Drummers often get given a pretty raw deal within the rock and roll world. While percussion is an utterly essential aspect of any decent rock outfit, drummers often have a reputation as being somewhat disposable. Even when it comes to the iconic hard rock progenitors Led Zeppelin, the heaps of praise received by the band are usually directed at the songwriting and guitar mastery of Jimmy Page or the vocal excellence of Robert Plant, but rarely the incredible drumming of John Bonham.
Bonham’s drumming was an essential aspect of Led Zeppelin’s distinctive sound, providing the pioneering hard rock outfit with a seemingly endless deluge of infectious beats. Upon the drummer’s audition for the group, bassist John Paul Jones once recalled, “As soon as I heard John Bonham play, I knew this was going to be great. We locked together as a team immediately.” However, when it came to the songwriting of the group, it was largely Page and Plant who dominated proceedings.
This should not be all that surprising, given Page was the one who started the band in the first place, bolstered by his celebrated work as a session musician and a vital member of blues rock visionaries The Yardbirds. Nevertheless, Page did not pen all those groundbreaking Zeppelin tracks on his lonesome. Throughout their discography, every band member had a hand in composition and songwriting, even Bonham.
Over the course of their celebrated discography, Bonham was credited as a songwriter on a total of 24 Led Zeppelin tracks. These compositions range from relatively obscure live tracks like ‘Sunshine Woman’ to colossal hits like ‘Good Times Bad Times’. While his songwriting might have paled in comparison to that of Jimmy Page, many of the tracks he helped to pen for Led Zeppelin remain beloved rock classics to this day.
Bonham’s drumming has always been pretty awe-inspiring. When viewed in isolation, however, the energy and rhythm of the man is difficult to even comprehend. ‘Bonzo’s Montreux’ is a four-minute drum solo recorded by Bonham during some 1976 sessions in Montreux, Switzerland. Later included on the posthumous release of Coda in 1982, the track remains one of the greatest examples of Bonham’s distinctive playing style.
While the song might not be the most popular Led Zeppelin track out there, it acts as a good exemplar of what Bonham could achieve entirely on his own, away from the influence of Jimmy Page and the rest of the group. ‘Bonzo’s Montreux’ is essential study material for any aspiring drummer.
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