“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’.
- 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.