More on re-creating the Gong Kit that John Bonham made famous soon! According to auction notes, when the original Paiste Gong that Bonham played was sold, John’s use of the gong was “inspired by Carmine Appice, drummer with Vanilla Fudge, whom Led Zeppelin supported on their first US concerts in December 1968. Jeff Ocheltree, John's former drum tech recalls in A Thunder Of Drums that ‘...The first Paiste gongs had Chinese caricature letters on them. Later on they had Paiste on them. John knew how to ‘warm up’ the gong with a mallet – and he used it for definite dynamic effect in a couple of tunes, not just for bashing...’” While not a pyromaniac, John Bonham also would set his gong ablaze at the end of his solo in Zeppelin's “Moby Dick.” His roadie Mick Hinton had to set it alight using lighter fluid.   |