And somehow, I ended up on the stage at the first place I saw a rock concert – Madison Square Garden – on Neil’s drum set.

I’ve played the drums since the third grade, and I was exposed to Rush around seventh grade, probably from hearing Tom Sawyer on the radio. It blew me away! I went out and got Moving Pictures and was blown away by Neil’s style. I was already into Zeppelin, KISS, Aerosmith…but there was something about his playing. The technical side, how focused it was, and how even though there was a lot of drumming going on, everything seemed to have a reason and a purpose within the band.

In eighth grade, a buddy of mine had moved from New Jersey to Florida and my parents allowed me to fly down and visit him for spring break. I was on the phone with him the night before taking my first flight ever, and he said, “By the way, do you like Rush?”

“I love them! They’re awesome.”

“My older sister got us tickets. We’re going straight to the concert from the airport.”

The coolest thing about the trip was getting picked up at the terminal and going straight to an arena to see Rush. We had great seats, and it was amazing to be an eighth grade drummer watching one of his favorite bands play live – and so last minute!

I stayed a big Rush fan throughout high school. I went to Berklee music college and ended up on tour with this guitar virtuoso named Vinnie Moore (he plays in UFO now) and JD (John DeServio, Black Label Society) on bass. We started out on low budget tours around the US in vans. We were having a blast, and it was a great time for live rock.

Somewhere towards the end of 1991, Vinnie’s manager comes to a show and he’s like, “Hey guys, Eric Johnson had to cancel his last two weeks of opening up for Rush. You guys are replacing him.”

We were like, WHAT?

We’re playing hole-in-the-wall clubs and having a great time, but you tell us we’re about to take these two vans and gear and show up in arenas? It was like a week away. There was really no preparation time.

We played the first couple of shows at the Philly Spectrum, met the guys backstage, and they were really nice. We were respectful and tried to keep our distance and not be ‘super fans’.

But it was the night we played at Madison Square Garden that has always stuck with me. I saw my first concert there in 1979, when my dad took me to see KISS. And now I was setting up my drums on Rush’s stage in front of Neil Peart’s drums.

This was insane.

I was playing TAMAs on this tour, and as a kid, I had asked for TAMAs for Christmas because of Neil. My drums were now on the Madison Square Garden stage in front of Neil’s kit. He had switched to Ludwig at the time, but that didn’t matter. Standing on that stage, I couldn’t believe it. This was a place I never thought I’d be.

We did our soundcheck and Neil came up on stage. We talked for a minute and I asked him something about his bass drum, and Neil looked at me and said, “Have you tried ‘em?”

No, I haven’t tried your drums yet. Of course I haven’t. I’m not gonna just go behind your drums and start playing.

He says, “Go ahead!”

Neil stood there, chuckling, as I did fills and went around his kit. He turned on the electronic drums behind him with all the different sounds and spun the riser around.

Neil stood there, chuckling, as I did fills and went around his kit.

To this day, after all the things I’ve done, I look back and think about how rare that was. How many people get to play their hero’s kit? How many other drummers got to play Neil Peart’s kit?

And just to watch Rush every night, to stand behind Neil’s kit for those drum solos…

It was inspirational to be in your early 20s and see this guy do his thing when you used to play Rush records and spend hours trying to mimic his drum solos and licks and wonder if you’re doing them right or wrong.

I wasn’t really in the mindset to learn from him – I think it was too overwhelming, and too much of a fantasy. I was this kid who ended up thrown into Rush’s world for a couple of weeks, playing sold out arenas. I took it in as an overall experience.

Unfortunately, I never crossed paths with him again. I was always hoping I would. But I have put on events celebrating his music, and I have several Peart replica kits (they aren’t exact, but they’re pretty close).

I’m still so inspired by him. His solos are my favorite solos in the world. He covered the spectrum of what should be in a solo, and I try to make mine more melodic and themed so it gives the audience something to appreciate. Neil’s influence is still there, in the back of my head when I’m on stage: what would Neil do?

It surprises me to talk to a drummer and they aren’t influenced by Neil. Even if you’re not a Rush fan, anyone who hears Neil is going to appreciate what he did over the course of his career. He was always progressing.

Back in the day, Rush was on the radio a lot, and they were as big as any other band. I’m happy I was turned onto Neil at a young age when he was coming into a place where it seemed like he was perfecting his craft. The early ‘80s was a new level for Neil’s drumming and solos. The percussion, wind chimes, wood blocks and concert toms – he used everything in his kit, and he used it so musically.

His passing hit us all so heavily. Meeting Neil and having him make me feel so comfortable in his world will be with me forever. It’s the kind of experience where if you’re going through tough times, it’s the memories and experiences that really stick with you. Maybe it’s a big moment in your career, or that time you met your idol. And if you have these big moments to think about, keep those in mind, especially if you’re struggling. If I got there once in my life, this can’t be the last time I get to a place like that. Look at what you’ve done and remember that you can do it again.

Tough times are not the end. They’re just a chapter in your life and you’re going to keep moving on. Prove that to yourself, and keep moving forward. Some of us take chances and move on from one gig to another with no guarantees. It’s our experiences that give us that bit of confidence we need to take chances.

Brian Tichy

If you’re a fan of John Bonham and “good times, bad times” on the drums (well, good times at least), check out this video for how to really nail those Bonzo-style triplets on the kit.

The story behind his trademark triplets is that he heard something like it in a Carmine Appice track and started mimicking it. But when Led Zeppelin played with Vanilla Fudge and Bonham told Appice he got the lick from him, Appice told him that’s not quite what he’d done, and that it might’ve been a little double kick lick instead. Either way, Bonham made it his own, played it on a single pedal, and the rest is history.

In this first lick, you’ll want to keep the 8ths going on the hi-hat and 2 and 4 on the snare, essentially playing Time, and sporadically dropping in the bass drum hits. If you’re struggling with the double strokes, try using your toes on the first hit and using your full leg on the second hit.

If you need to really solidify the kick, remove the snare and just try to play the triplets between the hi-hat and bass drum for a while.

Another example of the Bonham triplets is between the hands and feet: left hand, right hand, kick. Keep time with your hi-hat foot to really feel the downbeat. You’ll end up with a shuffle between your left and right foot. Bonham led with his left hand, which might be a challenge for righty drummers, but it’s important to do if you want to mimic his exact sticking and orchestration.

Now let’s take these triplets around the kit as crossovers. As for where your hands should go, start with left right on the snare, then left right on the rack and floor toms. Cross over so you’re playing the floor and rack, then cross back and swap hands on the same toms. Tichy calls this the ‘Bonzo Fury‘ lick – and it sounds and looks awesome!

If you liked this video, it’s actually a lesson clip from a whole course called “The Grooves Of Bonham”, which is available for Drumeo members. Check it out!

Whether you’re a Gen X, a Millennial or a Baby Boomer, most people know the song “Hot Blooded”. Watch Brian Tichy, former drummer of Foreigner, knock out the 1978 hit with ease and character, and enjoy one of the most focused drummer faces to have ever graced the Drumeo cameras.

About Brian Tichy:
Brian Tichy is best known for his drumming with Whitesnake, Billy Idol, Foreigner, Sass Jordan, and Ozzy Osbourne. Besides substituting for Jason Bonham with Foreigner, he has organized, produced, and played in the drummer tribute “Bonzo, The Groove Remains The Same”, celebrating the 25th anniversary of the death of Led Zeppelin’s John Bonham.

Brian plays Ludwig Drums, Paiste Cymbals, Remo Drumheads, and Regal Tip drumsticks.

Led Zeppelin’s legendary drummer, John Bonham, regularly tops ‘best drummer’ lists around the world. Brian Tichy – who once organized a tribute night to honor the 30th anniversary of Bonham’s passing – is the perfect player to cover these five classic licks every drummer should know.

Of course, there’s only so much one guy can cover in just 6 minutes, and this page teaches you just a fraction of Bonham’s beats. It’s actually part of a free hour-long course that includes tutorials on “When The Levee Breaks”, “Fool In The Rain”, “Good Times Bad Times”, “Black Dog”, “Immigrant Song”, “Stairway To Heaven”, “Rock And Roll” and “Moby Dick”, plus an in-depth breakdown of Bonzo’s trademark triplets.

If you really want to play like Bonham – or learn Led Zeppelin’s greatest grooves – you need this free course. Click here to get 11 video lessons right to your inbox or drop your email address down below:

1. Crossover Triplets

L R F – a simple phrase with a left hand lead. Start with L R on the snare, then L F on the rack and floor toms. Then cross it over – left under right – before going back to the regular sticking. Try to keep time with your left foot.

2. “Fool in the Rain” Groove

Ready for that half time shuffle? You’ve got your right hand shuffling on the hi-hat, snare on beat 3, a groovy bass drum pattern, ghost notes and a classic hi-hat scoop. Mellow and cool.

3. “Good Times Bad Times” Groove

In this lick, you’re riding on the cowbell with driving double strokes on the bass drum. Start slow, get it smooth, and make it groove. Brian suggests playing this on a 26” kick with no hole and no muffling to get the full effect!

4. “Rock and Roll” Intro

Some drummers don’t realize this song has a pickup! The beat doesn’t start on beat 1 – it’s on the ‘and’ of 3 (think “Johnny B. Goode” by Chuck Berry). Get both hands moving together on those 8th notes.

5. Bonzo Live Fury!

Bonham would go into these ‘fury’ parts in the middle of a solo as he transitioned to the next part. Expect another left hand lead with some fast footwork and cool tom parts. The sticking is L L R F F, and you’ll take it between rack and floor tom down to the foot.

If you love Bonham’s beats, Brian Tichy has a whole course on Drumeo on Bonzo’s top licks and fills. You can check it out for free with a 7-day trial of Drumeo Edge right here!

About Brian Tichy:
Brian Tichy is best known for his drumming with Whitesnake, Billy Idol, Foreigner, Sass Jordan, and Ozzy Osbourne. Besides substituting for Jason Bonham with Foreigner, he has organized, produced, and played in the drummer tribute “Bonzo, The Groove Remains The Same”, celebrating the 25th anniversary of the death of Led Zeppelin’s John Bonham.

Brian plays: Ludwig Drums, Paiste Cymbals, Remo Drumheads, and Regal Tip drumsticks.

> Brian Tichy: The Grooves of John Bonham
> Get the PDF for this lesson here!

Triplets aren’t just for jazz, blues, and shuffles. In this full lesson, Brian Tichy – who has played with some of the world’s biggest rock bands – talks about spicing up your rock drumming with triplets.

The most important thing to remember is keeping quarter notes going on the hi-hat. It’ll keep you balanced, help with your independence, and improve groove and confidence.

1a (4:52)

This is a classic drum solo lick with a left hand lead. Left hand rack tom, right hand floor, then kick drum. Make sure your left hand is locked with your hi-hat. Start slow and even, put on the click, then try it at medium and fast tempos.

1b (7:02)

Here’s that same pattern, but the right hand leads this time.

2 (8:33)

Now, let’s put exercises 1a and 1b together. Lead with your right, then with your left – get comfortable alternating. It’s important to remember that your feet are basically doing a shuffle. You can even try to combine this exercise with a shuffle beat to get the feel. You can use this to start building solos, and even add the snare in there.

3a (12:30)

Now, drop your foot in the middle of each triplet. The shuffling is in your hands this time. It might be tricky at first, so again: take it slow and build up speed and coordination. Try just putting in the first kick at first.

4 (15:34)

Putting an accent on the first note of each triplet will give you some cool dynamics. If you have solid control of your double strokes, you should be able to get this one up to speed more quickly.

5 (17:08)

Flip the phrase around so the accent is on the last note of each triplet. Start with a double stroke on the left, then accent the right. Again, make sure you lock in the hi-hat with your left hand.

6 (20:06)

We’re combining some of the phrases we went over earlier. You can also try this in 4/4 with a rock beat. Play the accents on another drum to change up the sound.

7 (22:31)

Let’s combine the pattern in exercise 4 with the one in exercise 5. There’s a switch on the snare halfway through that forces you to reverse the sticking pattern.

Once you’re feeling comfortable with these exercises, try these other patterns:

10a (25:25)

This double stroke ‘extension’ is a useful tool to have in your back pocket. Try and make it swing!

10b (26:14)

Now flip it and work on your left hand. You might throw something like this into the middle of a solo, or you could try putting it together with other patterns as a fill.

10c (26:53)

Put the last two exercises together and get used to alternating sticking. Try it with singles first to get the motion, then do it with the doubles.

11a (27:28)

Here’s another sextuplet pattern that uses the skills covered earlier.

11b (28:15)

Flip that last lick to the left side. Pay attention to that hi-hat!

11c (28:58)

We’re combining two of the previous patterns, again to lead with your right then lead with your left.

12 (30:56)

Start with 11c, then end with 10a and 10b.

It may be tough at first to get them to swing, but you can get a lot of mileage out of these triplets. Get that groove and get that feel. Take a page out of Brian (and Bonham)’s book and get groovin’!

About Brian Tichy:
Brian Tichy is best known for his drumming with Whitesnake, Billy Idol, Foreigner, Sass Jordan, and Ozzy Osbourne. Besides substituting for Jason Bonham with Foreigner, he has organized, produced, and played in the drummer tribute “Bonzo, The Groove Remains The Same”, celebrating the 25th anniversary of the death of Led Zeppelin’s John Bonham.

Brian plays: Ludwig Drums, Paiste Cymbals, Remo Drumheads, and Regal Tip drumsticks.