# Why did led zeppelin drummer john bonham only use one rack tom drum **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 3, 2014, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-led-zeppelin-drummer-john-bonham-only-use-one-rack-tom-drum/703425 "2014-11-03T05:53:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sara20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e79b87/32.png) [@sara20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sara20)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-led-zeppelin-drummer-john-bonham-only-use-one-rack-tom-drum/703425/1 "2014-11-03T05:53:41Z")
Most drummers use 2 rack tom drums attached to the bass drum, in fact most drum kits come standard with 2 rack toms, john bonham used only one rack tom, anyone know why? ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-led-zeppelin-drummer-john-bonham-only-use-one-rack-tom-drum/703425/2 "2014-11-03T06:53:34Z")
It was the standard old-school way, so besides personal preference, maybe he was just being old-fashioned. ---
**Author:** ![installLSC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/54ee81/32.png) [@installLSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/installLSC)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-led-zeppelin-drummer-john-bonham-only-use-one-rack-tom-drum/703425/3 "2014-11-03T06:56:11Z")
Bonham made no secret of his love of soul music (he was heavily influenced by Al Jackson of Booker T. and the MGs), where drumming was traditionally based around the groove rather than complex drumming. Very few early R&B drummers had fancy setups and that appeled to Bonham. As he put it in "John Bonham: The Powerhouse Behind Led Zeppelin > [@](#): > > I think that feeling is a lot more important than technique. It’s all very well doing a triple paradiddle - but who’s going to know you’ve done it? If you play technically you sound like everybody else. It’s being original that counts. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-led-zeppelin-drummer-john-bonham-only-use-one-rack-tom-drum/703425/4 "2014-11-03T12:47:49Z")
Moved MPSIMS --\> Cafe Society. ---
**Author:** ![SykoSkotty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@SykoSkotty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SykoSkotty)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-led-zeppelin-drummer-john-bonham-only-use-one-rack-tom-drum/703425/5 "2014-11-03T14:58:35Z")
He used the exact same set up as Buddy Rich - one of JB’s idols. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-led-zeppelin-drummer-john-bonham-only-use-one-rack-tom-drum/703425/6 "2014-11-03T17:08:23Z")
He wasn’t really unique in that respect. I’ve played with two drummers who don’t use any rack toms. Snare, high hat, kick, floor tom and a ride/crash combo was their complete set. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-led-zeppelin-drummer-john-bonham-only-use-one-rack-tom-drum/703425/7 "2014-11-03T17:58:42Z")
> [@voltaire](#): > > It was the standard old-school way, so besides personal preference, maybe he was just being old-fashioned. I forget his name and can’t be buggered to look it up, but Santana’s drummer at Woodstock 69 only had one rack mounted tom. That’s all Ringo Starr used too. For some drummers, a high hat, ride, and a crash are all the cymbals they want also. Different strokes, you know? ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-led-zeppelin-drummer-john-bonham-only-use-one-rack-tom-drum/703425/8 "2014-11-03T18:26:52Z")
Yeah, one rack tom is actually pretty common to this day and has been for ages - in rock as well as soul and jazz. A lot of drummers feel like if you’re good and creative enough, one rack tom should be enough to do everything you want. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-led-zeppelin-drummer-john-bonham-only-use-one-rack-tom-drum/703425/9 "2014-11-03T19:44:46Z")
> [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > I forget his name and can’t be buggered to look it up, but Santana’s drummer at Woodstock 69 only had one rack mounted tom. [Michael Shrieve](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Shrieve). Easily my favorite Santana drummer. [In all his glory](http://vimeo.com/63053717). ---
**Author:** ![Subterraneanus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Subterraneanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Subterraneanus)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-led-zeppelin-drummer-john-bonham-only-use-one-rack-tom-drum/703425/10 "2014-11-03T19:52:31Z")
> [@installLSC](#): > > Bonham made no secret of his love of soul music (he was heavily influenced by Al Jackson of Booker T. and the MGs), where drumming was traditionally based around the groove rather than complex drumming. Very few early R&B drummers had fancy setups and that appeled to Bonham. As he put it in "John Bonham: The Powerhouse Behind Led Zeppelin It’s ironic then that JB couldn’t play soul to save his life, unless you consider his ham-fisted bludgeoning of the drums “soulful.” I don’t. His attempts at reggae are just as awkward and irritating, IMO. Benny Benjamin, please. ---
**Author:** ![Lukeinva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lukeinva/32/17872_2.png) [@Lukeinva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lukeinva)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-led-zeppelin-drummer-john-bonham-only-use-one-rack-tom-drum/703425/11 "2014-11-03T19:57:21Z")
> [@sara20](#): > > Most drummers use 2 rack tom drums attached to the bass drum, in fact most drum kits come standard with 2 rack toms, john bonham used only one rack tom, anyone know why? Actually… there is just one rack (mounted) tom in your basic drum set. [Buddy Rich](https://www.google.com/search?q=buddy+rich&biw=1280&bih=883&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=l91XVIvwCfOIsQTOpoKwBA&sqi=2&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAg#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=UgcV1nFCvoOJEM%253A%3BjvD0u0E0DMg2tM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fimg177.imageshack.us%252Fimg177%252F9422%252Fbuddyrich1zr1.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.pinterest.com%252Fpin%252F509399407824122285%252F%3B482%3B572) (best drummer who ever breathed) used only one mounted tom, and two floor toms. Comes down to personal preference. ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-led-zeppelin-drummer-john-bonham-only-use-one-rack-tom-drum/703425/12 "2014-11-03T20:56:03Z")
> [@Subterraneanus](#): > > It’s ironic then that JB couldn’t play soul to save his life, unless you consider his ham-fisted bludgeoning of the drums “soulful.” I don’t. His attempts at reggae are just as awkward and irritating, IMO. Benny Benjamin, please. Yeah - as a drummer, I’ve never been a big fan of Bonham’s style (“ham-fisted” pretty much encapsulates it); there’s really no comparison between him and Benny Benjamin (it’s like comparing Tommy Lee to Clyde Stubblefield - fans of hard rock aren’t even going to understand why anyone would prefer Clyde). But I will give him props for “Fool in the Rain” at least, which is the closest he ever came to swinging, and somewhat of a departure from his general style. ---
**Author:** ![Club\_33](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@Club\_33](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Club_33)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-led-zeppelin-drummer-john-bonham-only-use-one-rack-tom-drum/703425/13 "2014-11-04T04:05:03Z")
> [@Subterraneanus](#): > > It’s ironic then that JB couldn’t play soul to save his life, unless you consider his ham-fisted bludgeoning of the drums “soulful.” I don’t. His attempts at reggae are just as awkward and irritating, IMO. Benny Benjamin, please. This seems like a pretty unfair criticism. It’s like criticizing Max Roach for his double-bass skills. Bonham wouldn’t have compared his playing to Benjamin, although he probably adored Benjamin’s playing like most good drummers do. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-led-zeppelin-drummer-john-bonham-only-use-one-rack-tom-drum/703425/14 "2014-11-04T05:04:01Z")
> [@Tamerlane](#): > > [Michael Shrieve](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Shrieve). Easily my favorite Santana drummer. [In all his glory](http://vimeo.com/63053717). He had only that one mounted tom, but he made excellent use of it. I noticed he also played the snare drum there with the snares turned off, an effect I like. It effectively converts it into a sort of higher-pitched tom. Why was his left eye squinty? Did something get in it? ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-led-zeppelin-drummer-john-bonham-only-use-one-rack-tom-drum/703425/15 "2014-11-04T06:00:34Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > Why was his left eye squinty? Did something get in it? Presumably, but I’ve never heard that explained. If it we were still back in 2011 you could have bought his entire Woodstock kit for [350k](http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270826634336#ht_18970wt_1332) ;). ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-led-zeppelin-drummer-john-bonham-only-use-one-rack-tom-drum/703425/16 "2014-11-04T13:07:42Z")
> [@woodstockbirdybird](#): > > Yeah - as a drummer, I’ve never been a big fan of Bonham’s style (“ham-fisted” pretty much encapsulates it); there’s really no comparison between him and Benny Benjamin (it’s like comparing Tommy Lee to Clyde Stubblefield - fans of hard rock aren’t even going to understand why anyone would prefer Clyde). But I will give him props for “Fool in the Rain” at least, which is the closest he ever came to swinging, and somewhat of a departure from his general style. Huh. I must say, I’m very surprised by this. I wouldn’t call Bonham’s style ham-fisted at all. His style was powerful, but filled his parts with nuances, little ghost notes all over the place, cool triplet licks, a galloping right foot, groovy behind-the-beat playing, etc. And maybe we have different definitions for “swing,” but, for a rock drummer, he swings like a motherfucker. Few rockers can hold down a groove like him. I dunno, when I hear “Kashmir” I always think to myself, how can a drummer make a simple boring beat like swing? ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-led-zeppelin-drummer-john-bonham-only-use-one-rack-tom-drum/703425/17 "2014-11-04T14:13:33Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Huh. I must say, I’m very surprised by this. I wouldn’t call Bonham’s style ham-fisted at all. His style was powerful, but filled his parts with nuances, little ghost notes all over the place, cool triplet licks, a galloping right foot, groovy behind-the-beat playing, etc. And maybe we have different definitions for “swing,” but, for a rock drummer, he swings like a motherfucker. Few rockers can hold down a groove like him. I dunno, when I hear “Kashmir” I always think to myself, how can a drummer make a simple boring beat like swing? Yeah, I thought about commenting on this, too. I figured that you, **woodstockbirdybird** , were pretty clear on your POV about Bonzo, though, so I wasn’t going to try to change your mind ;). But yeah, pretty much everything that **pulykamell** says… ---
**Author:** ![randwill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@randwill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randwill)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-led-zeppelin-drummer-john-bonham-only-use-one-rack-tom-drum/703425/18 "2014-11-04T17:52:16Z")
The change to drum kits I always notice since my drumming days is that hardly anybody has the tom mounted to the bass drum anymore. It is always on its own stand like the snare. I always wonder why. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-led-zeppelin-drummer-john-bonham-only-use-one-rack-tom-drum/703425/19 "2014-11-04T19:16:45Z")
> [@randwill](#): > > The change to drum kits I always notice since my drumming days is that hardly anybody has the tom mounted to the bass drum anymore. It is always on its own stand like the snare. I always wonder why. An actual drummer my happen by with the actual answer, but I think it’s because the mounting has become universal on them, and it’s a lot sturdier than mounting them on the bass drum. (I own a drum set, but I don’t pretend to be a drummer.)