Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven” is considered one of the greatest rock songs of all-time — an epic multi-movement masterpiece that clocks in at a whopping eight minutes in length.
Though it’s not the first thing that comes to mind when “Stairway” is mentioned, John Bonham’s controlled and tempered drumming is foundational to the song’s arrangement — as Drumeo highlighted in a new deep dive video.
In the informative clip, Drumeo host Brandon Toews and a couple famous drummers walk viewers through Bonzo’s mechanics and playing techniques on “Stairway,” with Toews playing through the arrangement to shine a spotlight on the kit-work specifically.
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For example, Toews breaks down the subtleties of Bonzo’s playing during specific parts — such as when he accents the guitar riffs with the tom drums during the famously odd-timed bridge, a part that stumps even a virtuoso like Dream Theater’s Mike Portnoy.
“To this day, I don’t know how to count the setup to the guitar solo,” Portnoy said in the clip. “Bonham had this knack for making really strange things feel so natural. ‘What is it? Where is the one? Where is the feel?’ … You finally get it, and then he changes it [mimes drum fill]. Just when you think you knew where it was going, it goes some place completely different. And that’s the beauty. John Bonham was just a king.”
From there, Toews dives into Bonham’s iconic drum fills, including the “flam fill,” and his rolling rhythms during Jimmy Page’s solo and the song’s climactic final movement.
Other drummers who appear in the video praising Bonham’s skills include Phil Collins and his son Nic, Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Chad Smith, Arctic Monkeys’ Matt Helders, and more.
John Bonham landed at No. 1 on Consequence‘s list of the 100 Best Drummers of All Time. If you’re looking to pick up the drums or improve your skills, Drumeo is offering a 30-day free trial for new members.
Check out Drumeo’s full “Stairway to Heaven” drum breakdown video below.
Content shared from consequence.net.