Posted on 10/05/2020 3:21:21 PM PDT by Twotone
The song grabs you in the first two seconds: two shots on an E chord, followed by quarter-note hi-hat hits. You know something big's going to happen. No—it already is happening.
At five seconds, the hi-hat hits double into eighth-notes as the E chord shots repeat. At seven seconds, the addition of a swung sixteenth-note (played on cowbell with a brush) signals the imminent, exhilarating plunge into a song you've never heard, but which you now want to hear more than anything else.
And at twelve seconds, an authoritative, effortlessly-executed drum fill plunges you into what might be rock and roll's greatest first song on a first album, ever...and we already know—before the song, or even a proper drum part, has started—we're in the presence of drumming greatness. The rest of the song, as well as the rest of the album, only further confirms it.
The song is "Good Times, Bad Times". The album is Led Zeppelin I, released in early 1969. And the drummer was a scrawny, twenty year old Brummie who'd never taken a drum lesson in his life. For the next twelve years, John Bonham would power the biggest, most influential, most iconic rock band in history, until his premature death forty years ago this past week. Even now, all these years later, ask any rock musician who the greatest rock drummer in history is, and almost all will name Bonham. Here's why.
Think about any musical contender for the "greatest" something or other—singer, guitarist, saxophonist, etc.—and you'll notice that underneath all the differences in style, they were all great musicians first.
(Excerpt) Read more at steynonline.com ...
good times bad times - led zeppelin
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsZG7n7ries
I'm thinking Van Halen might also have a claim to that with "Runnin' With The Devil".
Both debut albums pretty darn good, but LZ has proved to have more staying power.
Randy’s son.
I agree that Bonzo was great, but don’t forget Neil Peart or Jukka Nevalainen. As for how hard he pounded the skins, Achim Färber of the NDH band Eisbrecher gives John a good run for his title.
It’s amazing how many top notch musicians have been self-taught. Maybe instead of preparing them to play well it frees them to play extraordinarily well.
The last I heard, the drummer for the Beatles was Ringo Starr not John Bonham. (Ducking for cover.)
Couldn’t agree more!
The Beatles defined POP music. They dabbled a tiny bit into rock, but were mainly a pop band.
Led Zeppelin I and I and III and IV and Houses of the Holy.... great rock-and-roll. After that ... Well, Physical Graffiti was a disappointment.
True. But you can’t find the Beatles on the radio anymore.
Kashmir from PG is the one LZ song I hate.
What is this radio of which you speak? :-)
I didn’t realize Bonham was self taught until reading this. This is some seriously sophisticated technique for self taught.
..John Bonham would power the biggest, most influential, most iconic rock band in history.
The last I heard, the drummer for the Beatles was Ringo Starr not John Bonham. (Ducking for cover.)
Love’em both.
Alan White
Bill Bruford
Phil Collins
Charlie Watts
For the record, “Kashmir”, rocks !
Get Chicago’s Seventh album, put on the single “Devil’s Sweet”, and then can we throw one more name into the discussion?
Of course, the inside story is that Walter Parazadier wrote that 10-minute tune to feature Danny Seraphine on drums because he was in fact, or may as well have been, the devil in the flesh, right there in all of their lives.
Eventually they would kick him out of the band - I think I heard somewhere that it was with the help of hired security dudes, but that’s never been confirmed.
Mrs. Seraphine did raise a psycho. Don’t ever doubt that he could play, though.
Just listen, and say a prayer for yourself just in case.
Just listen, and say a prayer for yourself just in case.
I will, thanks.
Speaking of Bruford, is there a better album opening than the opening chords of “Yours in No Disgrace” on “The Yes Album”
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