Ranking John Bonham Most Challenging Songs for Drums

[@Fwr942]

Wow, I really really like the improvised Bonham solo. Great job man

[@Pietro.Valente]

Thanks a lot!

[@theabsolute23]

Pretty fun and creative idea, I love the concept of placing a drummer’s songs on a tier list in order of difficulty and analyzing each aspect that makes it so complex. Very fun watch all the way through.

[@Pietro.Valente]

Thanks Jib! Did you have the chance to watch some of my other videos of this type? Which one is your favorite?

[@theabsolute23]

Pietro Valente - Drummer & Composer Glad you asked, I actually went and watched the Mitch Mitchell version right after this one. You earned yourself a sub.

[@Pietro.Valente]

Thanks Jib, I'm very happy to hear this!

[@turnsufficient4971]

Pietro - just found you. Nice work out through all those Bonham beats and movements. You really nailed Bonzo's precision and speed in the solo at the end, while adding your own touch and movements in the solo as well.

[@Pietro.Valente]

Thanks a lot!

[@AlphaLimaXray]

It's all the more astounding that Bonham recorded "Good Times Bad Times" when he was only 20 years old! The first track of Led Zeppelin's debut album established Bonzo as a drumming god, right out of the gate. The great Ginger Baker could've claimed all he wanted to the contrary, but Bonham was superior in every aspect, right from the start. If only he had gotten control of his drinking. 😢 Great job, Pietro. Though I'm surprised "Achilles Last Stand" isn't included among the greatest and most technically challenging Bonham performances.

[@Pietro.Valente]

Thanks! Achilles was one of the hardest to keep out indeed but I needed to include some very famous LZ songs

[@dominik_2026]

Loved the solo at the end! That was pretty cool

[@Pietro.Valente]

Thanks!

[@senorgarcia4071]

I like how you feel rock and roll in 11/8, i like to feel the song by counting on the and of 3 on that first drum hit

[@Pietro.Valente]

Yes but there is only one bar in 11/8 the rest of the song is in 4/4

[@senorgarcia4071]

Pietro Valente - Drummer & Composer yes ofc

[@Pietro.Valente]

@@senorgarcia4071 okok :)

[@septictopix4797]

@@Pietro.Valente LOL the whole thing is in 4/4. That intro does NOT begin on ONE. It starts on the AND of THREE... so you count off one two three.. and then start the intro. You'll see it all falls neatly into place from there. and all in 4/4. It's the same intro as "keep a knockin'" by little richard

[@Pietro.Valente]

Yes you are right, I highlighted the detail in an improper way.

[@rogermalaby9067]

Another great video! I love Led Zeppelin and drums, please keep this series going!

[@Pietro.Valente]

Thanks Roger, I will do my best.

[@passdasalt]

So Good!! Absolutely loved that. I couldn't drum to save my life, but I always loved the drumming on D'yer Mak'er.

[@Pietro.Valente]

Thanks a lot!

[@mikekelly7862]

I've always considered Achilles Last Stand to be quite a formidable drum part... in part because of its length but also, as you mentioned for Immigrant Song, the bass drum on that song is absolutely relentless. I love this format, subbed for sure; and that was a terrific Bonham style solo

[@Pietro.Valente]

Thanks a lot Mike! Achilles Last Stand was one I had to very painfully cut from this top 10.

[@dominik_2026]

It’s probably the hardest zepplin song I know how to play. It’s 10 minutes of fast paced heavy bass drum drumming. I’m surprised its not on this list.

[@Pietro.Valente]

@@dominik_2026 yeah, I actually love the song myself but there some very famous and iconic song that you just cannot cut. As I said: painful

[@1504Shawn]

@@Pietro.Valente What is the level of Achilles Last Stand drums?

[@Pietro.Valente]

@@1504Shawn It's a tough song I would say an A tier level 43

[@hp2823]

I think stuff like in my time of dying deserves to make this list

[@Pietro.Valente]

It's definitely a great Led Zeppelin song with interesting and complex drums too but in a top 10 I needed to include some very famous and iconic songs...for sure a great struggle.

[@TheGunnCat]

Fill one of part three has always been a favorite fill for me.

[@Jimigunneful]

Just amazing!

[@Pietro.Valente]

Thanks a lot!

[@chraffis]

It's been said before in this comment section but it bears repeating: WOW! Really good job. It's rare to hear player that has his chops AND the right feel. 🙏

[@Pietro.Valente]

Thank you very much!

[@Jerry-id5sr]

That moby dick improvised solo sounded just like something he would play great work man keep it up

[@Pietro.Valente]

Thanks Jerry!

[@WW_940]

What a wonderful drumming! 👏👏👏👏🤘🥁❤️

[@sarojaband4664]

The Song Remains the Same, Carouselambra, How Many More Times. Thank you for the Bonzo analysis.

[@Pietro.Valente]

Thanks!

[@feistyvillain7308]

Love these tier list videos, great content :3

[@Pietro.Valente]

Thanks, I will upload more!

[@Robgrguitar]

You're a great drummer dude

[@Pietro.Valente]

Thanks Rob!

[@naiyalexic]

Kashmir is one of my favorites. Thanks for posting / doing this.

[@Pietro.Valente]

Thanks for watching! How did you find the video?

[@Superdeanmiller]

Great job!

[@Pietro.Valente]

Thanks!

[@derekd.4156]

How many more times is such a fun song to drum to

[@VikingaBlodSverige]

Feels like you just strange stuff on the drums on the solo... in other words Well done! Spot on!!!

[@Pietro.Valente]

Thanks, improvising solos is one of my favorite things to do on drums

[@timgawertdrums]

Great playing man!

[@Pietro.Valente]

Thanks Tim!

[@ManilaSoundClips]

Kickass drumming 👍!! Great job. Led Zeppelin 🤘🏿

[@Pietro.Valente]

Rock & Roll! Thanks!

[@stanislav182000]

fill 1 in Stairway to Heaven sonds really cool in the song

[@aglees2b]

That Moby Dick solo was nuts!

[@Pietro.Valente]

Andrew, actually I'm not sure about the exact meaning of "was nuts" does it mean good or bad?

[@aglees2b]

@@Pietro.Valente good, very good

[@Pietro.Valente]

@@aglees2b Ah ok thanks! :)

[@Eiladel]

Great Video! I agree with your list, however I think Four Sticks is by far the hardest bonham song I've been trying to perfect. So many variations and grooves you can apply to that african vibe/beat, one of my favourite songs to play regarding vibe when all your grooves/notes allign perfectly, and the best song in my opinion where you can apply improvisation. Great video though!

[@Pietro.Valente]

Thanks, four sticks it's really tough

[@kevindoherty8224]

Awesome. So the most difficult drum song was the first cut on the first album?

[@Pietro.Valente]

Yeah! Crazy right?

[@robertthompson5568]

When I was a teenager, (the 80s 😲) I would hear "Black Dog" and think that it was a mistake...😆 I've been messing with "Fool in the Rain" for a long time. You killed it on "Good Times Bad Times"...how long have you been playing the drums bro? (You are CRAZY GOOD) Do you offer Skype/Zoom lessons? 💲💲💲💰💰💰

[@Pietro.Valente]

Hey Robert, thanks a lot! I play since I was 8 (now I'm 38). I'm a professional musician since 15 years. Yes I offer online lessons, contact me on my Facebook page or via email: www.pietrovalente.com/contacts/

[@sweetleaf9668]

Whole Lotta Love!

[@Pietro.Valente]

Top!

[@digletttexano678]

Nice drumming

[@Pietro.Valente]

Thanks!

[@calaverx11]

Where would "When The Levee Breaks" rank on this list? I feel like that would be D or E, it's a pretty straightforward groove.

[@Pietro.Valente]

Yes, it's not difficult a D tier, even easier than Kashmir it would be level 22.

[@truonggiangnguyen4660]

hey Pietro what do you think of In My Time Of Dying, where will the song sit in your tier list?

[@Pietro.Valente]

That song is quite tricky for the structure and requires a decent technique. I'd say high B tier, minimum level 39.

[@truonggiangnguyen4660]

@@Pietro.Valente thanks! awesome video by the way

[@Pietro.Valente]

Thanks 😊

[@chrisbot18]

I feel like out on the tiles is very underrated when it comes to the drums

[@Pietro.Valente]

That's a great song! Here I chose to focus on famous pieces but I would need to do a top 50 to give justice to all the gems of this band!

[@chrisbot18]

Pietro Valente - Drummer & Composer I’d be interested to see JPJ’s list!

[@Pietro.Valente]

It would be great but I'm not a bassist, my idea is to have some collabs in the future with other musicians to do videos in my style in this channel. Let's see if I will be able to do that!

[@Pietro.Valente]

@@chrisbot18 Yes that would be great but I will need to collab with a bass player. I want to do that in the future but I need to get my audience to grow first.

[@DannyGadish]

my dude, great timing but ya gotta play the ghost notes man. And rimshots, it's all about that backbeat

[@Pietro.Valente]

I did play the ghost in Whole Lotta Love. You mean in that song or another?

[@DannyGadish]

@@Pietro.Valente well that song actually has a lot more ghost notes. But actually every Led Zeppelin song has ghost notes, they were part of John Bonham's groove, and be also played rimshots on the snare. Check the KZbin channel called Bonhamology

[@Pietro.Valente]

@@DannyGadish I played rimshot snare in every groove...

[@DannyGadish]

@@Pietro.Valente barely, you gotta really nail into the rim more. Have you ever seen videos of Bonham playing?

[@Pietro.Valente]

@@DannyGadish Of course I saw him, you are right he's smashing the drums. Look, I don't presume I can play like him I'm just showing his rhythms.

[@royboy4213]

How about The Crunge?

[@Pietro.Valente]

Great song! It would be high A tier with focus on timing and coordination

[@royboy4213]

I do want to thank you though for putting the stuff with John Bonham, as we know it will be 43 years since we lost the biggest inspiration to drummers of this era.

[@Pietro.Valente]

@@royboy4213 my pleasure!

[@blueburnsred]

Great video but I disagree with Rock N Roll being so low. I think that song is around Immigrant Song level because it is also just relentless with the hands. Definitely requires A LOT of stamina to be able to play.

[@Pietro.Valente]

Your consideration make sense actually, may be Rock and Roll could be in B tier but they have just 4 level difference anyway. I feel in general that with hands you can handle better the stamina because you can distribute the effort in more muscles than feet.

[@Frodojack]

I was thinking that "Poor Tom" would be a top tier drum tune.

[@Pietro.Valente]

Yes, Indeed it's a tough tune for drums.

[@Frodojack]

@@Pietro.Valente By the way, I just subscribed to both of your channels. I love the tier ratings of drummers and hope to see more in the future. Would love to see Mike Portnoy, Joey Jordison, Billy Cobham, Gene Krupa, Steve Gadd, Dave Lombardo, etc. in tier lists. Wish you the best for your drum course.

[@Pietro.Valente]

Thanks! I'm working on a Phil Collins video which is going to be online soon. Thanks for the suggestion, some of these drummers are already on my list. It will take time though

[@robertthompson5568]

You should do Tim Alexander! You might actually be able to replicate "Eleven"...🥁🔥🤔

[@Pietro.Valente]

I have other drummers in my list but if the series goes on I may do a video about Tim. Would you want to suggest this song in my challenge video? kzbin.info/www/bejne/aHKVZ4WLhsdjiJI

[@ohboi9578]

Where would the Lemon Song go?

[@Pietro.Valente]

It would be a C tier level 32

[@robertromanski43]

YOU MIGHT WANNA WORK ON THE ENDING TO ROCK N ROLL

[@royboy4213]

On Dazed and Confused his triplets in the fast part are done with cross-overs.

[@Pietro.Valente]

ok, thanks!

[@רבידאהרןגבעון]

You have a teaching you tube videos?

[@Pietro.Valente]

Not really, but I do online lessons if you are interested

[@רבידאהרןגבעון]

O.k

[@kenbelke8549]

4 sticks????

[@Pietro.Valente]

Do you refer to a drum part he plays?

[@kenbelke8549]

The song 4 sticks was recorded using 2 sets of 2 drum sticks at the same time and was so difficult to time in and stay there that the band didnt play it live.....

[@Pietro.Valente]

@@kenbelke8549 Oh ok I got it, I will check it out thanks.

[@brunomontoya1448]

I think you played rock and roll wrong. I think that the snare is played in 8th notes. 3 are ghost and the 3rd note is played louder.

[@Pietro.Valente]

Yes, someone in the comments told me that, indeed it should be way higher in the tier list.

[@albitcapinigro1107]

You missed the Wonton Song.

[@Pietro.Valente]

There are som many LZ songs! 😄

[@Melodicblue42]

Ok...settle this once and for all. Of the following 3 rock drummers, whos the BEST? Ginger Baker, Neil Peart, or John Bonham?

[@Pietro.Valente]

They are all great, which one is you favorite?

[@Melodicblue42]

I didn't listen much to Cream but did watch a Ginger Baker documentary. Was raised more on Rush and Zeppelin and recognize the difficulty of both of their drumming. But im leaning towards Neil Peart. Maybe its because of the elaborate set up of drums. It just LOOKS more impressive. But i love Zeppelin and have to admit that the songs are super complicated as far as drumming and when you listen closely the drumming skills blow you away if you know anything at all about drums. My heart says Peart, but its close between the 2. If you took a kid with raw talent, and as he progressed, which drummer would it be more difficult for the kid to emulate? Im not sure

[@goldenostrichman]

Bill Bruford

[@Melodicblue42]

@@goldenostrichman never heard of him

[@Pietro.Valente]

@@Melodicblue42 Ok this is a good argumentation and I think the kid would be more in trouble to properly nail Bonham parts, they may be less cmplex in the appearance but they are technically really more difficult. But you need to consider that in the last 30 years the music level rose a lot so if you want to find tough staff you should look into nowadays music, let me show you an example: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gpC7e5Kpaq6mh8U

[@thomasdudley4558]

Ok mate no link to those Italian drummers but be your own judge look up the yu tube bands circus 200. An ill mario de shivano oh request lee.kerslake uk drummer ozz y uriah heep gods ...

[@aaroncunningham1280]

Good video but rock and roll is wrong as he plays constant accented 8th note ghost notes on the snare the whole way through. Jimmy Page even said that was one of the most challenging beats he played and Jason Bonham struggled during the 2007 gig

[@Pietro.Valente]

Interesting, I didn't notice that in the recording, how do you know?

[@aaroncunningham1280]

Pietro Valente - Drummer & Composer I read an interview where Jimmy Page had talked about it and also saw some instructional videos. It is difficult enough to hear it on the recording but watch the video linked below then listen again and you’ll hear it! kzbin.info/www/bejne/pInIeKqjad-IpLM Link below shows it explained towards the end. m.licklibrary.com/store/Product/46236 This is the DVD I first saw it on but can’t find any clips on KZbin unfortunately

[@Pietro.Valente]

@@aaroncunningham1280 Thank you very much! It's very cool!

[@aaroncunningham1280]

Pietro Valente - Drummer & Composer No problem, and good drumming man

[@ryanb9873]

I can't tell if this is a joke or what?

[@Pietro.Valente]

It's just a style of video, my whole channel is like this but I can tell you that the drum parts and the stats are no joke!

[@Feldi1701]

Bad Grooves...No comparison to Bonham.