When I started to listen to Zeppelin over 40 years ago I thought they were all about Page and Plant. The older I get and the more I listen I now realise they are all about Bonham and J P Jones.
They were about the sound, the band. That's why when Bonham died the spell was broken. Tragic doesn't even begin to cover it! They changed rock forever! Can you imagine what they would have done over the next 20, 30, 40 years!
zep was a perfect storm of talent, thats why they were the biggest band in the world at the time. a time of huge filled stadiums, that will never come again
I had the same thing happen to me but I think above all else it was a synthesis of all four that made it so special. But Bonham nudges a little ahead of the others because he was the foundation. There is just no way to replace him.
@@Sacksalot 1. Do you understand what "back masking" is? 2. Robert Plant has said in several interviews that the harmonica sound was achieved via back masking the tape.
When I first listened to Led Zeppelin I fell in love with John Bonham's drums. That fatty, groovy sound, the way he builds tension and his musicality, his solidness. He plays difficult stuff because the music demands it, not because he's showing off. It's almost like you can hear his soul. I'm a girl who loves music but I know very little about drumming, I just know of no other band where the drummer grabs my attention so much and makes me feel so much emotion. And that's in a legendary band with stellar musicians. Yeah Bonham is it. He is everything.
“The first time I saw Led Zeppelin, Bonzo (John Bonham) just walked on the stage and just warmed up for about 10 seconds. Freddie (Freddie Mercury) and I nearly fell over we just couldn’t believe the power and the sound. People are still today trying to imitate Led Zeppelin, America is full of drummers trying to play like John Bonham.”-Roger Taylor
My 4 years old son calls it « THE Song of the Drums ». Approved ✅ It is an absolute unique masterpiece … also for the vocals, guitars, harmonica, innovative general sound… Led Zep were in their twenties it’s crazy… Every time I listen to it twice at least. That’s what you do when things are so tasty and good 😂
Fucking Finally someone who’s chest swells on Bonzos cut fills on the 2nd and 3rd bar of the last chorus/refrain. The kick in those fills are against what he was laying down throughout the track, so much tension in the space of a bar. I was twelve when he died. He was the first person I cried for outside the family. 40 years later and I still miss him. I love Buddy Rich, Art Blakey, and Ginger Baker among many others. But no one sends me over the moon like BONZO.
Many many great drummers,but Bonzo stands alone. His son Jason (black country communion,his band with coverdale) is a cracking drummer too but not the total natural his dad was. GOAT.
I was 18 in college. Our local rock radio station played every single Led Zep album in its entirety in order without commercial break. All for the love of Bonham and the recognition of their genius.
The unique sound from the drums is explained here by Andy Johns, the engineer of Led Zeppelin IV who set up Bonzo's drums where they recorded 'Levee at Headley Grange, Hampshire, England. Johns: "I used two Byerdynamic M160 microphones and I put a couple of limiters over the two mics and used a Binson Echorec echo device that Jimmy Page had bought. They were Italian-made, and instead of tape, they used a very thin steel drum. And so playing at that particular tempo on 'Levee, the limiters had time to breathe, and that's how Bonzo got that 'Ga Gack sound, because of the Binson. He wasn't playing that. It was the Binson that made him sound like that." -Andy Johns (Rhythm Magazine 2006) Rick Beato also has a YT video on this called "The Truth Behind Led Zeppelin When The Levee Breaks" and plays his own drum recordings of 'Levee with and without an echo device. Hope you're having a great day/night/morning!
I read that piece many years ago, Andy also makes it quite clear that it was only him and Bonham present, contrary to Page's claims about the recording and his involvement that he has claimed many times.
@@AndrewRooneyDrums Rick Beato has a nice breakdoen video explaining how they got that drum sound, if you're interested. ua-cam.com/video/XZYDDX1DHDU/v-deo.html
Jimmy has said when he was a session player, the drums always sounded like they were in a tin can. They always had the drums in a separate room and were just there for the beat. Bonzo is the greatest but Jimmy is the one who produced all of the Zeppelin and made sure you could hear the greatest drummer of all time
@Richard Harrold Chill out I will give you Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich. So sorry i did not say "in my humble opinion" What no Niel Peart he should be on YOUR list
One of the most iconic and legendary drum beats of literally any music composition in human history. Will simply never get tired of hearing it, I CANT.
This reaction by Andrew is one of my two all time favorite reactions. The other is this one to The Allman Brothers Band, "Whipping Post". Jay's reaction to Duane's slide guitar, and then Gregg's vocals, tickles me every time I watch it. ua-cam.com/video/71oU8E6aTP4/v-deo.html
I could tell you’re an awesome drummer/ drum teacher because at 12:33, your eyebrow went up when you immediately noticed the one beat miss, but he got you on the “bap-bap” & you got so happy “OHHH YES!!” 😄👍
@@tommyplays131 maybe it's my loss but I couldn't really get right into led zep, had a preference for black sabbath and iron maiden. But tool, well you know their music so there's nothing for me to say. 😎
My very favorite rock drum performance. People talk about recording setup and effects used to change the sound. Don’t care. Epic in every sense of the word . Essentially a blueprint for all of rock drumming in one song. Simply amazing. RIP John
I can never get too much Led Zeppelin. I've never heard a bad LZ song. These 4 guys together were just magic. I really get this song. I moved to NOLA 4 months before Hurricane Katrina. My friend had bought a home in Lakeview, I was staying with her at the time. When the levee broke, there was nothing left but a concrete slab. So I'm very in tune with this song.
I've been listening to this song since I was 19 - I'm 34 now, and the way he shifts the dynamics just after 12:03 into the bridge section still makes me well up with emotion. He really felt the songs he was playing, and that was what was most special about him, was the emotion he could inject into a song and through his playing. It's just amazing. My favourite drummer ever. Everything about him.
I’ve watched this reaction video about 10 times now. It’s awesome to bond with someone on the other side of the world over filthy Bonham pocket. Thank you.
I know this is a drum-focused reaction channel, but I have to add my 2 cents. Led Zeppelin is comprised of individuals who could on their own be enshrined in Cleveland. The fact that they were together making musical masterpieces is truly a gift to mankind. Nice reaction btw.
It was a genius move by Page to record the drums in a stairwell of a haunted mansion. Drummers love the echo effect. I’m glad you noticed that base pedal thing he did at about 12:30. I’m nothing short of SHOCKED you’ve not already completely analyzed the entire Zeppelin catalogue. I mean, where do you go for improvement than the best?
Crazy when you are roaming around youtube and run into a comment you know from another channel... happy to know we are both Zep fans Pete...bought a holster from you a couple months back!
If the drumming is dirty I can't help but feel the harmonica just tops it all off. Amazing deep down blues. Been listening to Zeppelin since the early 70s and have NEVER grown tired of them. Have listened to their entire catalogue in one go and have played it all the way back through again. Never tire of them and probably never will
@@AndrewRooneyDrumsnot sure if it’s been mentioned in the numerous replies (and well deserved, I’m really liking your videos and I’m a guitar / bass player) but the drums we hear in the finished song are slightly slowed down, in fact perhaps all of the original tracking instruments. We hear this song in the key of F, but I’d read somewhere years ago about them actually tracking the whole thing faster and in the key of G, intentionally tracked faster to slow the speed down later to fatten the drums… (perhaps a technique they lifted after the opening of Hendrix’, Electric Ladyland, but that’s for another video). not sure if the bass guitar and initial rhythm guitar were also kept but I thought I’d mention it. I loved that you pointed out the hi-hat accents, I’d also mention something I don’t hear mentioned often enough about Bonham and quite a few players from that era. (IMHO) When they (Bonham, Ringo, Mitchell, Baker, Woodmansey, Bill Legend, etc) played an eighth note hi-hat pattern, the amount of time the hat wasn’t being heard between those eighth notes also caused a 16th note pulse,.. even quarter hats felt like an eighth pulse, accentuating the groove as it goes along. Old jazz guy stuff they loved and shared with us, is my guess. Please carry on your good work sir!
One of the few songs that gives me a braingasm every time I hear it. In "It Might Get Loud" Jimmy Paige goes into depth about how they got this iconic drum sound. First time it was ever done in a song too. Super creativity.
Love the reaction to the “new thing”. As a long time LZ fan I have listened to the song hundreds of times and STILL feel that way every time I listen. Has such an amazing groove. It never gets old!!
I instantly clicked on ‘like’ at about a minute and a half in when he got up and said “Louder” and turned it up. I knew it was over right there! Great job!
You sir are becoming my favorite reactor 💖 your sheer joy at Bonham's drumming has me looking at these classics in a new way. They hv alot more greasy pockets ✌️
I’m 23, and never forget being a bit unimpressed with rap when I was about 13. My dad asked me “have you ever heard Led?” Put this song on, and I ran through every album 🤣
Your enthusiasm and your adding a little more info about the lingo with every reaction video is what keeps me coming back. Please DON'T calm down! This entire band is so together, but that is all I know. You lay out exactly what makes the drumming sound so great, and how it meshes with the rest of the musicians. Thanks again! Lloyd
Bonham was a top shelf percussion artist! Fool in the Rain and Black Dog showcase his genius and superlative ability to lay a beat down that the other band members can rely on to maintain order and keep the songs from becoming unhiged and being sucked into disordered oblivion that would be impossible to rectify. Glad you appreciate When the Levee Breaks. I heard that the drum track was recorded in a tunnel to get the chorus effect for the drums. LOVE IT!!!
I'm not a drummer but as a Led Zep fan of over 30 years I find your reactions and analysis of Bonham's drumming both refreshing, fascinating and insightful. Bonham was the perfect drummer for Led Zep in that his approach to every song was different, just like the band as a whole. His musicality; being able to get into the pocket and create that "groove" as you say and take a song to another level is why the band decided it was pointless trying to go on after his death.
Bonham's sick syncopated groove is intoxicating but the Plant's vocals, combined with Page's guitar & that wailin' harmonica seriously makes me weep...
22 is correct. The album was recorded during the winter of 1970 to 1971 and wrapped up in February 1971. Bonzo would’ve turned 23 that May and so he was 22 during the recording and 23 when the album released in November of 1971.
70's in high school and your mate says Led Zeppelin and all you can do is say yay man, my favorite! Definitely a magical time. Thanks for the perfect critique of Bonham and how he grioved perfectly with the greatest band. They were the best because everyone in the band was at the top level .. well, over the top
"In my time of dying" is the best Led Zeppelin drum song in my opinion. Would love to see you break that song down...it has so many sections and drum transitions...please give it a listen.
This was my intro to Zeppelin (and hence Bonzo) about one year ago. I immediately shared it with a friend, telling her that this may be the best drum groove and opening to a song I ever heard. She replied with "It's just okay." My generation is doomed!
Richard Harrold Agreed! “In My Time of Dying” is my personal favorite from Bonham’s work. “When the Levee Breaks” is #2 for me though. Bonham is just too good.
Mentioned this on another video: If there is somewhere a book titled, "How To Play Like Led Zeppelin", the chapter on "drums" merely says: 'Sorry. You can't'.
I like the pause, reaction, explanation, analysis it gives me a new way of listening to a song I’ve heard for 40 years. I don’t understand why you’d complain about the pauses, you can always go and listen to track or buy it! And this channel is the best for pointing and explaining why great drummers are great.
I first heard this song when I was 14-15. While I did know who Zeppelin was, I hadn't yet realized how big they were. But I knew there was no better song out there, with that groove, power, everything about it. I could just listen to the drums alone.
@@AndrewRooneyDrums ua-cam.com/video/IFn-Ogb8gTM/v-deo.html please listen to this !!! The final drum fills are awesome ... It's an alternate vers of this tune not used in the album
Definitely a seminal drum track. The sick groove, plus the huge sound! I do give the engineer/producer mad props for the putting the drums in the front of the mix, and adding the effects to make the sound greasier. But I can't think of another drummer who could lay this down. I think an important aspect that speaks to the musicality you mention is the restraint. He holds back (until the end) and lets the groove breathe. It's hypnotic. The pauses between verses speak as loudly as the bass and snare
I consider myself blessed. I got this the day it came out. I wasc18 and had a 67 Charger with a powerful sound system. Now I live in the,Pacific Northwest in a cabin out in the woods and play this loud on a loop. The forest loves it !
There's a reason after Bonzo died Robert Plant refused to continue with Led Zeppelin, and it wasn't just love for his dear friend. It's also because there will never be another John Henry Bonham. RIP
In interviews even Page said they couldnt continue cause no one else have the ability to stay with the rest of the band when they played live and went on tangents..they never played a song the same twice,, Jimmy always said Bonham was a genius
I got a bit carried away on this one. That's some sexy groove right there. And I've created the Bonham rating system for levels of pocket! 3 levels of Bonham pocket HAHAHA
The song was originally played at a faster tempo but they slowed the temp down the drums on the record you should look it up its a very interesting way of doing it and i loved the vid
It’s great to see the joy you get from listening to this and other Led Zeppelin songs that I was weaned on as a teenager. We were totally spoiled in the 60’s and 70’s. I bet you get as much joy out of playing along to them on the drums. And so you should. From a 64-year old in the UK.
I'm 52 and have been listening to this since I was 7 and playing it,both on drums and guitar, since I was 15....and I still make all those silly faces when I hear it.....truly epic.
Your reaction at 12:33 is why I have listened to this tune thousands of times...it’s like a reverse roll...that drum riff puts me into tears it’s so amazing
Born in the early 60s I've grown up on LZ. My profound appreciation for, yet limited understanding of their musicality from a layman's point of view leaves me in awe of them entirely and always has. Recently i watched another drum teacher/lover/player's reaction to Moby Dick and his "analysis" was that Bonham had the rare ability to use his four points of contact (hands and feet) completely independently of one another and therefore was able to keep all those different times and beat patterns to a point where art meets science in the most amazing way. It was like an epiphany and listening to them/him has become like listening again for the first time. Your thoughts?
I watch a lot of black people who have only listened to R and B and Hip-Hop reacting to great rock songs,but this is the best reaction I've seen by someone who knows the inside story to an instrument or vocals.This is awesome!I always listened to this song for the cool funky beat and harmonica,I never focused in on the drums.The beat is so awesome, especially the second half of the song.Really wonderful reaction.
Long time Zep fan here, and I must say - this is far and away *the* best reaction video I've ever seen. Ever-ever. Way to do my boys proud, Andrew!! #wherehaveibeen #filthypocket
Bonham you are the best Andrew I've never seen any of your videos before, but I felt like I was right there with you at 5:48. Love your reaction to what is one of my favorite drumming songs of all time. I also love playing drums to D'Yer Maker, another Bonham lesson in greatness.
This album was recorded at a house (that most people would call a mansion) that Mick Jagger had recently purchased. The Stones also had commissioned large truck to be outfitted as a total state of the art mobile recording studio with tape machines, mixing consoles, assorted additional electronics, microphones, etc. that could be moved to virtually any location so that they could record any time it suited them, not some studio's schedule. So, the studio truck was moved to Mick's mansion. It had a large circular staircase and the drums were setup right under it. A couple of mics were hung above the drums at different levels and experimented with until the sound wanted was achieved Then Led Zeppelin went to work! ua-cam.com/video/ibW-QShUXeY/v-deo.html
This was a cover of a song from 1929! Some 50 years Zepp completely re-imagined it. (but to put in perspective you really should hear the original) Zepp turned the most deep felt blues into a glorious monster! How anyone could get from the original to the Zepp version requires genius of the next level!
The original was done by Memphis Minnie and Kansas Joe McCoy about the massive Mississippi River flood of 1927. It was the impetus for the massive migration of blacks out of the Deep South in the late 1920s headed north. Kansas Joe McCoy wrote the song about a man who lost his entire family and his home as a result of the flood.
Geek out time. Zeppelin only recorded 2 songs with the drums in the base of the stairwell at Headly Grange, this one and Kashmir. It’s no coincidence that both of those songs have so much space between the beats and players. Bonham’s feel isn’t just limited to the music but to the space as well. He’s simply the best.
That myth has been busted by quite a few people now. The location of the recording was at Headley Grange, however, that "space" you speak of was not created by the stairwell. A rather primitive (by today's standards) tape echo was employed in the studio to provide that depth. There are literally dozens of videos on UA-cam that go in-depth on this track.
@@rbilleaud well.. I'd rather go by what the people that were actually there have to say like Page and the engineer Glyn Johns..they both say it had to do with mike placement and being in a large echoey stairwell but if you would rather listen to people that weren't there that think they know so much about 50 years ago..go ahead
The sound of the drums on the recording comes from setting up the drums in the entrance hallway of Headley Grange Manor House. Mics were hung over the staircase. Not just masters of their instruments but also masters at getting the best sound and tones.
The drums were run through a Binson Echorec. This complimented the natural echo of the high hallway. One slapback echo added on the 8th note. Some dispute on whether it was Jimmy Page or Andy Johns the sound engineer who came up with the idea.
@@centralscrutinizer3871 Yeah there are interviews out there now that debunk the stairwell story. I want to say it was Andy but who knows for sure? Page certainly was just as creative behind the boards as the guitar.
The drum kit was actually placed under the stairwell in an English manor when this was recorded giving an eerie echo effect. The almost robotic, and perfect pocket timing is widely considered the best rock drum track ever laid down.
Nonsense. The echo was done by the recording engineers. So was the back masking on the harmonica. This track was Zeppelin's most heavily engineered song; which is why it wasn't played live, the sound wasn't reproducible.
@@johnfaulken1951 no, the echo comes from the stairwell. The band members have all said this. That effect was impossible to really replicate live. Despite that they did play the song live on several occasions. There was back masking on the harmonica. Many of their tracks were far more 'produced'. It was about achieving a certain sound. Guys were geniuses imo.
@@victorylane2377 yes. A video. Made by a producer with a platinum album. With the actual equipment used in the recording. Duplicating the drum sound perfectly. The producer is Rick Beato, if you actually want to see it, but l bet you'd rather remain ignorant.
"Beautiful, clear even pocket." Love It! So good to hear the perspective from someone who understands about being behind the kick drum. I don't mind the necessary interrupts as we can all play the track these days but for me I love the education and observation notes you bring to us on this drum line with hi-hat remarks and reactions to the great shaped or 'machine-gun like' drum fills. Bonham really puts it down and gets your attention. A wonderful Led Zeppelin recording and engineered mix originally from 1971. I missed the Meg Ryan insert on the first view - nice one! Thanks for uploading - Liked.
This song has mythical status amongst Zeppelinophiles. Wondering how Bonham got that sound, etc. A lot of things came together perferctly to get this song so right. Obviously one is Bonham, two is the enviornment (aka the stairwell recording) and the third is Page's production. I believe he slowed down the track a bit to give that drum a deeper rumble. They only played this song a couple of times live, I believe, since it was difficult to recreate that groove live.
@@todsharigian9877 No. Was recorded in the stairwell of an old English manor called Headly Grange. Was recorded with echo effect using a Binson Echorec. Also, using a lot of compression on the drum mics ua-cam.com/video/XZYDDX1DHDU/v-deo.html
Awesome reaction to an epic song! I must say I am jealous, watching you discover Led Zep songs for the first time listening whole way through, You are in for drummer Nirvana when you listen to their whole catalogue. Drums are my favorite instrument and that's why I keep coming back to Bonzo. Simply unmatched. You are in for a treat my friend 😊🥁🥁🎵🎵
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When I started to listen to Zeppelin over 40 years ago I thought they were all about Page and Plant. The older I get and the more I listen I now realise they are all about Bonham and J P Jones.
Nice Mike!!!
They were about the sound, the band. That's why when Bonham died the spell was broken. Tragic doesn't even begin to cover it! They changed rock forever! Can you imagine what they would have done over the next 20, 30, 40 years!
zep was a perfect storm of talent, thats why they were the biggest band in the world at the time. a time of huge filled stadiums, that will never come again
If you listen to the live shows you’ll hear the synchronicity between Bonham and PAGE. They play off each other.
I had the same thing happen to me but I think above all else it was a synthesis of all four that made it so special. But Bonham nudges a little ahead of the others because he was the foundation. There is just no way to replace him.
“LOUDER” truer words never spoken
HAHA!
13:00
@@rjpdev2431 Completely irrelevant time stamp but fair enough
I'll never get sick of this song. Ever. No, seriously. Ever.
Ditto!!!!!!
Getting sick of zeppelin is like getting sick of BJ's
I think I've listened to it over a thousand times already and I feel the same way. Stranded on deserted island forever track choice.
Try listening to the original. It’s also great!
Not ever?
Robert Plant on harmonica is FIRE!
Can we appreciate the fact that Robert Plant was killing it with the harmonica as well leave alone that sexy voice!!
A Lot of back masking on that harmonica .
@@johnfaulken1951 dude that harmonica was not played backwards at any point in the song LOL
@@Sacksalot
1. Do you understand what "back masking" is?
2. Robert Plant has said in several interviews that the harmonica sound was achieved via back masking the tape.
EXACTLY 🥰
Someone at last mentions Plant's harmonica playing. About time.
Bonham is an absolute powerhouse that drives that song and creates the atmospherics
As a John Bonham disciple, I've always said that if there was a nation of drummers, the intro would be our national anthem.
I love it Joe!!!
Brilliant!
Now I want this nation of drummers to win gold at the Olympics so they can play this at the ceremony
National Anthem by radiohead is a fun drumming song :D
Nicely put.
I'm 67 and saw LZ several times.
That drum sound should be patented,so many imitators,but there is only one Bonzo.
When I first listened to Led Zeppelin I fell in love with John Bonham's drums. That fatty, groovy sound, the way he builds tension and his musicality, his solidness. He plays difficult stuff because the music demands it, not because he's showing off. It's almost like you can hear his soul. I'm a girl who loves music but I know very little about drumming, I just know of no other band where the drummer grabs my attention so much and makes me feel so much emotion. And that's in a legendary band with stellar musicians. Yeah Bonham is it. He is everything.
Same...but i listen to other bands too
Bonzo was en exorcist FYI he literally drove demons out of souls with his all mighty powerful drum beats Led the power of the drums compel you!!!
“The first time I saw Led Zeppelin, Bonzo (John Bonham) just walked on the stage and just warmed up for about 10 seconds. Freddie (Freddie Mercury) and I nearly fell over we just couldn’t believe the power and the sound. People are still today trying to imitate Led Zeppelin, America is full of drummers trying to play like John Bonham.”-Roger Taylor
I'd believe it.
Miking techniques were fairly basic. You get to hear the drummer and not a bunch of fx or quantizing
lazaros lazarou jason doesnt sound like Bonzo.
And might I say Roger Taylor that you are every bit as great as Bonzo! A pleasure to watch & listen to! Thank you Sir!😃
Greatness is a gift. You can’t imitate it, it’s in you. It’s like instinct, you can’t imitate that! JB definitely had that quality.
@@eddievibbert6740 Roger is a fantastic drummer but no not in Bonhams league
My 4 years old son calls it « THE Song of the Drums ».
Approved ✅
It is an absolute unique masterpiece … also for the vocals, guitars, harmonica, innovative general sound… Led Zep were in their twenties it’s crazy…
Every time I listen to it twice at least. That’s what you do when things are so tasty and good 😂
Yup it’s a great feel
Fucking Finally someone who’s chest swells on Bonzos cut fills on the 2nd and 3rd bar of the last chorus/refrain. The kick in those fills are against what he was laying down throughout the track, so much tension in the space of a bar. I was twelve when he died. He was the first person I cried for outside the family. 40 years later and I still miss him. I love Buddy Rich, Art Blakey, and Ginger Baker among many others. But no one sends me over the moon like BONZO.
Thanks Scott!!!
Many many great drummers,but Bonzo stands alone.
His son Jason (black country communion,his band with coverdale) is a cracking drummer too but not the total natural his dad was.
GOAT.
I was 6 months old when he passed 💔
Amen brother.
I was 18 in college. Our local rock radio station played every single Led Zep album in its entirety in order without commercial break. All for the love of Bonham and the recognition of their genius.
The unique sound from the drums is explained here by Andy Johns, the engineer of Led Zeppelin IV who set up Bonzo's drums where they recorded 'Levee at Headley Grange, Hampshire, England.
Johns: "I used two Byerdynamic M160 microphones and I put a couple of limiters over the two mics and used a Binson Echorec echo device that Jimmy Page had bought. They were Italian-made, and instead of tape, they used a very thin steel drum. And so playing at that particular tempo on 'Levee, the limiters had time to breathe, and that's how Bonzo got that 'Ga Gack sound, because of the Binson. He wasn't playing that. It was the Binson that made him sound like that." -Andy Johns (Rhythm Magazine 2006)
Rick Beato also has a YT video on this called "The Truth Behind Led Zeppelin When The Levee Breaks" and plays his own drum recordings of 'Levee with and without an echo device.
Hope you're having a great day/night/morning!
I read that piece many years ago, Andy also makes it quite clear that it was only him and Bonham present, contrary to Page's claims about the recording and his involvement that he has claimed many times.
How can you be a drum teacher and never have listened to this song? Best drum beat ever! Full stop!
Yes Luke! I was aware this was legendary.
Never got the opportunity to sit down and critically listen
The little detail that some drummers miss is John letting the drum stick bounce on the snair . It gives a reverb echo effect
I give vocal lessons, what's this "Ave Maria" everyone keeps talking about?
@@coolhandluke901 This drum track was actually being fed into an Echpoplex tape delay during tracking.
just a thought. teachers teach, players play, that's why teachers teach, that's the extent of it.
2 seconds in and Andrew be like - "Louder"
Yeah- me, too.
Yes David. YES
@@AndrewRooneyDrums Rick Beato has a nice breakdoen video explaining how they got that drum sound, if you're interested.
ua-cam.com/video/XZYDDX1DHDU/v-deo.html
Jimmy has said when he was a session player, the drums always sounded like they were in a tin can. They always had the drums in a separate room and were just there for the beat. Bonzo is the greatest but Jimmy is the one who produced all of the Zeppelin and made sure you could hear the greatest drummer of all time
Thank God for Jimmy!
@Richard Harrold Chill out I will give you Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich. So sorry i did not say "in my humble opinion" What no Niel Peart he should be on YOUR list
everyone talks about the 'Bonham sound', but it's really the Page sound. always has been.
@@ocho611 Always thought it was more of a group effort. It takes all 4 of them to make that Zeppelin sound.
@@marshabrown2561 Page produced all of it, and wrote most of it. Led Zeppelin was their band, but it was his vision.
One of the most iconic and legendary drum beats of literally any music composition in human history. Will simply never get tired of hearing it, I CANT.
You catch my cover Carl?
@@AndrewRooneyDrums can you link me???
That's the best reaction to that song I've seen. Throw in the odd bit on analysis too. It makes it very special.
Too kind Mark. Thanks for watching and the nice words!
Check out SoulTrainBro here on UA-cam. His reaction is incredible too.
@@Ash_Hudson I'm a big fan of SoulTrainBro as well.
This reaction by Andrew is one of my two all time favorite reactions. The other is this one to The Allman Brothers Band, "Whipping Post". Jay's reaction to Duane's slide guitar, and then Gregg's vocals, tickles me every time I watch it. ua-cam.com/video/71oU8E6aTP4/v-deo.html
One of the most undeniable pieces of rock n roll in history.
Your reaction speaks for us all. Nearly 50 years on and I still react the way you do when I hear it.
Right on Steve!
A REAL MUSICIAN in other words
Actually "Sick Again" is in my TOP 5 Zep Songs... why does no one EVER mention that song/riff?!
I'm there with you mate.
Bonzo is a God. That almost lazy pace is so beautiful! He's speaking to me every time. Cheers 🍻 😁🥰
Yes! 'Swampy'
Was originally recorded in a stairwell. That's what gives it that echoey sound. Masters of the art. My fave by far.
I could tell you’re an awesome drummer/ drum teacher because at 12:33, your eyebrow went up when you immediately noticed the one beat miss, but he got you on the “bap-bap” & you got so happy “OHHH YES!!” 😄👍
HAHA!
Simply the four greatest musicians ever put together in one band. What the foundation set by the greatest rock drummer of all time.Lord have mercy
Many would agree, but only because they haven't taken any notice of Tool.
@@Ronhickmott I have heard of them and they’re great, but not in the same league as Zep
@@tommyplays131 maybe it's my loss but I couldn't really get right into led zep, had a preference for black sabbath and iron maiden. But tool, well you know their music so there's nothing for me to say. 😎
The Who?
@@natural1952. Definitely. The Who was on par with Zep. Better in my opinion
That snare, sounds like a gunshot in the groove. Love this song.
Yes absolutely iconic snare sound!
Those drums sound like they're coming from the depths of Mordor.
Considering all the Tolkien references in Zeppelin songs, they'd probably be ok with that comment.
YESSSSS!!! perfect.
Recording the drums in the staircase of Headley Grange sure helped. Powerful stuff!!!
I think they're too sexy to sound like Mordor
Did they meet a girl so fair?
My very favorite rock drum performance. People talk about recording setup and effects used to change the sound.
Don’t care.
Epic in every sense of the word .
Essentially a blueprint for all of rock drumming in one song.
Simply amazing.
RIP John
forty years on and still gives chills. thanks for sharing your first time Andrew
Oh this is sooooo good
I can never get too much Led Zeppelin. I've never heard a bad LZ song. These 4 guys together were just magic. I really get this song. I moved to NOLA 4 months before Hurricane Katrina. My friend had bought a home in Lakeview, I was staying with her at the time. When the levee broke, there was nothing left but a concrete slab. So I'm very in tune with this song.
Filthy Pocket would be a great band name.
HAHAHA YES!
Ahhhhhhhhh hahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah
DAN!
@@Kim-hc5si 😎😎😎
They better be funky
I've been listening to this song since I was 19 - I'm 34 now, and the way he shifts the dynamics just after 12:03 into the bridge section still makes me well up with emotion. He really felt the songs he was playing, and that was what was most special about him, was the emotion he could inject into a song and through his playing. It's just amazing. My favourite drummer ever. Everything about him.
Yup one of the greats. Impossible to duplicate
I’ve watched this reaction video about 10 times now. It’s awesome to bond with someone on the other side of the world over filthy Bonham pocket. Thank you.
Never before and never again will 4 musicians or any musicians for that matter be capable of this, loved your reaction!!
@Brent Harper Oh I am, for a long time already
I know this is a drum-focused reaction channel, but I have to add my 2 cents. Led Zeppelin is comprised of individuals who could on their own be enshrined in Cleveland. The fact that they were together making musical masterpieces is truly a gift to mankind.
Nice reaction btw.
It was a genius move by Page to record the drums in a stairwell of a haunted mansion. Drummers love the echo effect. I’m glad you noticed that base pedal thing he did at about 12:30. I’m nothing short of SHOCKED you’ve not already completely analyzed the entire Zeppelin catalogue. I mean, where do you go for improvement than the best?
Crazy how young Bonzo was at the time as well... early 20s. Total beast
Yeah Jeff. What a weapon!
Love John B he’s got so much backbone like Sinatra’s voice! Badasssssss!!!!
That's a great comparison!
@@AndrewRooneyDrums Sinatra sings off beat that’s what make him Unique he has his own sound just like John
Crazy when you are roaming around youtube and run into a comment you know from another channel... happy to know we are both Zep fans Pete...bought a holster from you a couple months back!
If the drumming is dirty I can't help but feel the harmonica just tops it all off. Amazing deep down blues. Been listening to Zeppelin since the early 70s and have NEVER grown tired of them. Have listened to their entire catalogue in one go and have played it all the way back through again. Never tire of them and probably never will
I Purely enjoy watching someone when that proverbial "Light" goes off above their head! I REALLY Enjoyed this reaction, I was Smiling the whole time!
YESSSSS
Must have watched your reaction to this 5 times love it, seeing a Drums teacher react to 22 year old John Bonham.
So good to hear!
"how could he be this good" I been saying that for 45 years. He's a god. I saw zep live twice. No words can describe it.
Yes it's not really for words to define. It's about the feeling :)
Welcome to the greatness that is Led Zeppelin. You're life will never be the same.
Yeah Wesley! Lovin' it :)
Such a powerful song !!! Can listen to it 100000 times and always being absolutely obliterated:)😊
Yup I could listen to this every day
@@AndrewRooneyDrumsnot sure if it’s been mentioned in the numerous replies (and well deserved, I’m really liking your videos and I’m a guitar / bass player) but the drums we hear in the finished song are slightly slowed down, in fact perhaps all of the original tracking instruments.
We hear this song in the key of F, but I’d read somewhere years ago about them actually tracking the whole thing faster and in the key of G, intentionally tracked faster to slow the speed down later to fatten the drums… (perhaps a technique they lifted after the opening of Hendrix’, Electric Ladyland, but that’s for another video). not sure if the bass guitar and initial rhythm guitar were also kept but I thought I’d mention it.
I loved that you pointed out the hi-hat accents, I’d also mention something I don’t hear mentioned often enough about Bonham and quite a few players from that era.
(IMHO) When they (Bonham, Ringo, Mitchell, Baker, Woodmansey, Bill Legend, etc) played an eighth note hi-hat pattern, the amount of time the hat wasn’t being heard between those eighth notes also caused a 16th note pulse,.. even quarter hats felt like an eighth pulse, accentuating the groove as it goes along.
Old jazz guy stuff they loved and shared with us, is my guess.
Please carry on your good work sir!
The band ebbs and flows together not a machine pure emotion
Well said Doug! 👌🎶🙏
One of the few songs that gives me a braingasm every time I hear it. In "It Might Get Loud" Jimmy Paige goes into depth about how they got this iconic drum sound. First time it was ever done in a song too. Super creativity.
Love the reaction to the “new thing”. As a long time LZ fan I have listened to the song hundreds of times and STILL feel that way every time I listen. Has such an amazing groove. It never gets old!!
Just tremendous dirty groove!
I instantly clicked on ‘like’ at about a minute and a half in when he got up and said “Louder” and turned it up. I knew it was over right there! Great job!
You sir are becoming my favorite reactor 💖 your sheer joy at Bonham's drumming has me looking at these classics in a new way. They hv alot more greasy pockets ✌️
Wow, thanks Susanne!
I’m 23, and never forget being a bit unimpressed with rap when I was about 13. My dad asked me “have you ever heard Led?” Put this song on, and I ran through every album 🤣
Great Troy!
"Don't tell me you guys have never gotten the Led out!"
Your enthusiasm and your adding a little more info about the lingo with every reaction video is what keeps me coming back. Please DON'T calm down! This entire band is so together, but that is all I know. You lay out exactly what makes the drumming sound so great, and how it meshes with the rest of the musicians. Thanks again! Lloyd
Bonham was a top shelf percussion artist! Fool in the Rain and Black Dog showcase his genius and superlative ability to lay a beat down that the other band members can rely on to maintain order and keep the songs from becoming unhiged and being sucked into disordered oblivion that would be impossible to rectify. Glad you appreciate When the Levee Breaks. I heard that the drum track was recorded in a tunnel to get the chorus effect for the drums. LOVE IT!!!
That bass drop in the key after "going to Chicago..." in the outro Sooo Underrated.
Good spotting 🤘 you can hear his years as a session player and arranger coming out
you got me listening to and isolating the drums. fascinating. I've never done that before. this is a drumming masterpiece
The most sampled drum track in history. Epic! That's why he was called the Hammer of the God's. Really applied to the entire band.
That harmonica is criminally good.
Should be locked up for that awesomeness
I'm not a drummer but as a Led Zep fan of over 30 years I find your reactions and analysis of Bonham's drumming both refreshing, fascinating and insightful.
Bonham was the perfect drummer for Led Zep in that his approach to every song was different, just like the band as a whole. His musicality; being able to get into the pocket and create that "groove" as you say and take a song to another level is why the band decided it was pointless trying to go on after his death.
Thanks so much Ivan!
Ivan Hecimovic Great comment! True.
Bonham's sick syncopated groove is intoxicating but the Plant's vocals, combined with Page's guitar & that wailin' harmonica seriously makes me weep...
JPJ holding it all together
He was 21 or 22 years old when this was recorded.
That's just silly
23 years old
22 is correct. The album was recorded during the winter of 1970 to 1971 and wrapped up in February 1971. Bonzo would’ve turned 23 that May and so he was 22 during the recording and 23 when the album released in November of 1971.
That always blows my mind. How young Bonham was when some of Led Zep's best songs were recorded.
70's in high school and your mate says Led Zeppelin and all you can do is say yay man, my favorite! Definitely a magical time. Thanks for the perfect critique of Bonham and how he grioved perfectly with the greatest band. They were the best because everyone in the band was at the top level .. well, over the top
"In my time of dying" is the best Led Zeppelin drum song in my opinion. Would love to see you break that song down...it has so many sections and drum transitions...please give it a listen.
"Where have I been"? "How can he be this good"? His mind is blown.
This was my intro to Zeppelin (and hence Bonzo) about one year ago. I immediately shared it with a friend, telling her that this may be the best drum groove and opening to a song I ever heard. She replied with "It's just okay." My generation is doomed!
If you can't feel the brilliance of this, you don't have a pulse
Richard Harrold Agreed! “In My Time of Dying” is my personal favorite from Bonham’s work. “When the Levee Breaks” is #2 for me though. Bonham is just too good.
@Richard Harrold Especially live!
@Richard Harrold Oooo yes that's a good one too!
If this groove doesn't move you, check your pulse; you are ffampeeer.
"Where have I been?? Where have I been??"
Exactly, my dude! If I was a drummer, I'd eat Bonham for breakfast, lunch and dinner!
HAHA Jeb!
Mentioned this on another video:
If there is somewhere a book titled, "How To Play Like Led Zeppelin", the chapter on "drums" merely says:
'Sorry.
You can't'.
This was the first ever song I heard from them. I got hooked instantly and now I've listened to every single Led song at least 1000x each.
I like the pause, reaction, explanation, analysis it gives me a new way of listening to a song I’ve heard for 40 years.
I don’t understand why you’d complain about the pauses, you can always go and listen to track or buy it!
And this channel is the best for pointing and explaining why great drummers are great.
I first heard this song when I was 14-15. While I did know who Zeppelin was, I hadn't yet realized how big they were. But I knew there was no better song out there, with that groove, power, everything about it. I could just listen to the drums alone.
My favorite part of the reaction is the first word: "Louder!"
HAHA YES!
I was about to say the same thing. Knew this was gonna be legit when the very first impulse was to turn it up, haha!
_THE_ best drumbeat in any song I've ever heard.
Hard to argue
I just love your spontaneous reaction to this masterpiece
So glad to hear that Julius!
@@AndrewRooneyDrums ua-cam.com/video/IFn-Ogb8gTM/v-deo.html please listen to this !!! The final drum fills are awesome ... It's an alternate vers of this tune not used in the album
Ladies and gentlemen, the best group in history of rock 💪🏻💪🏻🤟🏻😍
Nice Damiano!
Definitely a seminal drum track. The sick groove, plus the huge sound! I do give the engineer/producer mad props for the putting the drums in the front of the mix, and adding the effects to make the sound greasier. But I can't think of another drummer who could lay this down. I think an important aspect that speaks to the musicality you mention is the restraint. He holds back (until the end) and lets the groove breathe. It's hypnotic. The pauses between verses speak as loudly as the bass and snare
I consider myself blessed. I got this the day it came out. I wasc18 and had a 67 Charger with a powerful sound system.
Now I live in the,Pacific Northwest in a cabin out in the woods and play this loud on a loop. The forest loves it !
You need to do ACHILLES LAST STAND Sir
👊💀🍻🚬
I have!
@@AndrewRooneyDrums the ultimate zap and bonham track for me
There's a reason after Bonzo died Robert Plant refused to continue with Led Zeppelin, and it wasn't just love for his dear friend. It's also because there will never be another John Henry Bonham. RIP
In interviews even Page said they couldnt continue cause no one else have the ability to stay with the rest of the band when they played live and went on tangents..they never played a song the same twice,, Jimmy always said Bonham was a genius
I got a bit carried away on this one. That's some sexy groove right there.
And I've created the Bonham rating system for levels of pocket!
3 levels of Bonham pocket HAHAHA
The song was originally played at a faster tempo but they slowed the temp down the drums on the record you should look it up its a very interesting way of doing it and i loved the vid
Thanks Derek!
Rock on! :-)
U gotta listen to fool in the rain next
@@FissileThomist I have man!!!! Look back through my vids my man!
It’s great to see the joy you get from listening to this and other Led Zeppelin songs that I was weaned on as a teenager. We were totally spoiled in the 60’s and 70’s. I bet you get as much joy out of playing along to them on the drums. And so you should. From a 64-year old in the UK.
I'm 52 and have been listening to this since I was 7 and playing it,both on drums and guitar, since I was 15....and I still make all those silly faces when I hear it.....truly epic.
Yes Daz. Can't help but be absorbed by this one. Takes over your body!
Your reaction at 12:33 is why I have listened to this tune thousands of times...it’s like a reverse roll...that drum riff puts me into tears it’s so amazing
7:27 alot of Bonham's thing was the way he played Jimmy Page's guitar riffs on the drums
Exactly bro, Bonzo's beats were off the lead AND bass guitar. Mostly off Jimmy.
The Ocean IS Bonham’s drums.
Spot on. So apparent, especially in this song.
Born in the early 60s I've grown up on LZ. My profound appreciation for, yet limited understanding of their musicality from a layman's point of view leaves me in awe of them entirely and always has. Recently i watched another drum teacher/lover/player's reaction to Moby Dick and his "analysis" was that Bonham had the rare ability to use his four points of contact (hands and feet) completely independently of one another and therefore was able to keep all those different times and beat patterns to a point where art meets science in the most amazing way. It was like an epiphany and listening to them/him has become like listening again for the first time. Your thoughts?
I guess I'm gonna say the same thing. How have you not listened to John Bonham! One of the best drummers ever!
I’ve caught up now!
Bonzo's what 22,23 years old and he's that good. That's just crazy!! Got to see them in '77. Thank God!!
This and Subdivisions by Rush are my favorite drum songs of all time. Was grooving to this in the 80's.....still great today...
I watch a lot of black people who have only listened to R and B and Hip-Hop reacting to great rock songs,but this is the best reaction I've seen by someone who knows the inside story to an instrument or vocals.This is awesome!I always listened to this song for the cool funky beat and harmonica,I never focused in on the drums.The beat is so awesome, especially the second half of the song.Really wonderful reaction.
Thank you!
Long time Zep fan here, and I must say - this is far and away *the* best reaction video I've ever seen. Ever-ever. Way to do my boys proud, Andrew!! #wherehaveibeen #filthypocket
Filthy greazzzy pocket indeed...
The recording of the drums on this track is equally as outstanding as the performance. Well worth searching for the making of video.
My favourite Zeppelin song. Metal blues at its best.
Crazy good!
Bonham you are the best
Andrew I've never seen any of your videos before, but I felt like I was right there with you at 5:48.
Love your reaction to what is one of my favorite drumming songs of all time.
I also love playing drums to D'Yer Maker, another Bonham lesson in greatness.
This album was recorded at a house (that most people would call a mansion) that Mick Jagger had recently purchased. The Stones also had commissioned large truck to be outfitted as a total state of the art mobile recording studio with tape machines, mixing consoles, assorted additional electronics, microphones, etc. that could be moved to virtually any location so that they could record any time it suited them, not some studio's schedule. So, the studio truck was moved to Mick's mansion. It had a large circular staircase and the drums were setup right under it. A couple of mics were hung above the drums at different levels and experimented with until the sound wanted was achieved Then Led Zeppelin went to work! ua-cam.com/video/ibW-QShUXeY/v-deo.html
12:30 - 12:33 ish ....how bout that kick pedal work??? I get chills every time I hear it!
🙌
This was a cover of a song from 1929! Some 50 years Zepp completely re-imagined it. (but to put in perspective you really should hear the original)
Zepp turned the most deep felt blues into a glorious monster! How anyone could get from the original to the Zepp version requires genius of the next level!
Wow Phil!
I had no idea. Thanks so much for the great info man
The original was done by Memphis Minnie and Kansas Joe McCoy about the massive Mississippi River flood of 1927. It was the impetus for the massive migration of blacks out of the Deep South in the late 1920s headed north. Kansas Joe McCoy wrote the song about a man who lost his entire family and his home as a result of the flood.
Geek out time. Zeppelin only recorded 2 songs with the drums in the base of the stairwell at Headly Grange, this one and Kashmir. It’s no coincidence that both of those songs have so much space between the beats and players. Bonham’s feel isn’t just limited to the music but to the space as well. He’s simply the best.
Awesome info. Thanks Darryl!
I wasn't aware thet recorded anything else at Headly Grange after IV.
OR they recorded kashmir at same sessions but left it off IV?
@@c.e.anderson558
They went there for some of physical as well. They recorded the rhythm track for Kashmir there.
That myth has been busted by quite a few people now. The location of the recording was at Headley Grange, however, that "space" you speak of was not created by the stairwell. A rather primitive (by today's standards) tape echo was employed in the studio to provide that depth. There are literally dozens of videos on UA-cam that go in-depth on this track.
@@rbilleaud well.. I'd rather go by what the people that were actually there have to say like Page and the engineer Glyn Johns..they both say it had to do with mike placement and being in a large echoey stairwell but if you would rather listen to people that weren't there that think they know so much about 50 years ago..go ahead
The sound of the drums on the recording comes from setting up the drums in the entrance hallway of Headley Grange Manor House. Mics were hung over the staircase. Not just masters of their instruments but also masters at getting the best sound and tones.
Yes I've heard some great stories about the techniques used!
John Bonham invented hip hop with the When The Levee Breaks. The Beastie Boys sampled it, then everyone had a go.
The drums were run through a Binson Echorec. This complimented the natural echo of the high hallway. One slapback echo added on the 8th note. Some dispute on whether it was Jimmy Page or Andy Johns the sound engineer who came up with the idea.
@@centralscrutinizer3871 Yeah there are interviews out there now that debunk the stairwell story. I want to say it was Andy but who knows for sure? Page certainly was just as creative behind the boards as the guitar.
Yeah Jimmy did that...he was ingenious at recording!
This is such an awesome reaction to this incredible song. Your reaction is so genuine. Love it.
The drum kit was actually placed under the stairwell in an English manor when this was recorded giving an eerie echo effect. The almost robotic, and perfect pocket timing is widely considered the best rock drum track ever laid down.
Nonsense.
The echo was done by the recording engineers. So was the back masking on the harmonica.
This track was Zeppelin's most heavily engineered song; which is why it wasn't played live, the sound wasn't reproducible.
@@johnfaulken1951 no, the echo comes from the stairwell. The band members have all said this. That effect was impossible to really replicate live. Despite that they did play the song live on several occasions. There was back masking on the harmonica. Many of their tracks were far more 'produced'. It was about achieving a certain sound. Guys were geniuses imo.
@@victorylane2377 sorry, but that's incorrect.
There's at least one video on UA-cam showing how it was recorded and what delay was used on the drums.
@@johnfaulken1951 oh, a video on you tube? Must be true then.
@@victorylane2377 yes. A video. Made by a producer with a platinum album. With the actual equipment used in the recording. Duplicating the drum sound perfectly.
The producer is Rick Beato, if you actually want to see it, but l bet you'd rather remain ignorant.
"Beautiful, clear even pocket." Love It!
So good to hear the perspective from someone who understands about being behind the kick drum. I don't mind the necessary interrupts as we can all play the track these days but for me I love the education and observation notes you bring to us on this drum line with hi-hat remarks and reactions to the great shaped or 'machine-gun like' drum fills. Bonham really puts it down and gets your attention. A wonderful Led Zeppelin recording and engineered mix originally from 1971.
I missed the Meg Ryan insert on the first view - nice one!
Thanks for uploading - Liked.
YESSSSS
Gotta have that cafe scene insert when it's this good :)
This song has mythical status amongst Zeppelinophiles. Wondering how Bonham got that sound, etc. A lot of things came together perferctly to get this song so right. Obviously one is Bonham, two is the enviornment (aka the stairwell recording) and the third is Page's production. I believe he slowed down the track a bit to give that drum a deeper rumble. They only played this song a couple of times live, I believe, since it was difficult to recreate that groove live.
Paris 1973.
Bonham played the kit in an abandoned Warehouse stairwell for the recording. Never can duplicate the sound live
Can't forget the Binson Echorec.
@@todsharigian9877 No. Was recorded in the stairwell of an old English manor called Headly Grange. Was recorded with echo effect using a Binson Echorec. Also, using a lot of compression on the drum mics ua-cam.com/video/XZYDDX1DHDU/v-deo.html
Great reaction!-Led Zep the greatest band knows all the ways of the soul!-Swing it baby!
Awesome reaction to an epic song! I must say I am jealous, watching you discover Led Zep songs for the first time listening whole way through, You are in for drummer Nirvana when you listen to their whole catalogue. Drums are my favorite instrument and that's why I keep coming back to Bonzo. Simply unmatched. You are in for a treat my friend 😊🥁🥁🎵🎵
Oh I'm LOVING this!