Led Zeppelin: John Bonham Was Mesmerized by 1 Rock and Roll Song, and It’s not Hard to Hear Similarities in His Drumming
Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham was more than just a timekeeper in the band. He was a force of nature. Bonzo sat behind the rest of the band in concert, but he played so powerfully that it was impossible not to notice him. His playing and his chemistry with the rest of the band were why Zeppelin couldn’t possibly replace Bonham when he died. He remains one of the best drummers of all time, but Bonham was mesmerized by one early rock ‘n’ roll instrumental, and his Led Zeppelin drumming incorporated parts of the song.
John Bonham played powerfully and awed with his drum solos in Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin founder Jimmy Page had a plan with Led Zeppelin I — to grab listeners’ attention right away. That plan prominently featured Bonham. Within the first minute of lead track “Good Times Bad Times,” Bonham drops rolling fills and some kick drum work that is hard to believe he performed with one drum. Bonham made it clear almost immediately he was a force to be reckoned with.
Bonham produced several memorable moments with Led Zeppelin. The mammoth and echoey beat of “When the Levee Breaks.” His drumming on “Achilles Last Stand,” which Zep singer Robert Plant said doesn’t sound human. And don’t forget Bonham’s “Moby Dick” drum solos that often lasted several minutes.
When you listen to Bonham’s powerful drumming and solos in Led Zeppelin, it’s hard to believe one of his earliest inspirations was a relatively tame rock ‘n’ roll instrumental, which mesmerized him. It’s not hard to hear some similarities in his playing.
Bonham was ‘mesmerized’ by the instrumental ‘Teen Beat,’ and there are similarities in his playing
Music was ever-present in Bonham’s childhood home, writes C.M. Kushins in the Bonham biography Beast. Once American rock music arrived on the other side of the pond, the budding drummer was obsessed with one tune — Sandy Nelson’s drum-centric instrumental “Teen Beat.”
The song spent 12 weeks on the British singles charts and peaked at No. 9, per the Official Charts Company. Bonham couldn’t get enough, Kushins writes:
“John was ‘mesmerized’ by the song, sitting for three days straight at his drum kit until he could perfectly replicate the song’s distinctive percussion patterns. When he’d mastered it, his ambition became ‘like kick-starting a Harley-Davidson,’ according to [younger brother] Mick, who added that before long, John claimed that ‘he was going to form a band.’”
Nobody would mistake “Teen Beat” (hear it via YouTube) for Bonham’s assault on “Nobody’s Fault But Mine,” or the marathon “Achilles Last Stand.” Still, it’s not hard to hear the similarities between Nelson’s playing and Bonham’s.
Nelson relies heavily on his toms early in “Teen Beat.” Bonham did the same plenty of times, inlcluding on Zeppelin’s “Four Sticks,” which he had to perfect in only two takes. Bonzo flashed some of Nelson’s drumming (the cymbal work and shuffle-like beat that start about one minute in) on “Fool in the Rain.”
Of course, like most musicians, Bonzo moved past his inspirations. Bonham was mesmerized by Nelson’s “Teen Beat” drumming. He took that inspiration in another direction to become one of the greatest rock drummers ever.
Bonzo’s Led Zeppelin bandmates also found inspiration in early rock ‘n’ roll
Bonham’s obsession with “Teen Beat” helped push him to become an all-time drumming legend. His Led Zeppelin bandmates also found inspiration in early rock ‘n’ roll music.
Page spent hours listening to Elvis Presley records as a teenager. Elvis’ “Baby, Let’s Play House” was one of the songs that helped him learn guitar. The Bobby Parker song “Watch Your Step” surfaces in his Page’s guitar intro for the Bonham drum solo “Moby Dick.”
Page and Plant shared a love for the blues, too. Plant admitted he lifted the lyrics to one Led Zeppelin song from a blues classic. Plant was also an Elvis fan. His vocal deliveries on “Candy Store Rock” and “Hot Dog” channel The King.
John Bonham was mesmerized by Sandy Nelson’s “Teen Beat,” but he took it in a new direction to make his own legend.
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