- Joined
- Nov 9, 2015
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- 872
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- Stratosphere
Pointless waste of a thread.
Clever :clapping:
Which to be fair, is a tad embarrassing. But always remember Mike..."First there is a mountain, then there is no mountain then there is"
He had incredible feel too. Listen to the shuffle/groove on "Fool in the Rain" Regarding power, the first time I listened to Physical Graffiti I was lying on the floor between two very large 50watt Altec horn speakers powered by a valve amp on a vintage 1970s stereo. I remember being blown away by "In my Time of Dying" then the double kick on the 14" bass drum at the end of Custard Pie nearly sent me through the ceiling. The fast-forward funk feel of "Trampled Underfoot" then the backbeat on Kashmir which culminates in his signature kick drum triplet. That was just side 1 and 2 - the first record. I wish I'd still had access to that stereo by the time I discovered "Presence" and "Achilles Last Stand".
At Knebworth Jason took the stool during the soundcheck while Bonzo stood in the field and said it was the only time he got to see Led Zep live and appreciate how massive they sounded.
So many producers and drummers alike have tried to imitate Bonzo's sound but failed dreadfully. They may be mic'd up, but the drums are ultimately an acoustic instrument ... the sound depends upon touch, feel and attack. If anything, Bonham was more powerful live than in the studio, but I love this anecdote...
From the Mick Wall biography:
"There was only one track on which the band consistently struggled and which they eventually came close to abandoning completely before a suitably 'refreshed' Bonzo came to the rescue, and which they consequently named after him - 'Four Sticks'. Based on Page's idea of creating a riff-based song based on a trancelike Indian raga, fluctuating between five- and six-beat meters, the band simply couldn't nail it until Bonham - returning in the early hours from a night out in London - downed a can of Double Diamond beer then picked up two drumsticks in each hand and laid the track down in just two takes."
Much of this owed to Brian Jones (and Alexis Korner), who introduced Mick and Kieth to the Chicago/Delta sound proper beyond their Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf and BB King records they exchanged on a train from Dartford. in spite of being a colossal ... was a masterful multi-instrumentalist and although no songwriter had an ear for a melody. Listen to the piano on Ruby Tuesday. First of many cynically exploited by the Glimmer Twins, denied the credit they deserved...(see also Mick Taylor and Gram Parsons).
To be fair, they said the same about Bill. Saying that, Charlie’s got rock-solid time. His playing swings and his shuffles are great because of his comfort with jazz-ride patterns. Without him The Stones would be a completely different- sounding band with an utterly different feel. Paired with Wyman the Stones had what Glyn Johns regarded, as did many, the greatest rhythm section in Rock n' Roll history.
Greatest bit of Jagger "Get Yer Ya Yas Out" aside from "I think I bust a button on me trousers" part, very simply when he intones matter of factly..."Charlie's good tonight in'ee"
Nicely written - but ultimately this is mostly a sentimental journey down memory lane, not an objective observation at all. I never argued that Bonzo wasn't influential. But the greatest rock drummer of all time allegedly voted so by a confluence of rock drummer Illuminati he is not. To be considered that he would necessarily have to have contributed a much greater body of work.