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“A standing ovation”: the drummer Phil Collins called “one of the finest”
Phil Collins named Led Zeppelin’s John Bonham as one of the finest drummers he had heard and the first drummer he gave a standing ovation to. The tribute highlights Bonham’s lasting influence on Collins, despite Collins becoming better known for pop music and his work with Genesis.
Collins first saw Bonham before Led Zeppelin, when he was performing with Tim Rose after his time in Band of Joy. He later chose Led Zeppelin’s 1971 recording of ‘When The Levee Breaks’ among his favourite songs, praising its groove, sound and attitude; the article suggests Bonham’s approach influenced the drum sound of Collins’s ‘In The Air Tonight’.
In short
- Collins called John Bonham one of his finest drumming influences.
- Bonham received Collins’s first standing ovation.
- ‘When The Levee Breaks’ remained a key reference point.
Explained simply
John Bonham was the drummer for Led Zeppelin, a British rock band that rose to prominence in the 1970s. He developed a distinctive, powerful drumming style that defined much of the band's music and became influential in rock drumming.
Phil Collins first became well known as the drummer for Genesis before achieving considerable success as a solo pop artist. His career path took him from rock music into lighter, more commercial territory.
Drumming innovations often shape musicians across different eras and styles. Bonham's distinctive approach to drumming proved influential not only to his contemporaries but also to later musicians who pursued quite different musical paths.