Did it all end on September 25, 1980?

[Bozoso73]

Well of course it did. . 

As I watched the final "The Making Of In Through The Out Door" on YouTube, Robert and John Paul both stated that it was over.  Everything stopped as JPJ stated. . 

But what about the rumors of brinning in other drummers? I believe Cozy Powell and Barrie Barlow were called in to try out IIRC. . Were they really trying to go on and if so would it really have worked?

I've always repected the way they ended on Dec. 4th 1980, I just don't understand the mixed messages. . 

RIP Bonzo

[woz70]

1 hour ago, Bozoso73 said:

But what about the rumors of brinning in other drummers? I believe Cozy Powell and Barrie Barlow were called in to try out IIRC. . Were they really trying to go on and if so would it really have worked?

They were exactly three weeks away from the beginning of a planned US tour when Bonzo died.  Cancelling that tour must have been pretty expensive (insurance notwithstanding).... Perhaps they were just looking at ways of fulfilling the already booked dates (in an 'oh shit we're contracted to do this' kind of way)?

Grief does terrible things to people, and thinking rationally can be really hard after a loss. The unthinkable actually happening can make you do unthinkable things. 

I'm sure the idea of casting about for a replacement must have been a knee-jerk reaction - especially so soon after the loss of Keith Moon, and the way The Who had dealt with that. 

[zeplz71]

I think they made the right decision to end it at the time. But after doing solo albums etc., by the 90s,  instead of "Page/Plant" it would have been worthwhile to try another album together with Jason on drums.

[Ian Smith]

13 minutes ago, zeplz71 said:

I think they made the right decision to end it at the time. But after doing solo albums etc., by the 90s,  instead of "Page/Plant" it would have been worthwhile to try another album together with Jason on drums.

Come on those P&P tours were phenomenal. For that Michael Lee was perfect. 

[3hrsoflunacy]

Nothing against Michael Lee's playing, I just really never liked the way his drums sounded to me. I thought Steve Gorman did an excellent job playing the Bonzo role with Jimmy and The Black Crowes.Had the band carried on, or re-united with Jason on an album later on would have been great. But, no one is Bonzo. Just like I don't think anyone can fill Neal Peart's shoes, if Alex and Geddy so desire to continue someday. Just my 2 cents.

[hummingbird69]

2 minutes ago, 3hrsoflunacy said:

Nothing against Michael Lee's playing, I just really never liked the way his drums sounded to me. I thought Steve Gorman did an excellent job playing the Bonzo role with Jimmy and The Black Crowes.Had the band carried on, or re-united with Jason on an album later on would have been great. But, no one is Bonzo. Just like I don't think anyone can fill Neal Peart's shoes, if Alex and Geddy so desire to continue someday. Just my 2 cents.

 Have you seen the RUSH tribute band YYNOT? really talented people with Patty PerShayla singing

[Walesdad]

11 hours ago, zeplz71 said:

I think they made the right decision to end it at the time. But after doing solo albums etc., by the 90s,  instead of "Page/Plant" it would have been worthwhile to try another album together with Jason on drums.

And maybe even JPJ on bass and keyboards. I will never understand his not being invited in for that "Unledded" project.

[Strider]

As far as I am concerned...YES. Full stop.

[Strider]

22 hours ago, Bozoso73 said:

Well of course it did. . 

As I watched the final "The Making Of In Through The Out Door" on YouTube, Robert and John Paul both stated that it was over.  Everything stopped as JPJ stated. . 

But what about the rumors of brinning in other drummers? I believe Cozy Powell and Barrie Barlow were called in to try out IIRC. . Were they really trying to go on and if so would it really have worked?

I've always repected the way they ended on Dec. 4th 1980, I just don't understand the mixed messages. . 

RIP Bonzo

Bonham died on September 25. The band's announcement came on December 4. Sure, there may have been rumours (Honestly, did you really think Cozy Powell could fill in for JHB?) and "mixed messages" in between those dates but once the announcement was made on December 4, that was that. They were pretty clear after that.

[mrlowry]

Has there ever been any proof or confirmation of anyone "trying out?"  As far as I know it's been just rumors.

[76229]

1 hour ago, mrlowry said:

Has there ever been any proof or confirmation of anyone "trying out?"  As far as I know it's been just rumors.

Peter Grant was quoted as saying people left messages on his answer phone as soon as the announcement was made. And that "certain people really went down in my estimation". Afaik, there were never any try outs, and I've never heard Plant Page or JPJ mention otherwise.

[Bozoso73]

On 9/26/2022 at 12:24 PM, Strider said:

Bonham died on September 25. The band's announcement came on December 4. Sure, there may have been rumours (Honestly, did you really think Cozy Powell could fill in for JHB?) and "mixed messages" in between those dates but once the announcement was made on December 4, that was that. They were pretty clear after that.

Of course I know the dates Strider and no Cozy couldn't fill his tea cup. My point was was this all a rumor or were rehearsals taking place.  No doubt that after 12/4 that that was that.  I just wonder , and look for opionions and reflection, if there were tryouts and if not who would start such rumors. . I think it's a pretty serious thing with this band if they were looking to fill Bonzo's shoes. . 

 

[Ian Smith]

1 hour ago, Bozoso73 said:

Of course I know the dates Strider and no Cozy couldn't fill his tea cup. My point was was this all a rumor or were rehearsals taking place.  No doubt that after 12/4 that that was that.  I just wonder , and look for opionions and reflection, if there were tryouts and if not who would start such rumors. . I think it's a pretty serious thing with this band if they were looking to fill Bonzo's shoes. . 

 

Ignore the clowns here, I do. 

[Strider]

Shows you how times change. Imagine if the guys had arranged a John Bonham Tribute Concert back then a la the Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concerts? With a young Jason Bonham doing a turn on the drums for a song or two.

Might have been a way for the band and fans to get some measure of closure on the loss of John Bonham. 

Edited September 27, 2022 by Strider

[paul carruthers]

In some bands, a member can't be replaced & definitely that was the case with Bonham. It would be very difficult trying to imagine JP, JPJ and RP in the 80s with whatever capable drummer they could have gotten to "try and fill" Bonzo's seat. Twelve great years of Led Zeppelin was right way to end....

[Brigante]

I honestly doubt that there were any tryouts. Cozy Powell was on tour with Michael Schenker until early October and then in the US with Schenker from the end of October through November. I doubt that any tryouts would've taken place before or shortly after Bonzo's funeral, so that gives Powell about a week in late October to manoeuvre. But that's probably the same week that Robert, Jimmy and JPJ were in Jersey. Seems unlikely, really. If Cozy had badgered them for Bonzo's job, I'm not sure that Robert would've been happy to have him on Pictures at Eleven either, tbh. Not sure who else Peter Grant could've held in high enough esteem to be disappointed by if they rang him up to ask for the gig. Carmine Appice? Simon Kirke? Dunno. The whole idea of Plant, especially., being willing to try out another drummer in the weeks after Bonzo's death just doesn't sound remotely likely to me.    

[The Only Way To Fly]

1 hour ago, Brigante said:

The whole idea of Plant, especially., being willing to try out another drummer in the weeks after Bonzo's death just doesn't sound remotely likely to me.    

Add the lense through which his baby boy died just a few years before this too. 

[SteveAJones]

9 hours ago, Bozoso73 said:

Of course I know the dates Strider and no Cozy couldn't fill his tea cup. My point was was this all a rumor or were rehearsals taking place.  No doubt that after 12/4 that that was that.  I just wonder, and look for opinions and reflection, if there were tryouts and if not who would start such rumors. . I think it's a pretty serious thing with this band if they were looking to fill Bonzo's shoes. . 

 

Barlow and Powell were both involved with Robert's first solo album, and it seems that has since become conflated with replacing Bonham which is simply absurd. How anyone with knowledge or understanding of the impact of Bonham's passing on his bandmates could ever suggest such nonsense as replacement tryouts in Oct/Nov 1980 is beyond me.     

[SteveAJones]

7 hours ago, Strider said:

Shows you how times change. Imagine if the guys had arranged a John Bonham Tribute Concert back then a la the Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concerts? With a young Jason Bonham doing a turn on the drums for a song or two.

Might have been a way for the band and fans to get some measure of closure on the loss of John Bonham. 

Now this is an interesting topic of conversation. Personally, I'm relieved Led Zeppelin never did a "performance" tribute, at least at the time. Cover bands, tribute albums, tribute shows, tribute tours that are announced as a limited series still going strong for longer than Led Zeppelin existed all have their place in the marketplace, at least nowadays, but in 1980 it would have been hokey as hell. "Closure", like tribute concerts, is just more pseudo-psychological nonsense and the byproduct of an increasingly feminized society.    

[Strider]

14 hours ago, SteveAJones said:

Now this is an interesting topic of conversation. Personally, I'm relieved Led Zeppelin never did a "performance" tribute, at least at the time. Cover bands, tribute albums, tribute shows, tribute tours that are announced as a limited series still going strong for longer than Led Zeppelin existed all have their place in the marketplace, at least nowadays, but in 1980 it would have been hokey as hell. "Closure", like tribute concerts, is just more pseudo-psychological nonsense and the byproduct of an increasingly feminized society.    

Pseudo-psychological or not, I do believe there is some validity to the concept of closure and that it does help in the grieving process.

What has changed is that grieving used to be a private matter and now it seems we expect everyone to publicly grieve. Maybe it was because I was younger, but I do not recall many public displays when Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, and Jim Morrison died. Elvis Presley's death was the first occurrence I remember of people making a public spectacle of a celebrity's death. It happened again with John Lennon's murder. But the ball really got going with Princess Diana's death. Ever since then, it seems we can't allow anyone to die in peace without turning it into a narcissistic display of public emoting.

[Walesdad]

42 minutes ago, Strider said:

Pseudo-psychological or not, I do believe there is some validity to the concept of closure and that it does help in the grieving process.

What has changed is that grieving used to be a private matter and now it seems we expect everyone to publicly grieve. Maybe it was because I was younger, but I do not recall many public displays when Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, and Jim Morrison died. Elvis Presley's death was the first occurrence I remember of people making a public spectacle of a celebrity's death. It happened again with John Lennon's murder. But the ball really got going with Princess Diana's death. Ever since then, it seems we can't allow anyone to die in peace without turning it into a narcissistic display of public emoting.

Now the whole world can't wait to spill their guts in public. We are a more pathetic society for it.

[Zep Hed]

https://www.ledzeppelin.com/image/john-bonham-interview-zap-zep-nme-8-72

This 1972 article is rather fascinating. Roy Carr observes that no member of either Zeppelin or The Who could possibly be replaced. Kinda spooky that his theory would be tested by both bands. Moon passed and The Who carried on. We lost Bonzo and Zeppelin was no more. Would it have been so bad for Who Are You to be The Who's "swan song"? Like Zeppelin, they'd had a nice run. Not like they had unfinished business - at least that's my perception. Did it come down to the security - or lack thereof - of the other band members as to what came next in their careers? Was it the level of respect each had for their departed bandmate? Not suggesting The Who had none for Moon but fact is they replaced him. And such was precisely the basis for Zeppelin's decision as stated in December. The "deep respect" and "sense of undivided harmony." If the sequence was flipped, do The Who make the same decision? We'll never know. But the answer to the thread title is undoubtedly, yes.

[SteveAJones]

11 hours ago, Strider said:

Pseudo-psychological or not, I do believe there is some validity to the concept of closure and that it does help in the grieving process.

What has changed is that grieving used to be a private matter and now it seems we expect everyone to publicly grieve. Maybe it was because I was younger, but I do not recall many public displays when Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, and Jim Morrison died. Elvis Presley's death was the first occurrence I remember of people making a public spectacle of a celebrity's death. It happened again with John Lennon's murder. But the ball really got going with Princess Diana's death. Ever since then, it seems we can't allow anyone to die in peace without turning it into a narcissistic display of public emoting.

On this we are 100% in agreement. I attended Diana's funeral and that was one of the more surreal experiences of my life. It was as if a mass psychosis had taken hold of London. With the benefit of hindsight, I can see it was very much a media generated spectacle, with a heap of collective guilt thrown in for good measure. The commentary which resonated the most for me were the words of her brother spoken from the pulpit. Unsure how to bring this back on topic except to say the loss of John does seem a decidedly more personal and private experience. A good friend of mine appears in this feature and he has affirmed for me that the sense of sadness among them all was just overwhelming

 

[Brigante]

On 9/28/2022 at 10:38 PM, Walesdad said:

Now the whole world can't wait to spill their guts in public. We are a more pathetic society for it.

Absolutely. I cried when my brother killed himself, but I'm damn sure I didn't do it in front of anybody else.

[SteveAJones]

On 9/28/2022 at 11:38 AM, Walesdad said:

Now the whole world can't wait to spill their guts in public. We are a more pathetic society for it.

It's another by product of the feminization of society and of men and I see it everywhere.