Few drummers could dream of matching the powerhouse performances that John Bonham would dish out every time he took to the stage. The mercurial yet unconventional man behind the kit had a reputation for putting every last drop of energy into every single live show, a desire that helped make Led Zeppelin the most formidable live outfit on the planet.
While Led Zeppelin masterfully captured their magnificence on tape for their records, their live shows took it to another level. With a setlist as powerful and dynamic as theirs, Bonham was always in his element, ensuring that every performance was infused with the blood, sweat, and tears he poured into his craft. His energy and commitment elevated each live show, making them unforgettable experiences.
Like any other line of work, there were aspects of performing with Led Zeppelin that Bonham preferred over others. The tracks he enjoyed most were those that allowed him to truly shine as a drummer. Although he never took performing for granted, one song stood out as a particular favourite for Bonham, where he could fully showcase his skills and passion.
Bonham lived for the opportunity to play in front of audiences and treated every concert like it was his last, once noting, “Every gig is important to us. In this business, you can’t afford to become complacent. If you adopt that attitude, you’re dead.”
His bandmates shared this mindset in Led Zeppelin, which is why they were such an unstoppable machine when they stepped on stage. It didn’t matter whether it was at Knebworth or a tiny club show with 50 people in the crowd; they only knew how to go full throttle. Admittedly, Bonham never explicitly picked out a single song as his favourite Led Zeppelin song to play live, but he didn’t need to. The percussionist wasn’t one for really offering his opinion on much, rarely giving interviews, instead keeping himself focused on the music at hand.
However, Bonham was also one of the finest drum soloists of his time, often given the opportunity during performances to deliver extended solos, sometimes lasting up to 30 minutes. This suggests that he likely preferred these solo moments over playing traditional songs, as they allowed him to fully express his creativity and technical prowess.
One song that the shy performer did note as being a joy to play live was ‘Trampled Under Foot’. The track was one of the funkier sections of the group’s 1975 record Physical Graffiti and provided the band with a nuanced setlist when they came to perform it. Bonham was attracted to the funk rhythm, which allowed him to sit within the groove and jam out.
“It’s great for me. Great rhythm for a drummer,” he explained in Led Zeppelin: The Oral History of the World’s Greatest Rock Band. “It’s just at the right pace, and you can do a lot of frills.” Couple this with the sheer joy on Bonham’s face when he’s playing the song compared to others, and you get a pretty clear image of the track being one of his favourites to perform.
As Foo Fighters and Nirvana man Dave Grohl once astutely pointed out, Bonham doesn’t necessarily fit the assumed mould of a drummer who has funk running through their veins, noting, “For a big white man from England, he was pretty funky. It’s a fast-forward funk beat with another machine-gun roll — so quick across the drums. His sense of funk and feel were so natural.”
Though the big man, indeed, had some swaying hips on him, the song’s origination may have something to do with this funky beat. Allegedly, according to bassist John Paul Jones, this track was written after inspiration from the mercurial soulman Stevie Wonder and his iconic song, ‘Superstitious’, which owes to the track’s funky nature.
Speaking as part of the aforementioned book, John Paul Jones explained further about the song’s origination: “I just started playing ‘Trampled Under Foot’ on the clavinet, and [Bonham] came in with this glorious stomp that had this great feel. He could play in front of the beat, and he could play behind it, depending on what was needed. ‘Trampled Under Foot’ had this swagger.”
It’s clear that Bonham took to the song instantly and never really fell out of love with it, enjoying performing the track right up until his very last show. It was a song that he was born to perform, and allowed him to showcase the full spectrum of his broad ability.
When people think of Bonham, his funky side isn’t usually the first attribute that comes to mind. Typically, thoughts drift to his larger-than-life persona and wild energy when he was behind the drum kit. However, as he demonstrated on Trampled Under Foot, Bonham had a funk-filled streak, showcasing his versatility as a true virtuoso who could play the drums in every style imaginable.
