THE CURRENT EDITION OF DRUM MAGAZINE JANUARY 2010 HAS A PHOTO OF WHICH HAS BEEN SHOWN MANY TIMES BEFORE, BUT JOHN BONHAMS 1ST NEW YARDBIRDS KIT IS A SLINGERLAND RADIO KING KIT GIVEN TO HIM FROM THE ORIGINAL DRUMMER FROM THE ORIGINAL YARDBIRDS DRUMMER JIM MCCARTY, IT WAS ALSO THE KIT HE RECORDED THE 1ST ZEP ALBUM WITH, TAKE A LOOK AT SOME ZEP HISTORY IN THE CURRENT DRUM MAGAZINE.Bowing HERE IS ANOTHER STORY ABOUT BONZO, I GOT TO MEET JOHN PAUL JONES AT MERLE FEST 3 YEARS AGO, AND WAS ABLE TO TALK TO HIM FOR 20 MINUTES, I ALSO COLLECT VINTAGE GUITARS ETC, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT A LOAR MANDOLIN HIGH DOLLAR INSTRUMENT!!, I BROUGHT UP BONZO, HE TOLD ME AND A BUD ABOUT A STORY WE HAD HEARD AND BONZO, COMING UP WITH THE 4 STICKS RYTHEM, BONHAM AND GINGER BAKER HAD BEEN OUT DRINKING SOME PINTS AND BAKER STARTED IN ON BONHAM ABOUT GINGER BEING THE BEST BLOODY ROCK DRUMMER, IT GOT BONZO BENT OUT OF SHAPE, PAGE AND PLANT ARE WORKING ON SOME STUFF AT THE STUDIO, ALL OF A SUDDEN THE STUDIO COMES FLYING OPEN, BONZO DRUNK AND MAD GRABS TWO PAIRS OF STICKS AND STARTS TO LAY DOWN THE 4 STICKS RYTHEM, PAGE AND PLANT LOOK STUNNED, AND BONHAMS REPLY IS I'LL SHOW THAT BLOODY BAKER A THING OR TWO, PAGE HITS THE RECORD BUTTON WHILE BONHAM IS PLAYN AWAY,
John Bonhams 1st Drum Kit With The New Yardbirds
i wonder what recording it was.....and also it would be great to know what these great drummers preferred (in drum brands) other than the ones they sponsered by.
It was the entire zep 1 album,, Jumping2
Very cool! I've seen the pics of the kit before, but are you sure they were Radio Kings? The lugs on the Slingerland drums I've see in the pics were later 50's-onward Sound King lugs, so technically wouldn't they be the more modern Slingerlands rather than the Radio Kings from the 30's and 40's? Either way they are/were great sounding drums.....
Technically your correct, but i ain't arguing with john paul jones over it, and his comment was my memory has dulled over the years
i wonder what recording it was.....and also it would be great to know what these great drummers preferred (in drum brands) other than the ones they sponsered by.
vintagemore 2000 beat me to it...After the first Zeppelin record, it's all Ludwig for John Henry Bonham.
I just wanted to add that John Bonham got his Ludwig endorsement from Carmine Appice (which will not shock anyone on this site). On Zeppelin's first tour they opened up for the Vanilla Fudge and it took Carmine 5 seconds to realize the greatness of this new band. Carmine hooks up Bonham with Ludwig and gets the same exact kit that Carmine was playing. The funny part of this is that Led Zeppelin would play their set, tear down the gear, and then, the Vanilla Fudge crew would set up the same exact drumset. It's the late 60's, so, this must have "tripped out" many people in the audience.
"Woah, I thought they took that drumset down, but, it's right there, man!"
My first kit, 1983 Ludwig Rocker? (it has the classic lugs and 4ply maple shell) 22,12,13,16 ..now in black oyster pearl. I still have it
Stop Sign USA Gretsch (80's), black nitron jasper shell 22,12,13,16
1995 Fibes Austin,Texas Badge (original owner) 22,10,12,16,18 in natural wood
USA 2007 Rosewood Gretsch 22,13,16 w/12inch 70's Rosewood Gretsch tom
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