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Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich talks Neil Peart, John Bonham on Howard Stern Show

Wed, Sep 16, 2020@8:55AM | comments

UPDATE - 9/21@9:11AM: The Howard Stern Show Facebook page posted some video:

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This past Monday's edition of the Howard Stern Show featured a heated debate between Howard, a caller named Joe, and a few members of the staff on whether Led Zeppelin's John Bonham or Rush's Neil Peart was the better drummer. So on yesterday's show they brought in Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich to help decide the debate. Although Ulrich has a lot of respect for both drummers, he ultimately decided on Bonham as described at HowardStern.com (thanks Timothy D):

... "I've been asked that question on and off for 40 years, it's very hard," ... "No disrespect to Neil but I'll have to go with John Bonham. "When the Levee Breaks" and you know, songs like "All My Love," that's just sort of the blueprint for that pocket that I continue to want to bring to Metallica ... that's just my inspiration."

Leaning on his expertise, Lars further elaborated on Bonzo's drumming on "Levee," an old blues song first recorded by Kansas Joe McCoy and Memphis Minnie in 1929. "That is sort of classic Bonham - the drums are big, thunderous, ambient," he explained. "It's got that kind of sexiness and that groove ... he's in a pocket. "He had a little more weight, he played really heavy ... it just sounds like fucking thunder."

That's not to say the Metallica co-founder doesn't hold Rush's Peart in the highest regard. "You can't have a drum conversation, you know, at any level without being so fucking appreciative of Neil and anything he's done, not just for the instrument but for the community," he said emphatically before sharing a personal story of the first time they met, over the phone in 1984. "I was 20 years old, not a pot to piss in ... I was so intimidated and so awestruck ... Neil was just like a rock god. We spoke 30, 45 minutes on the phone and we're geeking out on drums ... the whole thing was like a fairytale." ...

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