Back to Foreigner (and Boca) for Jason Bonham

[robertkincaid96]

The more I read what Jason has to say the more I like him. I love the way he is not cocky and so humble. I also did not know this. " Guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant and bassist John Paul Jones also jammed with Bonham at his 1990 wedding." I have heard the other stuff mentioned in the article, but I did not know they played at his wedding.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jason Bonham is coming back to earth.

Not three weeks ago, Bonham played the most anticipated gig of the decade, taking the place of his late father, John Bonham, behind the drum kit at the Led Zeppelin reunion in London.

In a telephone interview last week, Bonham, 41, sounded like someone still in the clouds.

"It's been overwhelming," he said of the experience — the performance itself in front of 20,000 people at London's O2 Arena, the tears and hugs afterward from family and friends, the rave reviews and the congratulations pouring in for days by telephone and e-mail.

"I can't explain to you how I feel about this," he said.

He had no trouble explaining his next assignments: resuming an enjoyable but less glamorous job playing drums in another classic rock band, Foreigner; and returning to South Florida, where household chores await.

"My kids are already saying, 'Dad, it's over now. Stop thinking you're something special. The toilet's broken and you've got to fix it,'" Bonham said. "So back to reality."

Bonham joins Foreigner for a concert on Saturday at Mizner Park Amphitheater in Bonham's adopted city of Boca Raton. Besides coming home, he said he has to "get back into Foreigner mode."

"[in] Foreigner, I have to be more controlled, more conscious of the song," he said. "I feel a little bit more at ease playing Zeppelin."

But Bonham has logged more miles and stage time with Foreigner, which he joined two years ago.

Founding guitarist Mick Jones reformed the popular '70s and '80s band in 2005 with a lineup including Bonham, bassist Jeff Pilson (Dokken, Dio) and a California-born session vocalist, Kelly Hansen, replacing longtime lead singer Lou Gramm.

Bonham described an almost familial relationship with the 63-year-old Jones.

"He's kind of my dad's age," he said. On those occasions when bandleader Jones has raised his voice or spoken sharply, "I get really upset," Bonham said. "It's like being told off by my dad."

John "Bonzo" Bonham would be 59 if he were alive today. Led Zeppelin's only drummer during the band's active years, 1968-1980, he played with a mix of brawn and technique that was key to the band's protean hard rock.

He was almost as famous for his drinking, and died in 1980 at age 32 after a daylong bender that ended at the home of one of his band mates. Led Zeppelin broke up that year.

Jason Bonham almost took the same road to ruin, giving up a promising career as a motorcycle racer to play drums in various bands and to drink himself into oblivion.

He eventually sobered up and, as part of his development as a musician, made a serious study of his father's drumming.

"I'm the Monday morning quarterback because I have these great plays I can go and use," he said of his dad's stickwork. "I have great scripture and blueprints to play with."

He played drums for Led Zeppelin at a 1988 birthday party for Atlantic Records, and at the band's 1995 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant and bassist John Paul Jones also jammed with Bonham at his 1990 wedding.

He said none of those compared to what happened this month.

"The first time I took it for granted and thought I deserved it because I was the son, which was a mistake," he said.

He approached this reunion with more reverence. He said his mother told him afterward, "It wasn't about John that night: It was about you and them."

In addition to what Plant called "a whole Bonham crying section" of extended family at the concert, Bonham said he brought a South Florida delegation: the family doctor, the family dentist, his personal trainer, his children's pediatrician and one of his children's sports coaches.

"There was a Boca section," he said.

The reception for the Dec. 10 performance has spurred rumors of a full-blown reunion tour, which has yet to materialize.

Bonham offered no insights into the possibility, saying only, "If they decided not to do anything else ever again, what a fantastic way to say goodbye."

Link

Edited December 27, 2007 by robertkincaid96

[Led Zeppelin Fan00]

No shit.. Jason lives in Boca?

That's 15 minutes away...

[michaeld]

Jason Bonham almost took the same road to ruin, giving up a promising career as a motorcycle racer to play drums in various bands and to drink himself into oblivion.

He eventually sobered up and, as part of his development as a musician, made a serious study of his father's drumming.

Nice post robert

I especialy liked the above quote - i have listened to the music of LZ since i was very young, but know almost nothing about the band members or their history really - i just switch on the music and listen, so this kinda thing is really interesting to me.

[kirchzep27]

whuuh, what a fucking bummer...

[Hotplant]

Cute comment from his kids!

[Lady Goodman]

I liked what his mother said, "It wasn't about John that night: It was about you and them."

Thanks for sharing, Robert.