McSeven Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 I have been listing to some VanHalen latley. Yes we all know that Bonzo is the Kingpin of Hard rock percusion. I do think that AVH is pretty good. I belive that he emulates a lot of Bonzo especially in Vanhalen song such as Drop Dead Legs which reminds me of Zep's The Ocean. What do you all think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jahfin Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 I have been listing to some VanHalen latley. Yes we all know that Bonzo is the Kingpin of Hard rock percusion. I do think that AVH is pretty good. I belive that he emulates a lot of Bonzo especially in Vanhalen song such as Drop Dead Legs which reminds me of Zep's The Ocean. What do you all think? He doesn't even deserve to be mentioned in the same breath and I say that as a fan of Van Halen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beetleron Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 and michael anthony is no john entwistle.......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackDog71 Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 I have been listing to some VanHalen latley. Yes we all know that Bonzo is the Kingpin of Hard rock percusion. I do think that AVH is pretty good. I belive that he emulates a lot of Bonzo especially in Vanhalen song such as Drop Dead Legs which reminds me of Zep's The Ocean. What do you all think? Although I believe he isn't nearly as good or enjoyable as Bonzo, I do hear the similarities you speak of. Alex Van Halen has a very hard style and rhythm to his drumming. He liked to play off of the beat of the guitar. Those are Bonzo traits all the way. I wouldn't be shocked to hear AVH say that himself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace5150 Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 Alex is only in the band because of his brother. One of the worst drummers I have ever seen.........and I've seen a LOT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
planted Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 Listened to alot of VH as a teen, and my recollection is that both brothers were all about speed. Served me well as a teen, I must say, loved the EVH riffs, and AVH kickin the skins on "Hot for Teacher", but that ship has sailed long ago. I found a much deeper appreciation for music as a result of my affection for LZ. Just sayin'. p.s. The closing riff of Eddie's on MJ's 'Beat it'? One of his finest, if ya ask me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jahfin Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 I still listen to Van Halen, especially the first three albums but I never looked to them for any sort of deep meaning. Same for AC/DC and the Nuge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the chase Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 Alex is only in the band because of his brother. One of the worst drummers I have ever seen.........and I've seen a LOT To me, Alex Van Halen is now an excellent drummer. He has consistently improved over the years. Compare his playing from the 1st album to now and it's night and day. I saw VH with Dave and Wolfgang a couple of years ago and Alex stole the show. There's times I didn't care for his drum sound (5150) but I always loved his playing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leddy Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 There is only one other drummer in the same league as Bonzo and thats Keith Moon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace5150 Posted January 8, 2011 Share Posted January 8, 2011 To me, Alex Van Halen is now an excellent drummer. He has consistently improved over the years. Compare his playing from the 1st album to now and it's night and day. I saw VH with Dave and Wolfgang a couple of years ago and Alex stole the show. There's times I didn't care for his drum sound (5150) but I always loved his playing. Alex probably stole the show as 'Diamond Dave' is a washed up has-been, Wolfie is still a kid learning the ropes, and Eddie is usually leathered on vodka!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the chase Posted January 8, 2011 Share Posted January 8, 2011 Alex probably stole the show as 'Diamond Dave' is a washed up has-been, Wolfie is still a kid learning the ropes, and Eddie is usually leathered on vodka!! Actually the band sounded real good. Alex was that good on the drums. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Posted January 9, 2011 Share Posted January 9, 2011 There is only one other drummer in the same league as Bonzo and thats Keith Moon. Agreed, although Dave Grohl is excellent, and a great foil for JPJ. Moonie died a year before my first Who gig. One of my great regrets that I never got to see him, but he seemed to be on the slide the last couple of years anyway... Zak Starkey is certainly a good fit nowadays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyingzepp Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 Van Halen 1 is awesome...then its all downhill from there...but yeah its true, alex van halen along with every other drummer after 1968 tries to emulate Bonzo, yeah. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jahfin Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 Van Halen 1 is awesome...then its all downhill from there... I didn't really lose interest until around the time of Fair Warning but I think those first three records are pretty good, especially Women and Children First which on most days is my favorite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DewieCox Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 There is only one other drummer in the same league as Bonzo and thats Keith Moon. Agreed, although Dave Grohl is excellent, and a great foil for JPJ. Moonie died a year before my first Who gig. One of my great regrets that I never got to see him, but he seemed to be on the slide the last couple of years anyway... Zak Starkey is certainly a good fit nowadays. In a world with Neil Peart and Danny Carey, you're both wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluecongo Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 As mentioned earlier, AVH should not even be mentioned in the same breath as Bonzo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walter Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 As mentioned earlier, AVH should not even be mentioned in the same breath as Bonzo. Ditto! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leddy Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 Agree but there are some drummers I have met that cream themselves over AVH, his double kick drum fill things that those drummer fellows do are top notch like Nico Mcbrain from Maiden and his intro to I think its "Where eagles Dare"...but Bonzo wast the man who beat the crap out of his drums and created such a sexy vibe from them......he was the main man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sixpense Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 AVH probably could have been Bonzo' roadie; but that is it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Electrophile Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 Let's see, John Bonham vs. Alex Van Halen. Next we'll compare a lovely bowl of chocolate ice cream to a toilet bowl full of diarrhea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danelectro Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 Kind of like comparing aeroplanes to chocolate chip cookies isn't it? Two very different things, both play drums and the similarites end there. That said comparing musicians with the intention of determining a "winner" is an impossible task. Even musicians of the same genre can have very different approaches and technique. It's not like a race where the firstt one to finish line wins. In the end it's about sound, regardless of how the sound is generated how can you determine which sound is better? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jahfin Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Kind of like comparing aeroplanes to chocolate chip cookies isn't it? Two very different things, both play drums and the similarites end there. That said comparing musicians with the intention of determining a "winner" is an impossible task. Even musicians of the same genre can have very different approaches and technique. It's not like a race where the firstt one to finish line wins. In the end it's about sound, regardless of how the sound is generated how can you determine which sound is better? Stop making sense, it has absolutely no place at this board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Electrophile Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 Kind of like comparing aeroplanes to chocolate chip cookies isn't it? Two very different things, both play drums and the similarites end there. That said comparing musicians with the intention of determining a "winner" is an impossible task. Even musicians of the same genre can have very different approaches and technique. It's not like a race where the firstt one to finish line wins. In the end it's about sound, regardless of how the sound is generated how can you determine which sound is better? I tend to agree; that's why I usually don't like threads like that, because all they're good for is either pissing and moaning, or talking in circles. I mean, everyone has their biases and likes/dislikes of course, but all this is so subjective. What one person likes, someone else may not. It's all about what moves you, and nothing else. I was exaggerating when I compared Bonham/Van Halen to chocolate ice cream/diarrhea. The truth is, both were great drummers for the bands they were in, and neither would have worked in the other's band. Granted one has more of a largesse than the other, but that doesn't mean one possesses less talent. You can love Led Zeppelin and still admit that other bands had talented band members, maybe even as talented as members of Led Zeppelin (not that I'd go that far in AVH's case). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Masson Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 (edited) Comparisons can be difficult to make sometimes, and one has to be careful about exactly what it is one is comparing, because otherwise it's just apples and oranges and the whole enterprise won't make any sense. In this particular instance I can see no real complications however, and would simply agree that Bonham was a much better drummer. It's certainly true that members of really strong bands (the ones that really become a lot more than the sum of their parts, so to speak) tend to adapt their playing styles very much to the whole particular context they're working in. The real talent in Van Halen was always Eddie, and by the way, that's where quite a few Zeppelin influences sneak in as well. You can really hear it in some of the songs on 1984, some of the chord stuff he's working on there. This despite the fact that his playing style is completely different from Jimmy's. Edited February 5, 2011 by Otto Masson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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