John Bonham - When the Levee Breaks

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John Bonham's drumming in "When the Levee Breaks" is renowned for its iconic sound, captured in the stairwell of Headley Grange. This unique recording location, with its vast, echoing space, contributed significantly to the track's distinctive drum sound. The setup involved placing Bonham's drum kit at the bottom of the stairwell, while microphones were positioned at the top, capturing the reverberation and creating a powerful, expansive sound[1][2][5]. The song, originally written by Kansas Joe McCoy and Memphis Minnie in 1929, was reinterpreted by Led Zeppelin for their fourth album. Bonham's performance, combined with innovative production techniques such as slowing down the tape to achieve a "sludgy" effect, has made "When the Levee Breaks" a legendary recording[2][3]. The track's influence extends beyond rock, with its drum intro being widely sampled in various genres, including hip-hop[2].