Paice vs Bonham. And a hint for creatives.
Why (in my opinion) Ian Paice, a drummer I really like, has not the same relevance in classic rock musicology than John Bonham, whom I consider the ultimate rock drummer? And why is it relevant for Agency creatives?
(Compare here)
Paice has technique, more than Bonham in my opinion, even if Bonham is a terrific drummer. Paice is surgically precise.
Paice has fantasy, he repeats himself less than Bonham does along the years.
Paice has speed, even if it’s a champions race, I think Paice is faster.
What makes Bonham better?
Bonham has “that” thing between innovation and inspiration, the same thing that Led Zeppelin has and Deep Purple is lacking; he has what tells a “classic” from something else.
What’s the lesson for creatives?
- Focus on that “thing”. The rest will be secondary. If you focus on the idea, maybe you won’t gain the top judgement in advertising awards, but people will like it. Plant and Page have out-of-pitch notes on their tracks, but this doesn’t make their records less a classic.
- Try to be the one that the others would copy in the future, not the one who compares himself with the others in the present.
- Don’t be satisfied of the work until the idea is outstanding, not the execution.
- Don’t look for techniques, look for stories.
