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Jason Bonham wedding jam


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Has any video or audio footage every surfaced of the jam with Plant, Page and Jones at Jason Bonham's wedding. The only thing I have ever seen is one photo still from Dave Lewis Celebration book. I think they played Custard Pie and a couple of other things. I've never seen or heard it anywhere and wondered if it was the only post-Zep "reunion" never to be documented. I remember watching an interview with Plant where he joked that Jason was wasted and had to be carried to bed before the speeches and Plant had to carry his wife over the threshold. But I don't know if it's just Plant having a laugh.

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Has any video or audio footage every surfaced of the jam with Plant, Page and Jones at Jason Bonham's wedding. The only thing I have ever seen is one photo still from Dave Lewis Celebration book. I think they played Custard Pie and a couple of other things. I've never seen or heard it anywhere and wondered if it was the only post-Zep "reunion" never to be documented. I remember watching an interview with Plant where he joked that Jason was wasted and had to be carried to bed before the speeches and Plant had to carry his wife over the threshold. But I don't know if it's just Plant having a laugh.

There are no a/v sources of the performance in circulation. I have posted many photos and press reports in the past.

This was the setlist:

Jason & Jan Bonham's Wedding Reception

Heath Hotel in Bewdley, England

Sat, April 28, 1990

Custard Pie / It'll Be Me / Rock And Roll / Sick Again / Bring It On Home

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It was the age before we all started carrying cheap recording devices.  It was even before digital still cameras.  There were some regular photos of the event which have made their way onto the Internet via scanning.  It's my guess that it probably wasn't that great of a performance, due to them not having rehearsed, being somewhat rusty, and a fair amount of alcohol.  Am I right in having read that the instruments weren't even their, but that they belonged to the live band that had been hired for the event?

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It was the age before we all started carrying cheap recording devices.  It was even before digital still cameras.  There were some regular photos of the event which have made their way onto the Internet via scanning.  It's my guess that it probably wasn't that great of a performance, due to them not having rehearsed, being somewhat rusty, and a fair amount of alcohol.  Am I right in having read that the instruments weren't even their, but that they belonged to the live band that had been hired for the event?

I wouldn't have cared less about the performance to be honest. It would have been a lot of fun to witness.

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Even back then a lot of people videoed their own wedding. It's plausible that Jason got someone to tape the performance. Someone should ask him. Knowing Zeppelin, it was probably a great performance because there was no pressure and it wasn't taped!

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Two things don't surprise me: that a wedding would be recorded, and that this footage has never been released.

It's a private event, one of the most special in one's life. Why would people expect to see footage of it? Yes they're famous, but this wasn't a 'gig'. These are part of their personal memories and as such, have rightfully remained for their eyes only.

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Personal memories.  Family relations.  A sadness that his dad didn't get to see him marry.  Or similar to how with the help of the videos he was able to play a duet with his father, he could also do something to have his dad "attend" the wedding.  Something like that. 

You don't find this idea just a little bit silly, even creepy? Besides that, how many GUYS do you think would ever want to watch another guy's wedding highlights video? I'm thinking three at most, groom's father (in this case deceased), bride's father and maybe the Best Man. Not concert attendees. 

It's billed as Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Experience, not Jason Bonham's Days of Our Lives. :lol:  

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wellll, since you put it that way......:P  :lol:

...not mention potential legal issues involved with Annerin Productions incorporating any wedding reception footage of Page, Plant and Jones performing Led Zeppelin songs into a JBLZE stage show. Artist's views aside, I can see where lawyers, management and labels would object.

 

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Can someone confirm the issue of the instruments used at the jam please?  I have been under the impression that the instruments belonged to the house band hired for the occasion and that Page, Plant, Jones, and Jason, simply used them.  This leads me to believe that the whole jam thing was an impromptu event.  Thanks.

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Can someone confirm the issue of the instruments used at the jam please?  I have been under the impression that the instruments belonged to the house band hired for the occasion and that Page, Plant, Jones, and Jason, simply used them.  This leads me to believe that the whole jam thing was an impromptu event.  Thanks.

I think I can debunk this, at least in part.

Given there was a hired band performing at the reception, it's possible the amps and microphone were borrowed. 

Jason was pulled out of bed to join them for the jam (according to Robert), so the blue kit Jason performed on may have been hired band's, and I don't have any photos of Jason performing on a blue kit any other time. However, FWIW, in a review published in Metal Hammer (5/21/90) it is said the kit was Jason's.

JPJ's bass is obscured in most of the photos I have. It's difficult to discern if it's his but I think it is.

Jimmy, on the other hand, I believe is quite clearly using his "Cherry Red" Les Paul with Zebra-striped guitar strap. So for him it would seem he is definitely NOT using borrowed gear.

1990%2005%2021%20%20Metal%20Hammer%20Pg%

1990%2005%2021%20%20Metal%20Hammer%20Pg%

above from Metal Hammer (UK) (May 21, 1990)

Zep%20wedding_zpsdqgs47sg.jpg

led%20zeppelin%20wedding-_zpsgqpm1pyl.jp

NOTE SAME GUITAR WITH ZEBRA-STRIPED GUITAR STRAP ALSO USED IN JAM THREE MONTHS PRIOR and EXTENSIVELY ON THE 1988 OUTRIDER TOUR:

1990%2001%2010%20Credit%20Ross%20Halfin_

Music Therapy Benefit, Hammersmith Odeon, January 10, 1990 (encore jam with Bon Jovi on 'Good Golly Miss Molly', 'Train Kept A Rollin' & "With A Little Help From My Friends' 

Edited by SteveAJones
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I think I can debunk this, at least in part.

Given there was a hired band performing at the reception, it's possible the amps and microphone were borrowed. 

Jason was pulled out of bed to join them for the jam (according to Robert), so the blue kit Jason performed on may have been hired band's, and I don't have any photos of Jason performing on a blue kit any other time. However, FWIW, in a review published in Metal Hammer (5/21/90) it is said the kit was Jason's.

JPJ's bass is obscured in most of the photos I have. It's difficult to discern if it's his but I think it is.

Jimmy, on the other hand, I believe is quite clearly using his "Cherry Red" Les Paul with Zebra-striped guitar strap. So for him it would seem he is definitely NOT using borrowed gear.

1990%2005%2021%20%20Metal%20Hammer%20Pg%

1990%2005%2021%20%20Metal%20Hammer%20Pg%

above from Metal Hammer (UK) (May 21, 1990)

Zep%20wedding_zpsdqgs47sg.jpg

led%20zeppelin%20wedding-_zpsgqpm1pyl.jp

NOTE SAME GUITAR WITH ZEBRA-STRIPED GUITAR STRAP ALSO USED IN JAM THREE MONTHS PRIOR and EXTENSIVELY ON THE 1988 OUTRIDER TOUR:

1990%2001%2010%20Credit%20Ross%20Halfin_

Music Therapy Benefit, Hammersmith Odeon, January 10, 1990 (encore jam with Bon Jovi on 'Good Golly Miss Molly', 'Train Kept A Rollin' & "With A Little Help From My Friends' 

You can clearly see the B-bender button behind the bridge.  There can't be many cherry-red les-pauls in the world with a Parsons-White B-bender.

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Good evidence spotting.  I think we can clearly agree that there was at the very least, a lose plan for the jam given that Jimmy definitely brought his guitar and Jones and Plant probably brought their respective items.  I tend to think that Jimmy was the most up for it in his never-ending post-Zep quest to reunite the band, with Jason equally up there in his never-ending quest to be in the band.  JPJ in his typical shoulder-shrugging self no doubt went along with it, while Robert was probably hesitant, but probably Bonham family pressure in the "do it for John" style got him to perform.

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I feel the jam/wedding was videoed, but is held or guarded like The Ark of The Covenant. No dice.

Actually I have a Musician magazine from ?July 88' and I could have sworn in the Page interview

there is mention of him losing his license, but perhaps it was just added up demerits from bad

driving or something. The interview is worth seeking out as it shows Page at times in fits of

hostility with the interviewer. Not your usual ho-hum revealing nothing Page interview.

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I have a Musician magazine from ?July 88' and I could have sworn in the Page interview there is mention of him losing his license.

I've posted scans of that interview to this forum (search Page Charles M. Young interview or Musician July 1988).

As I recall he said he had an expired license.

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Plus Jason included lots of personal home movies and stills of his father in his Zeppelin tribute tour a couple years back.  I feel that would have been the time to share some wedding footage if he had so desired.

Jason and I edited through several hours of his 8mm home movies, selecting clips for use on the JBLZE tour.

The wedding jam was recorded but wasn't relevant for this purpose, since rare footage of his father was the main objective for the video screen.

 

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Jason and I edited through several hours of his 8mm home movies, selecting clips for use on the JBLZE tour.

The wedding jam was recorded but wasn't relevant for this purpose, since rare footage of his father was the main objective for the video screen.

 

That makes sense, thanks for the input Sam.

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Jason and I edited through several hours of his 8mm home movies, selecting clips for use on the JBLZE tour.

The wedding jam was recorded but wasn't relevant for this purpose, since rare footage of his father was the main objective for the video screen.

 

Thanks for clarifying, Sam.

Another holy grail that one day might surface.

Maybe it could be bundled as an extra in a new 50th anniversary live DVD :)

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  • 2 years later...
On 12/4/2015 at 6:47 PM, sam_webmaster said:

Jason and I edited through several hours of his 8mm home movies, selecting clips for use on the JBLZE tour.

The wedding jam was recorded but wasn't relevant for this purpose, since rare footage of his father was the main objective for the video screen.

 

Always been fascinated with this wedding jam.

Sam, how would you rate or describe the "performance"? I take it everyone was pretty sloshed but was there any moments of magic and was Jimmy in good form in it?

Do you think it is something that Jason might put out there one day for the fans?

Maybe at a Zep convention or such like?

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