“He is himself”: The drummer who may have been John Bonham’s ultimate influence
John Bonham regarded Ginger Baker as a leading influence because Baker made the drums a forceful, distinctive part of a band’s sound. The article argues that Bonham admired Baker’s originality and independence, while developing his own style rather than copying him.
Baker drew on jazz and African rhythms, used each limb independently and often pushed beyond conventional rock beats, especially in Cream’s extended live performances. Bonham also admired American drummers Earl Palmer and Hal Blaine, according to Bev Bevan, but Baker recalled Bonham saying that British rock had only two top drummers: himself and Baker.
- Bonham admired Baker’s distinctive drumming.
- Baker brought jazz and African rhythms into Cream.
- Bonham also valued American rock and roll drummers.
New here? Start with this
John Bonham was the drummer in Led Zeppelin, a British rock band formed in 1968. Ginger Baker played drums in Cream, another influential British band of the 1960s, whose long live performances gave him room to experiment.
Baker brought ideas from jazz and African music into rock, using different rhythms and making the drums a prominent part of the music. Bonham also listened to American session drummers Earl Palmer and Hal Blaine, and developed a style of his own. Their approaches helped shape how drums could function in rock bands.