Remembering John Bonham.

[kenog]

Phony rock drummer is no chum of CHUM

The Globe and Mail [Toronto, Ont] 09 Feb 1978: P.3.

Toronto ON -- A man who posed as the drummer for the rock group Led Zeppelin was discovered marching to the wrong beat.

On Jan. 2, Metro Toronto Police say, a man claiming to be John Bonham drove a stolen car from Ottawa to Toronto where, in the course of about a month, he booked into Hotel Toronto, the Anndore Hotel, the Town Inn Hotel and the Hotel Plaza II and then left without paying. When the man checked into Hotel Toronto on Tues day, his use of the drummer's name resulted in VIP treatment and special room rates. Earlier, the man visited the studios of CHUM-FM, again claiming to be Mr. Bonham, the drummer. Two employees of the radio station, Bob Kennedy and Eugene Vitaris, went to Hotel Toronto, met the man and were invited into his room. He told them he was scouting Toronto for a recording studio where the Led Zeppelin could work when its U.S. tour ended in August.

The man agreed to do a live interview at CHUM-FM at 11:30 yesterday morning. The interview was con ducted by Brian Masters, himself a drummer, who felt that the man's answers to his questions about drum ming were evasive.

According to sources at Eastern Sound, a Toronto recording studio, the man was there yesterday and made another appointment for today.

He had promised during the CHUM-FM interview to visit the El Mocambo nightclub last night to continue discussions about the possibilities of a live appearance.

Police said Patrick Dupuis, 27, of no fixed address was charged yesterday with theft, impersonation and several counts of fraud.

[kenog]

John Bonham Zeppelin drummer found dead

The Globe and Mail [Toronto, Ont] 26 Sep 1980: P.15.

John Bonham, drummer of the internationally acclaimed Led Zeppelin rock group, was found dead yesterday at the home of the group's lead guitarist, Jimmy Page, police reported.

''There are no suspicious circumstances,'' a Thames Valley police spokesman said. No apparent cause of death was reported. A spokesman for Atlantic Records International, first to confirm the death, said no further statements will be issued until after today's autopsy.

Police gave Bonham's age as 30 but the Atlantic spokesman said he was 32. A rock-music reference book lists his birthdate as May 31, 1949, making him 31.

Authorities said the body was found by another member of the group, who was not identified, at the luxurious Page residence, Old Mill House, which sits beside the Thames 48 kilometres west of London. The centuries-old Windsor Castle nearby is a principal home of the Royal Family.

Page bought the mansion earlier this year from film star Michael Caine for a reported price of about $2-million.

Rumors of Bonham's death had spread through U.S. rock music circles for hours yesterday before it was finally confirmed by Atlantic, the distributor for the British group's own Swan Song record label.

Bonham, who lived on a farm in his native Worcestershire, northwest of London, had been with the heavy metal rock group since its formation in 1968. Other members are John Paul Jones, Robert Plant and Page.

The group recently completed a successful European tour after not having performed publicly for some time. A scheduled performance in Nuernberg, West Germay, was cancelled because of what was called Bonham's ''physical exhaustion.'' A North American tour, which was to have opened Oct. 17 in Montreal, also is expected to be cancelled.

The group's latest album, In Through the Out Door, was released last year.

For years Led Zeppelin has ranked near the top of the British-American rock world in popularity. The late Lillian Roxon, in her Rock Encyclopedia, called the four Britons the ''definitive dizz-buster heavy metal rock combo.'' Among the cuts on their albums have been such immensely popular numbers as Whole Lotta Love, Immigrant Song and Stairway to Heaven.

In a 1973 tour of the United States, Led Zeppelin broke many box-office records, including some held by The Beatles.

Bonham played with obscure rock-and-roll groups in the Birmingham, England, area in the mid-1960s before joining Plant in the more successful Band Of Joy in Birmingham. In 1968, Page invited the two to form a combo with him and Jones. It was first called The New Yardbirds but later became Led Zeppelin.

[kenog]

Court told drink killed Bonham

The Globe and Mail [Toronto, Ont] 08 Oct 1980: P.15.

A massive drinking bout killed rock star John Bonham, drummer with the Led Zeppelin band, a coroner's court was told yesterday. Bonham, 32, died through inhaling vomit after drinking about 40 shots of vodka in 12 hours, the inquest was told.

Coroner Robert Wilson recorded a verdict of accidental death.

Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page testified that Bonham turned up ''pretty tipsy'' for rehearsals at a Windsor recording studio. Rex King, Bonham's personal assistant, said he and Page's assistant had to put Bonham to bed after he ''dozed off.'' Witnesses described how Bonham began drinking quadruple vodkas with orange in a bar at noon, had more in the studio and continued drinking in Page's home until midnight. Page said it was difficult to tell if Bonham was drunk because he was so used to drink.

He told the coroner that he put a pillow under Bonham as he lay asleep in an upstairs bedroom to prevent him lying on his back and choking on vomit.

Bonham, who was a co-founder of the band 12 years ago, earned about $9.6-million a year with Led Zeppelin, one of the world's most successful rock groups.

[kenog]

The Globe and Mail [Toronto, Ont] 02 Dec 1981: P.15

Pianos once owned by former Beatles John Lennon and Paul McCartney are among more than 800 items to be sold Dec. 22 in what Sotheby's bills as the world's first rock 'n' roll auction. Sotheby's officials said a guitar owned by George Harrison, records, juke boxes, cars, clothes, autographs, photos and posters are among the articles up for bid.

The Lennon keepsakes include an upright piano he bought in 1970, his marriage certificate to his first wife, Cynthia, a moped, copies of his books and six stage outfits. Lennon was shot to death outside his New York apartment a year ago.

A scarlet Model T custom car once owned by the late John Bonham of Led Zeppelin, 15 rare tapes made by Jimi Hendrix in 1968 and two busts of Elvis Presley are other items gathered for the sale at Sotheby's Belgravia showrooms.

[kenog]

Motoring: The Bonzomobile goes up for sale CLASSIC CARS

Bailey, Eric. The Daily Telegraph [London (UK)] 04 Sep 1993

NO WONDER the Jensen Interceptor I'm sitting in has only done 29,000 miles; for most of its 16-year-life it was the property of the late John "Bonzo" Bonham, the drummer for Led Zeppelin, and his habits were not compatible with punting a 7.2-litre, 130mph car around the countryside.

Though the fuel consumption does not bear thinking about - [Richard Collinson] has simply never worked it out - the vast capacity of the engine means that it is rarely even at half-cock and hardly ever goes wrong. In five years, Collinson has only had to change a cracked carburettor; he has replaced the fans with more efficient Bosch versions, and put circuit breakers in instead of the fusebox.

Like John Bonham, Jensen is gone now, finally wound up this year after long and desperate efforts to save the remains of the marque. It only adds another notch or two to this car's desirability. Richard stops the Interceptor and shouts something over the blabber of the exhausts. "I think," he says, "I might change my mind."

Edited June 9, 2013 by kenog

[Ross62]

As the thread starter I 'd like to thank kenog for your posts in this thread and to all who have also posted,many thanks.

This is testament to the high esteem in which John Bonham is held.

[kenog]

Ross,

You are very welcome. I am currently posting newspaper articles to the 'Random Newspaper Articles' thread, but thought that the ones which specifically related to Bonzo would be better posted here. I have put early articles relating to Jason on the RNA thread, but as we get to recent years, I may put Jason related articles on a more relevant thread.

As the thread starter I 'd like to thank kenog for your posts in this thread and to all who have also posted,many thanks.

This is testament to the high esteem in which John Bonham is held.

[Ross62]

Ross,

You are very welcome. I am currently posting newspaper articles to the 'Random Newspaper Articles' thread, but thought that the ones which specifically related to Bonzo would be better posted here. I have put early articles relating to Jason on the RNA thread, but as we get to recent years, I may put Jason related articles on a more relevant thread.

[BestBandStill]

Wish You Were Here John

[Ross62]

Wish You Were Here John

Hey BBS,long time no see!

[BestBandStill]

Great to be on this official site Ross. Thanks BBS

[Ross62]

Great to be on this official site Ross. Thanks BBS

[BestBandStill]

Thanks man

[Ross62]

Excerpt from Vintage Rock interview courtesy of Bonzo Bash @ FB:

You also recently hosted the Bonzo Bash shows in New York, Long Island and New Jersey at the end of May. And they surprised you with a Legend Award.

Yeah, they did, that was definitely a big surprise. I heard they were going to give one to Peter Criss, but Peter couldn’t make it, so I guess they thought, “We better give one to somebody who could make it.” So I was there.

You were friends with John Bonham and obviously saw him play many times, and I saw him a few times myself. Today he’s considered one of rock’s greatest drummers. Is that an assessment you agree with?

Yeah, he was a great drummer and had a great drum sound. Everybody thinks he was like a real hard-hitting heavy-hitter. He wasn’t really a heavy hitter, you know. I mean, he was a heavy hitter for the day, just like I was. Guys today, they overrate what the hitting should be, if you know what I’m talking about. They’re hitting so hard today, volume-wise. I had two rotator cuffs tear recently, left and right arm. Everybody’s gonna be getting them if they keep it up. Because they’re hitting way harder than I hit, even at my prime, you know.

I listened to a great solo I did with BBA in 1973, you know, it was a great solo but it wasn’t heavy hard-hitting like they do now. Now they’re at one volume — just loud. Me and Bonzo, there was dynamics there. If you look at any of the Bonzo videos, he’s playing hard but not really that hard, you know.

Wasn’t that through the way his drums were miked and maybe the size of his drums?

I Yeah, I mean, the record-to-drum sound was basically Jimmy Page from the get-go. That was Jimmy Page as a producer. You have to learn how to tune your drums somewhat, which most drummers do that make it, you know. Some don’t, but most do. And then you play and you keep the same miking going live. It’s only a trio, and in their records and their live shows, the drums was the loudest thing. So he always sounded great. And on the record, he sounded superb, and then the band got so big, naturally he became one of the most popular rock drummers. He’s a great player.

I consider back in the 67, 68 era, was the guys that actually set the precedent was Ginger Baker, Mitch Mitchell, Keith Moon and myself — I was the only American guy, the rest of the guys were English. Between the four of us, we set the precedent of rock drummers were going to be. I created the power drumming. Mitch Mitchell and those guys created the more technical kind of stuff that was more light and jazz. And Ginger and Keith Moon were just off-the-wall crazy. And the next generation was Ian Paice and John Bonham; that was the next level. Ian Paice, John Bonham, Bill Bruford — that was the next generation, the next wave.

I hosted those things because I was playing gigs in the area. I wasn’t supposed to play according to the contract. And also, you know, these guys all play John Bonham’s stuff because they love John Bonham so much. When they were growing up, that was it for them. They would be like sitting down with the records and learning every beat he ever did. I never did that, you know. He was my friend. You know, I might still listen to Zeppelin for enjoyment, not to sit down and learn every beat that John did, because I pretty much knew everything he did. I already knew what he was doing. Wasn’t like I had to learn it. Even the triplet thing which I thought was his, he said he got from me. I never knew that until he pointed it out on the record that I did. He just took it and did it his way, and upped the level of it, you know.

So I never was that kind of guy, where I would sit down and, you know, like Brian Tichy, where I would sit down and put the record on and listen to every note Bonzo played and learn it. I never did that. So it’s different for me. I play a John Bonham song, I just play it for fun. I don’t play it like him. I play it like I’d play it, you know. And maybe a couple of parts he did I would play because they’re part of the song. Like when I did “Black Dog” once, I did it my way. I used a couple of drum patterns that make the song that have to go in the song to make it right, you know. But the fills and everything else were mine. In the end, I do whatever I do. If you go on YouTube, you see complaints from these idiots who write comments how I went off and didn’t play what was on the record. I wasn’t trying to be John Bonham.

Well, yeah, why would you?

I’m trying to be Carmine, playing a John Bonham song.

[Tazz3]

Wow 65 he passed way to early happy birthday John keep rocking

[OzzyIsDio]

_{I know this is late, but I just joined the forum, John Bonham was one of the best drummers and one of the few I really enjoy listening to, Bill Ward being my first.}

_{God Bless John Bonham.}

[The Dark Lord]

_{I know this is late, but I just joined the forum, John Bonham was one of the best drummers and one of the few I really enjoy listening to, Bill Ward being my first.}

_{God Bless John Bonham.}

Hmmm, you are a good man OID. Heh heh.

[OzzyIsDio]

Thank you NID, and so are you brother.

Hmmm, you are a good man OID. Heh heh.

[GoodTimes]

I can't believe we missed September 25th on this thread?! :-( 33 years and counting - we miss you brother!

One of my favorite episodes of his life:

''John Bonham struck up a friendship with a fellow drummer who lived nearby called Garry Allcock,who may have had some influence on John's drumming......Allcock recalls: I never gave him

lessons as such I didnt teach him at all but wed sit in the front room with sticks and a practice pad and Id show him a few things. It was just a case of: do you know this one? I remember him playing on one of my snare drums and me saying, 'For Christ-sakes, John, take it steady!' I thought he was going to knock it through the floorboards. He certainly hit hard.''

Source: www.johnbonham.co.uk/biography/biography.html

[The Dark Lord]

I can't believe we missed September 25th on this thread?! :-( 33 years and counting - we miss you brother!

I could not agree more. I recently joined and there has been nothing engaging about the experience. Sad indeed that such a great band has been reduced to this level of interest.

Edited October 1, 2013 by The Dark Lord

[PlanetPage]

...He is forever loved........

[OzzyIsDio]

John Bonham is forever loved and missed, sorry I'm late.

[Razzamatt]

What a great, great drummer! The year 1980 was a loss for musical world, as Bon Scott, John Bonham and John Lennon all were gone... Such a shame. :/

[OzzyIsDio]

I always enjoyed John Bonham, he is one of the few drummers, I loved to watch play, the other one would be Bill Ward.

[the chase]

I could not agree more. I recently joined and there has been nothing engaging about the experience. Sad indeed that such a great band has been reduced to this level of interest.

Really? Speaking for myself, I'm starting to think it makes more sense to celebrate John's birth date.

I chose to NOT post something this year... but believe me he was in my thoughts the entire day.

I remember exactly where I was and what I did on September 25th 1980.

For a band that split up 33 years ago, the level of interest is unequaled.

Edited October 5, 2013 by the chase