local drummers).

In hindsight, I think his playing had more appeal than his peers at the time, but it wasn't like Bonzo first, daylight second. In fact, in the mid-70s Ian Paice was my main man.

[bonzolead]

The thing I like best about Bonham is:

He had huge drums

Played without sticks

Had a gong & tympani drums incorporated into a Rock drumset

His drum sound is unsurpassed, actually Led Zeppelin was the first band that I could really distinguished the drums in the song when I was a youngster.

Who has a better Right-Foot?

Totally killed not tickled the kit LOL.

I know he wasn't. the first too do these things he just brought it too the forefront more than any other drummer.

Bonham too drums is like Hendrix was too guitar IMHO , of course there are better musician's but very few if any that had that Style,Groove & Showmanship.

I've even heard stories of 30 min. drum solos who did that in the 60's or 70's in Rock & Roll?

Bonham & Hendrix were original's & that's why they have such cult followings not because they're dead.

Bonzolead

[Django136]

I have his Maple Reissue Kit. It Rocks

[keep it simple]

Originally Posted by Pollyanna

Are there any middle-aged rock drummers who haven't been influenced by Bonzo?

Yes, me! Although I was aware of, and listened to Zep, I really didn't take on much, if anything from Bonzo. I was much more into the drumming of Nigel Olsson, Danny Seraphine, Denis Elliott, Jeff Porcaro, Prairie Prince, Carl Palmer, etc, etc. That said, he certainly carved a style of his own and I'm sure my rock drumming would be better if I had taken influence from him.

[bonzolead]

Originally Posted by keep it simple

Yes, me! Although I was aware of, and listened to Zep, I really didn't take on much, if anything from Bonzo. I was much more into the drumming of Nigel Olsson, Danny Seraphine, Denis Elliott, Jeff Porcaro, Prairie Prince, Carl Palmer, etc, etc. That said, he certainly carved a style of his own and I'm sure my rock drumming would be better if I had taken influence from him.

That's funny you said Dennis Elliott from Foreigner I like his drumming on the first Foreigner albums very underrated IMO.

Bonzolead

[keep it simple]

Originally Posted by bonzolead

That's funny you said Dennis Elliott from Foreigner I like his drumming on the first Foreigner albums very underrated IMO.

Bonzolead

Totally agree. Superb tom to snare flow and super tasteful double kick work.

[Fuzrock]

Originally Posted by dairyairman

you have to place him in the context of his time. before him no one played like that. he and led zeppelin practically invented that style of heavy grooving and big, open drum sounds that everyone has been copying all these years, including me. he was hugely influential and completely changed the face of drumming as we know it today.

but if you put him head to head with some of the ultra skilled gospel, progressive, metal, and jazz drummers of today he probably isn't going to look all that impressive. even in his day there were lots of drummers who were more technically skilled than him, especially in the jazz world, which was going very strong in those days. he had fantastic chops too, but it was really his innovative style and approach to drumming that made him great, imo.

I agree wholeheartedly with this statement. Bonzo kinda falls into the same category as Steve Gadd IMO. There are guys out there who are more technical and can do all of this amazing stuff but none of them have feel like they do. They're both hugely influential thanks to their groundbreaking styles as well as their ability to play what is right for a song. Two of my favorite drummers. I can't decide who I like more. Probably Bonham.

[jon e rotten]

Four words: When the Levee Breaks

is it hard..no....is it awesome...yes

[double_G]

i think that history will prove that JHB was one of the greats. you will notice his time is amazing for 60s, 70s playing. my pet theory is that if you could get in a time machine, you would notice that Bonham was one of the sickest players at that time...and the tech in "good times, bad times" was pretty much mind-blowing. still sounds great & innovative when i hear Steve Smith play his licks !

[jackaylor]

This may be off topic but im trying to find a vintage natural maple ludwig kit like the one bonham played in the early 70s with a 26x14 bass drum, 14x12 tom, 16x16 floor tom and 18x16 floor tom. do you know where i can get one of these vintage?

[Strangelove]

Originally Posted by jackaylor

This may be off topic but im trying to find a vintage natural maple ludwig kit like the one bonham played in the early 70s with a 26x14 bass drum, 14x12 tom, 16x16 floor tom and 18x16 floor tom. do you know where i can get one of these vintage?

Not likely. Even back in the 70s I never saw another drummer with a 26" bass drum and a 14" mounted tom. Ludwig never sold drum sets in that configuration until just recently that I know of. For whatever reason, John was not the selling point for Ludwig back when he was alive that Ringo Starr or even Carmine Appice was, so they never sold a JB set. Marketing was weird back then, and you would have had to ordered that set custom, like he did, and it would have cost a second mortgage on the house.

Another nearly impossible task is to find a set of vintage Paiste White Label Giant Beats like he played up until the Houses of the Holy album. You never see vintage Giant Beats on Ebay - white or black label. Nobody can truly get that Bonham sound without those cymbals, either.