best bonham drumming?

[Suz]

i think you may be hearing Jimmys acoustic, Bonzo is playing another complex beat but aswell as the electric guitar and bass, theres an acoustic in the mix doing alot of strumming and then deadened strumming. kind of like "chicka chicka chicka chicka chicka" it works really really well, and you can only hear it mainly at that least section of the song

Really? On the upbeats, right?

[zoso11]

pretty sure thats what your on about. Kind of like a washboard sound, thats the best way i can describe it other than chicka chicka lol.

[Bonzo4Eva]

I know a few others have said it, but Bonzo's playing at Knebworth is just phenomenal. His solo at the end of Rock And Roll always gets me riled up as a drummer.

[Suz]

pretty sure thats what your on about. Kind of like a washboard sound, thats the best way i can describe it other than chicka chicka lol.

I had no idea that was the guitar. Thanks

[albionremain]

Just watched the RAH show on DVD again, and his Moby Dick solo there is totally awesome!

[zoso11]

I had no idea that was the guitar. Thanks

no worries hun

[Suz]

no worries hun

Dammit, I just listened to it today, and I STILL don't get how that could be a guitar, but it's Pagey, so anything's possible, I guess.

[supraphonic]

anyone have any ideas of bonhams best performance on bootleg?

i've heard a few little snippits that are amazing

the drums on an outtakes song entitled jam are fuckin phenomanol!!!!!!

any ideas anyone??

jimi page put his best version of bonzo on the double dvd he produced (bootleg version of tsrts). moby dick's hand section came from joe morello (classic drum solos dvd).

[Xtazy]

Moby Dick from Mothership.

[steh30]

Dammit, I just listened to it today, and I STILL don't get how that could be a guitar, but it's Pagey, so anything's possible, I guess.

Try it with headphones on loud, and you can definitely tell then.

[badgeholder]

A good, overlooked Moby Dick is the Raleigh, North Carolina show from 1970. Instead of killing time while the boys take five, he is all business here.

Regarding that show with the double-bass set up (Berdu '69), unfortunately, it's true, the guitar drowns out everything else. However, the quiet parts lead me to believe that he probably never touched that other bass drum. He just didn't need it.

And yes, the "Eddie" SRS just says it all, doersn't it? THIS is the song these other drummers can't get right, although I haven't seen Jason do it.

[Victor]

Not just the best drumming, the best ANYTHING I ever saw on stage was Bonzo's Moby dick last night of Earls Court back in 75. One thing a soundtrack cannot capture is actually the feel of Bonzos drums pounding through the stage and reverberating around the concert hall

[the-ocean87]

Not just the best drumming, the best ANYTHING I ever saw on stage was Bonzo's Moby dick last night of Earls Court back in 75. One thing a soundtrack cannot capture is actually the feel of Bonzos drums pounding through the stage and reverberating around the concert hall

Do you have the video of the Moby Dick version from the 25th May Earls Court concert? I just have the 24th. His solo isn't that good, but nice to see.

By the way: How many pro-shot videos of Bonzo doing a solo exist?

I've got: - RAH 1970, -Madison Square Garden 1973, Earls Court 24th 1975, Seattle 1977

Are there more?

Edited March 20, 2008 by the-ocean87

[Victor]

Do you have the video of the Moby Dick version from the 25th May Earls Court concert? I just have the 24th. His solo isn't that good, but nice to see.

I think I've seen that one, and I also found it disappointing, I think he stored it all up for the last night which fortunately I saw.

[rockthing]

The more I listen to Zeppelin, the more I appreciate John Bonham.

The guy who shouts, "This Sucks!" during Moby Dick (Over The Top)

at Richfield Coliseum on 28 April 1977

has no clue. ....

ironically, after that it does get a bit erratic.... he's winding down,...

maybe looking over his shoulder to see if the rest of the band

are anywhere near the stage or not, so, whatever.

I think the tapers were the same guys who did the '75 Montreal show

Lot of great comments and recommendations in this thread.

especially like to ditto Stoke (15 January 1973) Toronto '71 and Eddie (21 June 1977)

The Boogie Woogie shuffles he gets going during the WLL jams during some of the Euro '73 gigs is pure sweetness. Nuremburg comes to mind, as I've just had it on recently. The recording (I heard) is pretty distant, but good enough to get the picture.

A couple that I felt were missing:

1971-08-31: Pretty much this whole show rocks hard at least through D&C. Bonzo is amazing. Killer. After D&C Black Dog gets all f'ed up but if you can find a sbd of this you won't regret it. This is the kind of show that puts a smile on your face.... even when you've got the ipod on in the train... at least you get a seat to yourself. :-) Right off the blocks, amazing. No slow starting here.

1977-06-25: IMTOD!!! (well the whole first quarter of the show really) Bonzo is in charge.

1970-07-12: Berlin Moby Dick is very unique to my ears.

A few others:

1971-09-23: Tokyo, first Moby Dick in Japan.

1973-01-27: Dundee. Pretty Amazing all around IMHO.

1971-08-07: Montreux. Rocks! Up to Dazed is especially hot IMO.

1975-03-25: Moby Dick, other than the ending, which gets screwed.... a rare highlight in this show for me. Not one of my favourite gigs, but Moby Dick is there... (perhaps in contrast to the rest Moby Dick is Ace?) but still goes to show, Bonham was (virtually) unstoppable. :-)

and what this guys said, right on.

The best part of Bonhams drumming was that

1) he didn't fuck around with the rhythmic structure through out the verses- very steady

2) when it came time to play the fills, he was not only creative but varied them depending on the intensity by starting on different beats each turn around or staggered or syncopated his lines to create a push /pull effect

3) his fills were full of queues that even the most retarded person in the world without any sense of timing could come in at the right time

4) he could snap the sticks to create distinct tones depending on the mood of the song

5) he could set the tone of the song by using dynamics to feed off and be fed off by the rest of the band

6) had just an unbelievable presence and talent to know what to hit and when to hit it

7) didn't need 100 drums, cymbals, bells, whistles to make his point. To accomplish what he did with a bass, snare, tom and a couple of floor toms was incredible.

8) actually played the drums as an instrument rather than well,... a drum

Amazing really. There may be drummers who are technically better but, when Bonhan hit the skins, there was no mistaking it was him

3. Achilles last Stand on the DVD How the West was Won. Overall it's all good. But my favorite part is when the whole band stops and Bonham has a very short drum solo. On the studio version he doesn't do this. But on the DVD he places it in that really kicks the band right back in.

No doubt.

Builds great tension in an already tension filled song,

like lighting the fuse on a cartoon bomb.

[Fresh Garbage]

Hey Rockthing, about the Orlando 8-31-71 show. doesn't it sound like Bonzo is using a double bass drum near the end of D&C?

I'm gona listen right now and give you the time frame. be right back!

[Fresh Garbage]

ok it's at the 19:50 mark and he does the same pattern at 20:06 without it.(that is a double bass) in fact the whole D&C is some of the best Bonzo you'll ever hear..

listen at 15:00 mark during the Plant & Page duel... from there on is some of the fastest most precise bass pedal work I have ever heard...

Ill also throw in a vote for LTTE the drumming on OTHAFA is incredible!

Stoke On Trent 1-15-73

also I love the Kezar 73 show starting with MD, all they way until the very end of WLL when everything is suspended in mid air and bonzo is whacking the tympani. great stuff! ... he sounds a little sloppy at first. but after a few listen's it all sounds great. hell most drummers after pounding the drums for 2+ hours and then throwing in a 30 minute drum solo would be passed out! not Bonzo, that's when he was at his best!.. man would I hate to have been his drum heads.

I will go to my grave saying that 'John Henry Bonham' was the greatest musician ever!

Edited May 20, 2008 by Fresh Garbage

[the-ocean87]

Hey Rockthing, about the Orlando 8-31-71 show. doesn't it sound like Bonzo is using a double bass drum near the end of D&C?

I'm gona listen right now and give you the time frame. be right back!

He just uses one in a few shows in 1969. Never again.

[gretopp]

Do you have the video of the Moby Dick version from the 25th May Earls Court concert? I just have the 24th. His solo isn't that good, but nice to see.

By the way: How many pro-shot videos of Bonzo doing a solo exist?

I've got: - RAH 1970, -Madison Square Garden 1973, Earls Court 24th 1975, Seattle 1977

Are there more?

RAH 1970, MSG 27th 28th 29th (i think), earls court 24th 25th, seattle 1977, rumored there are others recorded in 1977 e.g Housten 1977 possibly!!

[the-ocean87]

Won't open a new topic for this but...

What is this??? Never heared about that:

http://cgi.ebay.de/Brum-Beat-auf-Dial-1964...1QQcmdZViewItem

Very interesting

[Fresh Garbage]

He just uses one in a few shows in 1969. Never again.

just wondering if you have heard the part I am talking about?....I remember about 4 years ago some posters on RO mentioning that Bonzo used a double bass for a few shows in the 71 summer tour. one of the shows was an LA gig?..........

[the-ocean87]

just wondering if you have heard the part I am talking about?....I remember about 4 years ago some posters on RO mentioning that Bonzo used a double bass for a few shows in the 71 summer tour. one of the shows was an LA gig?..........

Yes i heard what you ment. He often plays that fast in the early days. Listen to the end of D&C from the 1969 Denmark Radio Show on the official DVD. The ending is as fast as the Toronto ending. He dindn't use a double pedale since 1969 (played it for a few shows in a summer tour 1969) I'm 100% sure about that. Jimmy forbid him to play with one. I never had any recording of him with double pedal. I'm looking for one.

[Evster2012]

I ahve an early Pat's Delight (sorry, don't have the date, and it's on my other computer, which is not hooked up currently. Maybe some trainspotters can pin it down for me). But it's off the fucking hook! My drummer has heard plenty of Bonzo, and this thing flat stunned him! He did all these polyrhythms over a 1-2-3, 1-2-3. 3s, 4s, 5s, all the while his hi-hat never wavered in its perfect meter, similar to how he breaks from Moby Dick into the solo at RAH, but way beyond. I never heard him do anything like it ever again. And he was just a kid at the time! I think he got more refined over time, but there's something raw and at the same time really complex going on in those first few months with Zeppelin.

Other honorable mentions are Sick Again live, especially when he gets that circular pattern going toward the end, and the great Purdie shuffle of Fool in the Rain. As for him slowing down as he got heavier, I think the samba section on that song shows he still had it going on. Sometimes maturity can be confused with ability. As musicians mature and grow, they go for the less is more approach. Certainly Bonzo interviews of the time bear out that he was moving that way. More tasteful that balls-out fury.

I dig what you're all saying about Listen to this Eddie. The way he breaks into TSRTS is pure fire!

I also love on ALS, again toward the end, when he gets the hi-hat going, opening and closing in counterpoint to the galloping bass drum, right before the roll and the final return to the main theme. How the fuck do you get such independence of limbs??

And Good Times Bad Times of course. Who'd ever heard anything like that before? I'm sure some of you drum afficianados can cite something, but it's legend. The first track of the first album, and there's those incredible triplets with the cowbell and the kick. Unforgettable!

Regarding Jimmy's said refusal to let Bonzo use a second kick. I have a theory. Jimmy was stage left. With a single kick, Jimmy could move in front of him and rock out, but he could also move to his left and get away from the cannon when necessary. Having a two-kick set angles the left drum right into his space, instead of the one central drum, dead ahead, thereby taking away that neutral zone over by his monitors. Perhaps that's why he didn't want it there. I sure can attest that when my drummer went from two kicks to a double pedal on a single drum, my life got a lot more bearable! Suffice to say, afetr nearly 20 years of being to my drummer's left, my right ear is pretty shot!

Edited May 21, 2008 by Evster2012

[Fresh Garbage]

Yes i heard what you ment. He often plays that fast in the early days. Listen to the end of D&C from the 1969 Denmark Radio Show on the official DVD. The ending is as fast as the Toronto ending. He dindn't use a double pedale since 1969 (played it for a few shows in a summer tour 1969) I'm 100% sure about that. Jimmy forbid him to play with one. I never had any recording of him with double pedal. I'm looking for one.

I've seen the Denmark Radio (15 years before the DVD) and heard the Toronto 8-18-69 right? a million times. especially Toronto.....and none of that comes even close to what he does in Orlando. not even close

[the-ocean87]

I've seen the Denmark Radio (15 years before the DVD) and heard the Toronto 8-18-69 right? a million times. especially Toronto.....and none of that comes even close to what he does in Orlando. not even close

Sorry i ment Orlando 1971 of course and not Toronto. My mistake. But the Denmark Radio was also very fast. Must listen to it again. Another good example for his bassdrum- speed can be heard on Gonzaga University 1968 in Pats Delight, just after Jimmy and JPJ stop playing.

But of course, Orlando is very good! I wish Jimmy would release any concert from 1971. Perhaps the best year of each member (before Robert starts losing his voice)