John Bonham

Modern Drummer is the world’s most widely read drum magazine, is dedicated entirely to the art of drumming and caters to the needs of amateur, semi-pro, and professional drummers.

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Led Zeppelin “Hots On For Nowhere” drummer John Bonham

This month, we take a step back in time to spotlight one of the all-time great drummers, John Bonham. What more can be said about him that hasn’t already been covered? Our song of choice is “Hots On for Nowhere”…

Transcription by Marc Atkinson
Nov 1, 2024

John Bonham Elected to Hall of Fame in 1981

Excerpted from the John Bonham tribute issue, July 1984 John Bonham played, for the most part, a very simple drumkit, consisting of a 14×26 bass drum, a 12×15 small tom—at first mounted on a snare stand and later on the…

Story by T. Bruce Wittet
Jan 10, 2022

What Song Are You Working on Now?

“Metropolis—Part I” by Dream Theater .@ptrlcc “Chemical Warfare” by Slayer .@nickkcuevas “Hemispheres” by Rush . The first section is so tough on the hi-hat.@mconrad332 “Around the World” by the Red Hot Chili Peppers .@_rywill22 “Just like Heaven” by the Cure…

Modern Drummer
Sep 1, 2020

What Was Your First Favorite Drum Record?

Vivid by Living Colour. Will Calhoun plays masterfully and with tons of power. It was perfect: playable but loaded with nuance.Scott Sparks Manu Katché on Peter Gabriel’s Secret World Live. I was around five, and it just blew my mind.…

Modern Drummer
Aug 1, 2020

BJ Miller with Health

Since answering a drummer-wanted Craigslist ad that listed influences from Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath to Public Image Ltd. and Can, BJ Miller has proven the ideal rhythm generator for his band. TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS…

Modern Drummer
Nov 25, 2019
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Talking About Our Generations

A teaser of the momentous drumming from 1969 that our October issue explores—and a chat with the Flaming Lips' Steven Drozd about some of his favorite music from the era.

by Adam Budofsky
Aug 26, 2019

Star Power

History tells us that the first drum star was Gene Krupa.

Modern Drummer
Jun 28, 2019

What’s Your Favorite John Bonham Performance?

In this month’s Rock ’n’ Jazz Clinic, the drummer and educator Powell Randolph explores a classic John Bonham foot pattern. In keeping with the “Bonzo” theme, we were curious to find out from our readers and social media followers which…

Modern Drummer
Jul 31, 2018

Must-Know Grooves - Demystifying the Half-Time Shuffle

This month we’re tackling a groove that has confounded drummers for more than forty years: The half-time shuffle. This groove’s ghost note placement has been a mystery to many drummers since legends such as Bernard Purdie, John Bonham, and Jeff…

by Jim Riley
Jul 31, 2018

John Bonham

Perhaps you live in a town to which the Led Zeppelin movie The Song Remains The Same comes once every few weeks for the midnight showing. The audience at such events is a rough cross section of Led Zeppelin fans,…

by T. Bruce Wittet
Jun 28, 2018

The 50 Greatest Drummers of All Time

Whose playing endures through the decades? Whose music do we reach for when we want new ideas? When we want to practice? When we want to laugh? Who inspires and delights us most? TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO…

Entries written by Adam Budofsky, Michael Dawson, and Michael Parillo
Feb 1, 2018

The History Of Rock Drumming Part V

The '70s were a drummers smorgasbord. TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS LOG IN

by Scott K. Fish
Oct 13, 2017
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Favorite 1960s Drum Tracks?

As we were taking a look back at some of the most iconic drummers and performances of 1967 for this month’s cover feature, we wanted to find out which tracks our readers and social media followers felt marked the greatest…

Reader Responses
May 31, 2017

John Bonham In Retrospect

Without doubt, the dominating force in heavy metal rock during the entire decade of the 1970's was Led Zeppelin. John Bonham led the way with his wildly enthusiastic style, both on stage and in the studio. His syncopated but rock…

Modern Drummer
Mar 20, 2017
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