On the Beaten Path: John Bonham, Part 1 of 2
December 4, 2009 1:38 am in Drumset by Rich Lackowski
Hi, I’m Rich Lackowski, author of the On the Beaten Path series of drum instruction books. In the On the Beaten Path series, I delve into several genres of music and explore the drummers that were most influential to the development of each of those genres. I think that when we take the time to study and appreciate our drumming forefathers, it makes us all better musicians. It’s quite inspiring! In this segment, I want to talk about one of the most influential drummers to ever play the instrument, John Bonham.
If one person can hold the title as the greatest, most influential, and most emulated rock drummer in history, it has to be John Bonham. Bonham has been cited as a major drumming influence by Chad Smith, Vinnie Paul, Danny Carey, Mike Portnoy, Neil Peart, Jon Fishman, and countless other drummers. Even non-drummers will often preach Bonham’s greatness as one of the greatest drummers to ever play rock & roll. So what makes Bonham so special? What makes his drumming stand the test of time and stand out from all the rest?
In this video, I discuss the three things that I think Bonham brought to the table that forever changed rock drumming.
I’m interested in hearing what you think about John Bonham’s drumming. What are the things that you notice when you hear Bonham play? Why do you think his drumming is so respected, and mimicked by so many?
Stay tuned for part 2 of this blog series where I’ll show you how to play a key drum beat that John Bonham made famous.
If you’d like to learn more about John Bonham and dozens of other legendary drummers, check out the On the Beaten Path series of drum instruction books.
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Hey Rich
Good work, m’man! Obviously, the Bonham legacy is one that must be passed along to future generations of rockers. It’s my job to help people understand where Bonham gained HIS inspiration.
All the best, and keep rockin on your beaten path!
When you talk about 1970′s rock drumming one name blows the rest clear out of the water. The guys name is John Bonham. If you don’t agree then listen to the Led Zep song Moby Dick and listen to his skill and grace around the kit. The only downside to his life was his life off the stage or out of the studio cause he died at such a young age. Thank god his son Jason follows in his father’s huge footssteps and carries on the gr8 Bonham drumming legecy. Gr8 drummers are a dime a dozen, but Bonham was well and truly in a class of his own. RIP Mr Bonham. You will never be forgotten.
Right on, Rich!
As someone who was fortunate enough to see Led Zeppelin two nights in a row, back in the day, I certainly agree on all your points.
Bonham was also influenced by some of the great R&B drummers, Bernard Purdie and Clyde Stubblefield primarily, which I’ve heard Robert Plant attest to in a interview. You can certainly hear it in his playing – the sense of swing and *inter-dynamic* balance that is a hallmark of the afore-mentioned drummers!
A couple of things I noticed in witnessing his performance that stayed with me, are that although he certainly was bring and strong, he was not a basher, which is not to say he didn’t play loud.
He did play powerfully but there’s a difference. He had a loose grip and knew where his threshold was at the tipping point where you sacrifice sheer volume for nuance and your grip loses its finesse and becomes more like holding a hammer.
One’s equipment matters in this equation as well and he was smart in his choice of instruments – choosing drums and cymbals that were large enough to not “max-out” under the incredibly loud stage volume Led Zep could produce. There was always a reserve of sound available in his arsenal and that’s something I keep in mind on my loudest gigs and point out to my students.
In my studies with Max Roach, he pointed out how you get a very full and resonant sound by strike a drum or cymbal softly and as you increase the size and force of your stroke the drum or cymbal will respond louder with you – to a point. There is then a point of diminishing returns that occurs where you can keep hitting harder and harder but the drum or cymbal cannot get any louder and instead chokes off in sound and projection. An important lesson indeed.
Bonham certainly understood this and it worked to his advantage wonderfully with his set up.
Another thing I noticed was his approach to his bass drum pedal. In the second night I saw him it was a general addmission show at an arena where I had access on a tier that circled around the back of the stage and I could watch him play from behind and see all of his limbs in motion.
(I saw a lot of shows there, at the old St. Paul Civic Center, and loved that spot!)
Anyway, Bonzo used a Ludwig Speed King pedal and kept his foot an an angle to the footboard. On his fastest signature BD patterns he would catch the upper right side of his footboard with his toes and the lower left side with his heel in a rocking motion. I’d always placed my foot on my pedal like I was getting sized for a shoe so that was very intriguing to me!
I look forward to your next segment Rich, and I also wanted to tell you that I was FINALLY able to read through “On the Beaten Path” from cover to cover on my flight home from PASIC and was very impressed. It’s a very thorough and informative work and an excellent resource for any drummer looking to widen their knowledge of the players that have defined our art and add to their own vocabulary. The whole series is terrific and must be a mountain of work – THANK YOU for your efforts and insights, I love it!
My favorite thing about Bonham was the musicality… the depth of composition he brought to the drums. Whenever I discuss Bonham with my students I always make them transcribe the guitar rhythms as well as the drum parts. It’s great to see the light that goes on above their heads when they see the connection. That revelation never fails to drive home the importance of really listening on stage.
First, let me say that John Bonham is my favorite.
So, thanks Rich for opening the floor! I enjoy your books by the way!
The big three you mention sum it up quite well, but I’ll elaborate since you asked!
His sound. Yes, it was big, but one thing that makes it timeless is that it was pure – like drums are supposed to sound – void of gates, compression, unnatural effects, protools, etc…
His groove. The man had soul. He swung, yes, but he was very FUNKY! His influences (the whole band’s) were definitely steeped in American roots music. Traditional blues, rhythm and blues, country, it’s all there! So that is one reason I feel Bonzo’s drumming is so appealing to many. And he made it all FEEL really good!
His dynamics. Bonham had extreme control of the subtleties necessary to employ his grooves and play the songs so well. A whisper to a roar as they say… And great touch – ghost notes balancing the accents, flams, rolls, and other “rudimental” embellishments. Beautiful!!
Bonzo was fortunate to play in a band that brought out his best, and obviously they thought the world of him – as they refused to continue as a band after he passed.
I’m anxious to catch part two of your post, Rich!