Saturday, March 18, 2006

Led Zeppelin-The song remains the same

To wrap up drummer week I wanted to talk about the drumming of the person I had ranked as number three and that would be John Bonham. I picked the opening track off of my favorite Zeppelin album because it's a song that shows Bonham's ability to be the backbone of a song that really flows. The song remains the same is a very busy tune even by Zeppelin standards. Bonham's drums are in the background because you really hear Page's licks first, but then your ear quickly moves on to register Jones' steady basslines and Bonham's drums. The drums on this song have a very unique sound I think as they are soft to a point yet very distinct which helps give the song a kind of dreamy feel without losing it's edge. The song is busy and really moves forward yet Bonham is quick in setting the pace and leading the way. I think that a huge strength of Zeppelin was that the three musicians could play some very unique sounds that easily blended together and that cannot be said for every band. I don't think that it is any coincidence that the drummers I had ranked 1-4 all played with great bass players. Being a great drummer helps, but being part of a great rhythm section is what really helps the band. Bonham and Jones worked great together even if they didn't get the attention that Page and Plant did. That will conclude drummer week.

3 Comments:

Blogger David Amulet said...

Good, nontraditional pick ... well done. Another Bonham drumming moment I love is his work in "When the Levee Breaks." The unique recording they did -- in a high-ceiling foyer with mikes dangled far above -- led to that unusual sound of the drums in that song.

-- david

7:55 AM  
Blogger Metal Mark said...

David- Good point. As with all instruments, it's not all about flash and speed. Technical skill is great, but a sense of timing and when to use different tones is what tends to set a great player apart from the good player.

8:04 AM  
Blogger Metal Mark said...

Ben-Thanks.

7:55 PM  

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