News The one classic Led Zeppelin song John Bonham Disliked: “He thought it was really boring”
During the early days of Led Zeppelin, all four members were singing from the same hymn sheet and felt a gravitational pull toward the same direction. However, as they discovered, it’s impossible to keep that up forever. Naturally, tastes change and develop over the years, making it incredibly rare for members to stay on the same page creatively.
As a method for stopping creative differences from causing a breakup, members typically form side projects to scratch their new itch. However, Led Zeppelin refrained from committing to anything outside of the band, and by the end of their chapter, all four had to accept the art of compromise.
Even drummer John Bonham, who had a reputation for being stern and seeing music in a certain way, had to accept musical choices that he didn’t find stimulating. Nevertheless, for the sake of a harmonious atmosphere within Led Zeppelin, he was prepared to accept not everything they released would be to his taste.
While most of their material received the support of Bonham, there was one song he felt incredibly strongly against. Although he was a musical chameleon, capable of aptly turning his hand to various styles, the drummer was left aghast by a track that he believed took things too far.
Throughout their spellbinding career, Bonham proved countless times that he was up for the challenge regarding new musical stylings. If he was playing on a track, Bonham wanted to be at the beating heart of their sound and prove his powerhouse credentials.
On Led Zeppelin’s fifth album, Houses of the Holy, released in 1973, they expanded further upon their sound and unexpectedly flirted with reggae on ‘D’yer Maker’. While the track isn’t a fully-fledged reggae track, the title is inspired by Jamaica and sees Led Zeppelin take flight into new territory.
The divisive track is far from Led Zeppelin’s best work and represents a rare misstep in their discography. ‘D’yer Maker’ proves that even the best bands can have their off days, and achieving perfection with every attempt is a near-impossible task.
Although Bonham held a progressive approach to music, appreciating almost every genre on the planet, reggae was always a source of contention for the drummer.
Bonham’s former bandmate John Paul Jones confessed in Chris Welch’s biography, John Bonham: A Thunder of Drums: “John was interested in everything except jazz and reggae. He didn’t hate jazz but he hated playing reggae – he thought it was really boring.”
Considering reggae was the only genre completely off-limits to Bonham, it would have been reasonable for Led Zeppelin to refuse to explore this sonic avenue. However, on ‘D’yer Maker’, he was forced to bite his tongue and follow the democratic decision made by his bandmates.
Although Bonham played on the track, he did so through gritted teeth. With the benefit of hindsight, Led Zeppelin may have been better off employing a session musician to play on ‘D’yer Maker’ as Bonham put in a deliberately lacklustre performance that sabotaged the recording.
“He wouldn’t play anything but the same shuffle beat all the way through it,” Jones explained.
The bassist also claimed that Bonham “hated” the song, noting, “It would have been all right if he had worked at the part, [but] he wouldn’t, so it sounded dreadful.”
Bonham wasn’t alone in having reservations about the track, and Jones shared his perspective on the slower number. However, unlike the drummer, he still put his heart and soul into ‘D’yer Maker’. Nevertheless, Jones added, “The whole point of reggae is that the drums and bass really have to be very strict about what they play.”
Unsurprisingly, considering the friction ‘D’yer Maker’ caused within Led Zeppelin’s camp, they never once played the song live during a show. Their decision speaks volumes about their collective opinion on the track, and in all likelihood, Bonham would have reacted furiously if his bandmates proposed the notion.
Ultimately, ‘D’Yer Maker’ lacks the special ingredient that made Led Zeppelin an irresistible force and the world’s premier rock band. Bonham’s performance on the song is ordinary, a word that isn’t regularly associated with the drummer. His heart simply wasn’t in it, which showed in his contribution to the recording.
