John Bonham appreciation thread
Re: John Bonham appreciation thread
Man, Kashmir is such an absolutely hypnotic groove...deceptively simple, but few drummers can get the feel and power behind it.
- Odd-Arne Oseberg
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Re: John Bonham appreciation thread
He started out hitting hard, but that changed and you can clearly see his technique evolve.
- Pocketplayer
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Re: John Bonham appreciation thread
I think Odd-Arne Oseberg has it. One realizes on a massive tour they cannot
play like they did in their youth...one adjusts to "amplified" drums. I think
Iommi had it right, JB did hit hard to get loud, then adjusted...in the end,
another 'who cares' looking at the end result. Maybe the better analysis of
JB is to not hit LIFE so hard. After JB died, Iommi shares the JB he knew and
it was all-out in everything. Just sayin'...we can learn a better life lesson from
John than just drums. On Father's Day I'm sure Jason would rather have his dad
around than know he was a great drummer in a famous band.
play like they did in their youth...one adjusts to "amplified" drums. I think
Iommi had it right, JB did hit hard to get loud, then adjusted...in the end,
another 'who cares' looking at the end result. Maybe the better analysis of
JB is to not hit LIFE so hard. After JB died, Iommi shares the JB he knew and
it was all-out in everything. Just sayin'...we can learn a better life lesson from
John than just drums. On Father's Day I'm sure Jason would rather have his dad
around than know he was a great drummer in a famous band.
Jeff Porcaro Groove Master
http://jeffporcaro.blogspot.com
http://jeffporcaro.blogspot.com
Re: John Bonham appreciation thread
Towards the end...
Re: John Bonham appreciation thread
Jeff Ocheltree
"There was anger and a bitterness that was starting to form in him. In interviews he was never ever asked questions about his playing, about the time signatures or patterns he used. In fact he was never asked any intelligent questions. I used to spend days and nights with him at the Rainbow Bar & I remember him saying to me, "These idiots don't know anything about drums. All they want to know about is the gossip." In fact John listened to Max Roach, Alphonse Mouzon, Elvin Jones, and a lot of fusion and jazz drummers. That's the thing that gets me about John Bonham - everybody thinks he was into big drums and hitting them real hard. Bonham was into swing and playing with technique. I once heard Jimmy Page play a Django Reinhardt tune at a sound check, and John played along."
"There was anger and a bitterness that was starting to form in him. In interviews he was never ever asked questions about his playing, about the time signatures or patterns he used. In fact he was never asked any intelligent questions. I used to spend days and nights with him at the Rainbow Bar & I remember him saying to me, "These idiots don't know anything about drums. All they want to know about is the gossip." In fact John listened to Max Roach, Alphonse Mouzon, Elvin Jones, and a lot of fusion and jazz drummers. That's the thing that gets me about John Bonham - everybody thinks he was into big drums and hitting them real hard. Bonham was into swing and playing with technique. I once heard Jimmy Page play a Django Reinhardt tune at a sound check, and John played along."
- Odd-Arne Oseberg
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Re: John Bonham appreciation thread
Avi_drums wrote:Jeff Ocheltree
"There was anger and a bitterness that was starting to form in him. In interviews he was never ever asked questions about his playing, about the time signatures or patterns he used. In fact he was never asked any intelligent questions. I used to spend days and nights with him at the Rainbow Bar & I remember him saying to me, "These idiots don't know anything about drums. All they want to know about is the gossip." In fact John listened to Max Roach, Alphonse Mouzon, Elvin Jones, and a lot of fusion and jazz drummers. That's the thing that gets me about John Bonham - everybody thinks he was into big drums and hitting them real hard. Bonham was into swing and playing with technique. I once heard Jimmy Page play a Django Reinhardt tune at a sound check, and John played along."
Story of humanity this.

- Pocketplayer
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Re: John Bonham appreciation thread
This is the song that does it for me...SNARE DRUM bliss!
Space, time, groove, sound, tempo...it all comes together here.
No snare sounds this good today...it was 1975!!! Progress?
No blimey way.
Space, time, groove, sound, tempo...it all comes together here.
No snare sounds this good today...it was 1975!!! Progress?
No blimey way.
Jeff Porcaro Groove Master
http://jeffporcaro.blogspot.com
http://jeffporcaro.blogspot.com
Re: John Bonham appreciation thread
Pocketplayer wrote:This is the song that does it for me...SNARE DRUM bliss!
Space, time, groove, sound, tempo...it all comes together here.
No snare sounds this good today...it was 1975!!! Progress?
No blimey way.
That's right. Let the ears be the judge.

- Christopher
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Re: John Bonham appreciation thread
Here's some food for thought...
John was born May 31st, 1948.
“Led Zeppelin I” was recorded in October of 1968 at Olympic Studios in London.
John was 20 years old. Think about that for a second. 20 years old.
“Good Times Bad Times” is still talked about some 40 odd years later as one of the most revolutionary rock drum parts to date.
And, the guy was 20 years old when he recorded it. 20.
“II” was recorded at the same studio in ’69. John was 21 when he recorded “Moby Dick”. Not to mention the other great things he played on the first two records.
Skip to 1970 for the recording of “Led Zeppelin III”. “Immigrant Song”? He was 22.
By the time he recorded the parts for “Four Sticks” (with its odd time signature changes in 5/4 and 6/4 throughout), “When The Levee Breaks” and “Stairway To Heaven” on "Led Zeppelin IV", John was the ripe old age of 23.
23 years old. And had already changed rock drumming forever.
I’ve studied John’s playing since I started playing drums, the year after he died in 1981.
It never ceases to amaze me that all that great, original, creative playing came out of a guy just barely in his 20s.
Incredible.
I know there are other greats that were even younger when they made history. Tony for instance. Only 17 when he started in Miles’ band. Staggering.
John was born May 31st, 1948.
“Led Zeppelin I” was recorded in October of 1968 at Olympic Studios in London.
John was 20 years old. Think about that for a second. 20 years old.
“Good Times Bad Times” is still talked about some 40 odd years later as one of the most revolutionary rock drum parts to date.
And, the guy was 20 years old when he recorded it. 20.
“II” was recorded at the same studio in ’69. John was 21 when he recorded “Moby Dick”. Not to mention the other great things he played on the first two records.
Skip to 1970 for the recording of “Led Zeppelin III”. “Immigrant Song”? He was 22.
By the time he recorded the parts for “Four Sticks” (with its odd time signature changes in 5/4 and 6/4 throughout), “When The Levee Breaks” and “Stairway To Heaven” on "Led Zeppelin IV", John was the ripe old age of 23.
23 years old. And had already changed rock drumming forever.
I’ve studied John’s playing since I started playing drums, the year after he died in 1981.
It never ceases to amaze me that all that great, original, creative playing came out of a guy just barely in his 20s.
Incredible.
I know there are other greats that were even younger when they made history. Tony for instance. Only 17 when he started in Miles’ band. Staggering.
Re: John Bonham appreciation thread
Christopher wrote:Here's some food for thought...
John was born May 31st, 1948.
“Led Zeppelin I” was recorded in October of 1968 at Olympic Studios in London.
John was 20 years old. Think about that for a second. 20 years old.
“Good Times Bad Times” is still talked about some 40 odd years later as one of the most revolutionary rock drum parts to date.
And, the guy was 20 years old when he recorded it. 20.
“II” was recorded at the same studio in ’69. John was 21 when he recorded “Moby Dick”. Not to mention the other great things he played on the first two records.
Skip to 1970 for the recording of “Led Zeppelin III”. “Immigrant Song”? He was 22.
By the time he recorded the parts for “Four Sticks” (with its odd time signature changes in 5/4 and 6/4 throughout), “When The Levee Breaks” and “Stairway To Heaven” on "Led Zeppelin IV", John was the ripe old age of 23.
23 years old. And had already changed rock drumming forever.
I’ve studied John’s playing since I started playing drums, the year after he died in 1981.
It never ceases to amaze me that all that great, original, creative playing came out of a guy just barely in his 20s.
Incredible.
I know there are other greats that were even younger when they made history. Tony for instance. Only 17 when he started in Miles’ band. Staggering.
Astute perspective Sir, I concur!! I was a Led Zep freak at around 12 yrs old... "The Song Remains The Same" double LP rocked my world big time back then... Then unfortunately fell into a "snub" trap, anything that was NOT Jazz Fusion was crap... Immaturity can do that to ya... I missed out on a lot during that time, had to catch up later on... Bonham was one of the greats, influenced a whole generation and more. A bit surprising that a Bonham Thread was not initiated sooner on HOD...
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