John Henry Bonham R.I.P

[slagfarmer]

RIP John

[Gareth Bromham]

It may be 30 years of his death, but it still feels like he's around. Gone, but certainly not forgotten!

[MadScreamingGallery]

"Led Zeppelin was John. We had something very, very special and

I'd like to keep that part of my life very, very special." ~ Robert Plant

Dear John,

You left us much too soon – God wanted the best – but your brilliant music will live forever and none of us will ever forget you. You are and always will be part of us. Beyond the incredible music you created I think it is your kindness, your smile, and the light in your eyes that I miss the most.

Thank you for everything, John. I am deeply sorry that I never told you how grateful I was for all of it when you were still here. All I can offer you now are these trite words to stand in for such deep and inexpressible emotions.

May you rest in peace and may God bless you and your beautiful family for eternity.

With deepest love and appreciation always,

MSG

"Memories are what warm you up from the inside. But they're also what tear you apart."

~ Haruki Murakami

[Stargroves Tangie]

Today I watched Moby Dick from TSRTS- Bonzo's sequence is probably my favorite because it captures everything that was John Henry Bonham- drummer extraordinaire, dedicated family man, and a regular down to earth guy.

RIP Bonzo, you left us too soon & will never be forgotten.

[cheesehead1204]

R.I.P. John Bonham, the greatest drummer in history

[Strider]

30 years ago today my world crumbled.

It was a bright sunny Southern California morning and I had just arrived at school when the rumours started swirling about Bonham dying. At first we all felt like it had to be a hoax...no way could the Hammer of the Gods be dead!

I had just started saving up money for the impending Led Zeppelin tour that was sure to come LA's way in 1981, and I intended to take my little brothers to their first concert when Zeppelin next played Los Angeles.

Right after my first class, around 9am PST, confirmation came via the radio that yes, indeed, John Henry Bonham had shuffled of this mortal coil.

I felt like someone had pulled the rug out from under me...the rest of the day was spent under a fog of sadness and despair. As soon as I got home I immediately holed up in my room and turned my stereo to KMET 94.7 FM, THE premiere rock and roll station in Los Angeles during the '70's. I didn't come out for dinner or anything...just spent the night alone as Mary "the Burner" Turner and then Jim Ladd spent their entire shows paying tribute to Bonzo. There were interviews, press statements, memorials and testimonials from fans and other musicians alike...along with wall-to-wall Zeppelin music.

I wanted it to be some horrible nightmare...that I would wake up and find out it wasn't true, that Bonzo was still alive and that Zeppelin was still in flight.

One of the things I do remember occuring at school that day after we had official confirmation of Bonham's passing, was immediately the prospects of Led Zeppelin carrying on was discussed by all of us rockers. Names of Bonzo's possible replacement were bandied about: Cozy Powell, Carmine Apice, Alan White, Carl Palmer, Neil Peart...and with each name mentioned, it seemed sillier and sillier until I was hit with the sudden realization that THIS WAS IT! There was NO replacing Bonham, which meant that unlike the Who and the Rolling Stones, Jimmy Robert and John Paul would honour their fallen comrad and call it a day.

It hit me with the force and clarity of Bonham's right foot: LED ZEPPELIN WAS OVER! No more albums, no more tours...my little brothers would not get to experience what I, and millions of others lucky to have been born earlier did: the incandescent thrill and power of Led Zeppelin in concert.

The next day back at school, I made plans with friends to go see that night's(it was a Friday) midnight screening of "The Song Remains the Same" at the local theatre. First we hit the usual post-game party at the river, drank some beer and smoked some pot...so that by the time we made it to the theatre, we were thoroughly baked.

I remember the line to the movie being humongous...it was even longer than the line to see "Rocky Horror", which also played Friday and Saturday at midnight at this theatre. Eventually they had to cut off the line because it was sold out...we got there just in time.

Just to give you a taste of what screenings of "The Song Remains the Same" were like back then, the theatre would set up big stacks of JBL speakers on both sides of the screen to go along with the Altec Lansings already wired around the theatre and they would crank the sound as LOUD as humanly possible. This was years before THX and DTS Digital and all the surround sound stuff you have now...but it was quite effective.

During Jimmy's bow solo the sound would ricochet around the threatre...when you were stoned it was mind-blowing. And trust me, that night EVERYONE was either drunk or stoned; frequently both. Even before the movie started, the room was filling up with the haze of marijuana and/or hash smoke...and every so often you would hear the clink or clank of beer bottles/cans hitting the floor.

Of course, for that night's screening everyone was there to pay respects to Bonham, and accordingly, whenever Bonham showed up on screen the theatre would explode in applause...and "Moby Dick" got the loudest and longest ovation I've ever heard it receive in the more than 80 times I've seen it in theatres. I was in tears myself for most of the film...I still couldn't believe he was dead and that I would never get to see the band in concert again. Then I thought about his family...the part where little Jason shows up during "Moby Dick" was heart-breaking. So sad.

I thought about going again Saturday night...but I just didn't think I could handle it emotionally.

You can laugh...but Led Zeppelin was my LIFE back then! It was the one thing that kept me sane with all the craziness that was going on with my family and school, etc. There were many other bands I liked but there was only ONE LED ZEPPELIN; they were my life-line.

30 years ago today, I was decimated by the death of Bonzo and my optimism for the coming decade took a turn for the worse; suddenly the 80's looked bleak and dreary.

R.I.P. JOHN HENRY BONHAM

[SuperDave]

Well written, Strider and thanks for sharing. Great perspective. I remember TSRTS screenings too, back on Friday and Saturday nights, but I experienced them after Bonzo had died from around 1981-84. They were just as you described hear on the east coast as well. Great perspective on your part.

[Roger]

RIP Bonzo. You showed us just how much a drumset can rock, and that a drummer can be so much more than just a timekeeper. Often copied, never equaled. Thanks for the music.

John was the reason I learned to play a drumset. I'm looking forward to the show tonight in his honor at the Key Club on Sunset Strip.

[Jimmy Jam]

RIP Bonzo

John Bonham passed away 30 years ago today. Bonzo was one of the four men that changed my life. Bonzo may be gone but his music will live on forever. Thank you for great music from's the worlds greatst band.

[Patrycja]

RIP Bonzo

Still and always the greatest ever.

[chimp]

I still remember that night, I was watching the news at ten o clock, when it was announced, I went to bed feeling deflated , next day people were saying good things about him, and talk of a new drummer etc etc, doesn't seem 30 years ago though, and really, there will be no more Zep. When live aid came along i was half cut at 12 oclock , but never went bed, just to watch zep again. I went to Knebworth 2, so was itching to see them that live aid night.

Jimmy said this 'he was the greatest rock drummer of all time, and that's all there is to it really' and that is it really.

[Bustle In My Hedgerow]

RIP Bonzo. We miss you. The musical backbone of the greatest band, the engine that kept them chugging along for almost 12 amazing years, the heart and soul of the music I've come to live for.

[Deborah J]

30 years ago a wife lost a husband, children lost a father, a mother lost a son, friends lost a friend, a band lost a member and music lost the greatest drummer to walk the face of this earth. R.I.P.

[SuperDave]

30 years ago a wife lost a husband, children lost a father, a mother lost a son, friends lost a friend, a band lost a member and music lost the greatest drummer to walk the face of this earth. R.I.P.

Well put! Nothing else needed to say.

[The Rover]

I remember driving home in the late afternoon of Sept. 25th, as the sun was setting low in the west. I was flipping radio channels, one of my presets was Dallas's WRR Classical radio, and WRR was at a news break, and that's when they said: "John Bonham, the drummer of Led Zeppelin, has died." That was so strange, as WRR, to my knowledge, had never broadcast any news about any Rock musician, that I ever remembered. I immediately turned off the radio.

When I got home I darkened my apartment, and listened to the local rock radio station for a little while. They weren't doing anything special... I shut the radio off, and I went and crawled into bed, and went to sleep. I did not want to know any more about it... the facts of the matter, would be revealed as time went on. I had to let this sink in.

A few weeks earlier, I had just received my first ever correspondence from Swan Song (UK). It was a postcard thanking me for my letter to the organization, in which I was touting the new Reunion Arena in Dallas as a venue for Zeppelin to perform in on their North America Tour.

The night Bonham died, there were fans waiting overnight in line to buy tickets, in Buffalo, I believe. No Dallas dates had been announced for the first leg of the US tour.

Later, in December, Zeppelin released their statement "We wish it to be known that the loss of our dear friend and the deep respect we have for his family, together with the sense of undivided harmony felt by ourselves and our manager, have led us to decide that we could not continue as we were." I originally thought it was callous and selfish to end the band like that. But now, I know what they knew all along.... that Led Zeppelin could not continue, without it's Heart & Soul, who was indeed, the drummer, John Henry "Bonzo" Bonham.

My appreciation for John Bonham grows with each year's passing. John is the "Jimi Hendrix" of the Rock Percussion Universe.

[JPJ = the groovinator]

Rest in Peace

[corduroyg]

RIP Bonzo, the greatest of all time

One of my favorite things about led zep is they ended the band after bonzo died, it just says so much about bonzo and the band and what he meant to them as a musician and as a friend that they disbanded. You would think it would be an extremely difficult decision to end the most popular and successful rock band in the world, a once in a lifetime opportunity for these guys, they would never come close to being around something as good and special as led zeppelin again. But to robert jimmy and john paul it was an easy decision, and that says it all about bonzo.

[Kat24]

My most favorite drummer. Ever. Thank you for the music John. You are so missed.

[1111sticks]

4 Sticks Forever R.I..P.

[Michael Page]

My most favorite drummer. Ever. Thank you for the music John. You are so missed.

Great video

[spidersandsnakes]

R I P BONZO.........:(:(

[FloriZep]

The revolutionary sound of his battery and own style was the first thing that awoke all my senses and admiration toward Led Zeppelin..undoubtedly was a blessing have known this band¡

R.I.P Bonzo.. gracias...

[Led Zep Girl]

Still, to this day, there is and never will be a better drummer than John Bonham. You will never see his like again...

[SuperDave]

Still, to this day, there is and never will be a better drummer than John Bonham. You will never see his like again...

More than likely...no!

[Ross62]

When only the best will do.

Always remembered,greatly respected.

.