BattleArmor
Silver Member
Do you guys think if he were still alive, he would have an account on Drummer World?
Can anyone explain why he gets so much praise?
I mean this seriously. Exactly what is it that makes him so good?
I've listed to Zep quite a bit and I never really noticed the drumming.
Are you serious? How can you listen to Zep and not notice Bonham's drumming? What makes him so good? His right foot, that's what! Just listen to "Good Times, Bad Times", and tell me you are not impressed. Or go to youtube and check out Moby Dick. Bonham is all about power and groove. He has lots of cool drum parts that I love, "Good Times, Bad Times", "The Crunge", "Bonzo's Montreux" and "Fool In The Rain" are some of my favorites.
This is why I said EXACTLY.
So John Bonham is the most amazing drummer because of his right foot. Wow.
I will have a listen to that track on my lunch break and I'll check out the other stuff later but I was hoping for a little more than just "Oh my god I can't believe you're not in awe of him like I am".
SPECIFICALLY why is he so good?
I can't really explain why he is so good, just listen to the songs I mentioned, especially Bonzo's Montreux. It's hard for me to explain what makes a particular drummer good or special or whatever, but I think if you just listen to some Zep and focus on Bonham you will find out for yourself. I just love his style and sound, the way he and John Paul Jones are locked together in the groove. "We're Gonna Groove" is also a great example of an awesome drum part. I think what makes Bonham special is definitely his powerful grooves, his creativity with triplets, and his bass drum. I didn't say he is the most amazing drummer by the way, Buddy Rich and Neil Peart are far more amazing IMO, but Bonham was a great drummer with his own distinctive style and he deserves respect for that. Led Zeppelin would not have been the same without Bonham, he was a big part of their sound. John Paul Jones always said that Bonham was a bass players dream to play with and I couldn't agree more.
Do you guys think if he were still alive, he would have an account on Drummer World?
Who else played drums with there hands before Bonham in Rock?........NOBODY(except Joe Morello in jazz) who had a Gong on there kit.........NOBODY, Who had Tympani's on a Rock set-up...........NOBODY.Listen too "Achellies Last Stand" off of Presense or "Four Sticks" off of Led Zeppelin 4 which he actually played the song with four sticks,he was one of the first drummers too bring Big Drums into Rock(26" bass drum,14" tom 16" & 18" Floor-Toms) he did things other drummers wasn't. doing back then very inovative that's why he's stood the test of time and always will.hey everybody has opinions just listen too some other Zeppelin beside what they play on the radio.This is why I said EXACTLY.
So John Bonham is the most amazing drummer because of his right foot. Wow.
I will have a listen to that track on my lunch break and I'll check out the other stuff later but I was hoping for a little more than just "Oh my god I can't believe you're not in awe of him like I am".
SPECIFICALLY why is he so good?
Apart from the group's hits, I didn't really appreciate Led Zeppelin or Bonham in their heyday. Only later did I "get it" about Bonham: his feel, his profound sense of time, his deceptively complicated yet simple sounding parts... and his deceptively simple yet complicated parts. I would invite Westicle to explore a bit of Led Zep for some background on what it was Bonham was so famous and revered for. All of the albums have something, but maybe start with Houses Of The Holy & In Through The Out Door for some classic fills, odd times, and great grooves.
Bermuda
He was a legend - for his time.
I love Led Zeppelin and I love John Bonham. But...
A drummer today playing exactly like Bonham would not get much notice.
<<dons flame retardant suit and helmet>>
I find it hard to believe you NEVER NOTICED Bonham's drumming, when you look up, do you see a rock? There is no ONE thing that makes ANY musician good or great. It is a culmination of ALL that they do, not just one EXACT thing.Can anyone explain why he gets so much praise?
I mean this seriously. Exactly what is it that makes him so good?
I've listed to Zep quite a bit and I never really noticed the drumming.
Can anyone explain why he gets so much praise?
I mean this seriously. Exactly what is it that makes him so good?
I've listed to Zep quite a bit and I never really noticed the drumming.
Much like a runner today breaking the 4:00 min mile gets no notice...but Roger Bannister doing it first...
Much like an astronaut today walking on the moon gets no notice...but Neil Armstrong doing it first...
Now, I'm not saying Bonzo was the first to play the drums, or do single pedal tiplets, or anything else. But he was the first to do it the way Bonzo did it. He did break a great deal of ground in rock drumming, however (much like Bonzolead pointed out) and deserves his legendary status to remain in tact. There is a mighty short list of drummers since Bonzo to influence music the way he did.
I think Bonham was so popular because he was an original...he didn't try and copy anyone. He had his own distinct style that nobody from that era seemed to match. His bass drumming and syncopation was/is legendary. I fully believe his association with Led Zepplin allowed him artistic creativity to experiment and try things nobody else from that era was doing. But it was more than being in the right place at the right time. He was an extremely talented and creative drummer not afraid to push the envelope.
Bonham was a pioneer of heavy drumming with a unique style. Some of his stuff sounds kinda "lazy" to me, but it fit the music perfectly and is notoriously difficult to imitate. He is duly loved and remembered for it.
.