What Makes John Bonham Such a Good Drummer?

This question is answered within the first 15 seconds of the first song, on the first album.

 

Yes! And guess what? Jimmy Page didn’t produce it!

 

He hit hard, but always played with sensitivity and he was acutely aware of what the other players were doing at all times. He was Dynamic, inventive and his pocket had such a great feel to it. My favorite drummer.

 

He defined how rock drums sound.

 

My first thought.
I consider Bonham to be the best rock drummer I've heard.

 

His drum sound was like musical thunder

 

Groove, sound, and intensity. His Moby Dick solo on the 1970 DVD concert is phenomenal.

 

Yes, I always wondered how Bonham could be regarded so highly when Ginger Baker didn't rate him. But then I remembered that Ginger was a curmudgeonly prick, rest in peace.

 

Lots of great things have been said here that I would like to have said, but I'll just say that if you look at all the drummers that tried to mimic him in the 80's and beyond (I'm looking at you GVF ), they fall waaaay short. None of them get it. Not even close. It's always the big, flashy, loud, mostly visual display because that's all they have. It's a hollow characature.

 

Hammer of the Gods.

 

For me it's his hi-hat playing. Doesn't sound like anyone else.

 

That was always my argument as well. It helped that production wise, his sound was huge. Combined with his talent his legend is cemented.

I honestly don’t think he would have been as popular if his drums were recorded crappy and had a cardboard box sound like a lot of drummers had in the 70’s. That’s my opinion anyway.

 

Creativity. And the drum sound he had. Very acoustic sounding, but very large, like someone said. He was a very dynamic drummer

 

I'm listening to Zeppelin this evening, and was noticing the hi-hat playing. I did a Forum search and saw this post, so had to bump this thread.

 

Yeah, I'm convinced it's the hi-hat that gives Zep their distinctive sound. Not joking either.

 

His influences included soul and R&B, he also was the kind of drummer who was listening and aware of everything going on in the song. He hit extremely hard but he also had finesse. Still the best rock drummer of all time.

 

To give an example how loud bonzo was on stage Page attempted to use 4! Vox AC30 amps live and they weren't loud enough?

From "guitar player" magazine interview 1977

You were using Vox amps with the Yardbirds?
AC 30's. They've held up consistently well. Even the new ones are pretty good. I tried some; I got four in and tried them out, and they were all reasonably good. I was going to build up a big bank of four of them, but Bonzo's kit is so loud that they just don't come over the top of it properly.

 

Especially JPJ. Incredible, creative rhythm section. IMO, they are what separated the mighty Zep from the pack.

 

The best part of bonzo is he's slightly behind the beat; not enough to notice but just enough to hear a slight lag (listen to wanton song)

 

I’ve always thought he was highly overrated, but don’t let me change the way you feel about him. There’s a lot of rock drummers that wow a lot of people but only get a “meh” out of me, like Neil Peart. Not my bag.

 

When I saw Led Zeppelin in concert, they played "Moby Dick", and I thought at first, "Oh, no, not a long drawn out drum solo", but it was mesmerizing. Not only was he hitting the drums hard, but he played the middle bit without sticks, using only his bare hands.

 

Bonham had unparalleled feel--the nuances, the tone, the groove of his playing. His ability to lock in with other musicians. His funk, r&b, jazz and world music influences. His technical facility and creativity balanced with tastefulness and playing for the song. He could have "played the phone book" and it would have been glorious.

 

It's his tuning/tone that really sucks you in. Just a friendly, earthy sound. It's a bigger, louder, rock version of Joe Morello's sound on The Dave Brubeck Quartet At Carnegie Hall.

His cymbals too - Paiste Giant Beats and 2002s were just right for Zep music, and whatever engineer Page was using, they always sounded good.

 

I was anti Bonham while going throuh my punk/new wave phase in the early 80's.

Until I started REALLY listening to his playing.

Not only was the guy a poweful player, he invented an incredibly originaly style, had a drum sound like no other but could also TUNE his kit to reflect his unique sound.

I'm convinced he was not of this planet.

 

If you haven’t already, check out George Fludas and bonzoleum on youtube.