What made John Bonham and LZ different from other bands was that they did not use the traditional rhythm section. Bonzo played with Page, not with JP Jones. Listen to Page’s rhythm and lead, and the drums are playing along with those rhythms. Jones provided a virtuoso-like back beat and very often played keyboards and bass pedals, he was not following the drums.
Was Bonham often heavy-handed? Oftentimes, the answer is yes, but so was Page. And the bass triplets were less about showing his prowess, it’s part of what gave them a sound that no other rock band had. His bass/floor tom rhythms and fills come from the basic rudiments of drumming. He was a drummer who was out in front, which was decidedly the sound they were going for. To a drummer, I agree it could be called a lack of finesse, but IMO, it worked.
bdp24, The drummers you mentioned were masterful, and played wonderfully for what the music required. That’s why I stated early that there are different types of drummers and the music determines what is needed.
Now, Neil Peart is a drummer who is showing off his technical prowess. Luckily, he’s in a band that allows for that style of drumming. When I first heard him, I thought he must be the greatest drummer in the world. But after a few songs and seeing Rush live, he was just way too much.
I wish you could have seen the tribute band Rat Race Choir, here on the east coast. Their drummer, Steve Luongo was so skilled and polished, he played Bonzo exactly but with finesse. In fact, he may have been even better than Bonham. I always wanted to study with him, but he had a limited number of students.
Was Bonham often heavy-handed? Oftentimes, the answer is yes, but so was Page. And the bass triplets were less about showing his prowess, it’s part of what gave them a sound that no other rock band had. His bass/floor tom rhythms and fills come from the basic rudiments of drumming. He was a drummer who was out in front, which was decidedly the sound they were going for. To a drummer, I agree it could be called a lack of finesse, but IMO, it worked.
bdp24, The drummers you mentioned were masterful, and played wonderfully for what the music required. That’s why I stated early that there are different types of drummers and the music determines what is needed.
Now, Neil Peart is a drummer who is showing off his technical prowess. Luckily, he’s in a band that allows for that style of drumming. When I first heard him, I thought he must be the greatest drummer in the world. But after a few songs and seeing Rush live, he was just way too much.
I wish you could have seen the tribute band Rat Race Choir, here on the east coast. Their drummer, Steve Luongo was so skilled and polished, he played Bonzo exactly but with finesse. In fact, he may have been even better than Bonham. I always wanted to study with him, but he had a limited number of students.
