stonefreelee Posted January 18, 2008 Posted January 18, 2008 I'd like to start this thread off with my own personal story. I apologize if this topic is located elsewhere, I searched and could not find it on site...I know this is most probably the most depressing day for most Zep fans...but it is, unfortunately part of our experience...it is life. I didn't start learning about and getting into zep until late '77/early '78...they played my hometown on April 15th, 1977. I do remember seeing on the local news all the hub-bub concerning the ticket situation for zep tickets...I dont have a clue when tickets actually went on sale in STL for the '77 show, but i DO remember seeing on the news how fans camped out at the STL arena for three DAYS and when tickets went on sale they sold out in less than three hours! Amazing! I was a late bloomer and couldn't see what the big deal was.... Waited for 2 years and 9 months (since i became a fan) for my heroes to come again...Got the good word Sept. 18th, 1980, a friday. I got home from school (i was a junior in hs) and heard the news that LZ had announced 1st leg of US tour with last four nights (of 1st leg) in Chigaco...I was bummed but excited...no STL date announced...yet. The anticipation and exitement were in the air...In Through The Outdoor had been out a year already... Sept. 25th, 1980. Another friday. Took the bus (public trasit) home from school. Received a call not long after getting home...hadn't turned the radio on yet...a friend from school (not even a Zep fan) informed me of the situation...totally, totally blown away.... The oddest memory of that horrid day is that I had tickets to see Yes at the St.Louis arena that night, "In the Round"...almost didn't go due to the total devastation and uncertainty of the events that had unfolded...but ended up going so as not to wallow in the misery of the day...it didn't matter, who could escape that? I sat through the concert in stunned silence, hoping at the VERY LEAST that these musicians would at least acknowledge what had happened...and they never said a fucking word. Not a single word about their fellow englishman, fellow musician, brother-in-arms....I stopped liking Yes immediately after that...they KNEW, the FUCKING KNEW! HOW COULD THEY NOT SAY ANYTHING?!? Nothing would ever be the same... Quote
Mattmc1973 Posted January 18, 2008 Posted January 18, 2008 I was 7, so probably at school, completely unaware of who Led Zeppelin even was... Quote
3hrsoflunacy Posted January 18, 2008 Posted January 18, 2008 I was 11, and in school. I just got into Zep about a year previous, but didn't comprehend the relevance for some time. Quote
kdh Posted January 18, 2008 Posted January 18, 2008 Standing in the ballroom of the Sheraton in New Carrollton, MD talking with a co-worker when a cook burst through the kitchen doors and told us that Bonham had kicked the bucket. After picking up our jaws off the floor and blinking several times to hold back tears, I remember thinking two things: one was that I was right in seeing Led Zeppelin, August 11th, 1979 because I told my friends that you could not be so sure that they would be around for much longer. Number two was that I wouldn't have to be waiting in line at the Cap Centre for tickets to go on sale. Such a sad day. Looking back it was a useless death. Quote
MadScreamingGallery Posted January 18, 2008 Posted January 18, 2008 I have vivid memories of that day. I had been a Zep fan since '69, went to their concerts, etc. I was 21 and living with my love of life (now my husband) and had just finished college. I was at work and, as usual, I was listening listen to KMET at my desk. When it was announced, I broke down and was crying so hysterically that my boss, who was a paternalistic older man was beside himself and didn't know what to do. He consulted the secretary and the two of them decided to call my husband at work in order to have him pick me up. We had no cars then - we rode the RTD bus to work - so my husband had to find a co-worker who had a car and was willing to pick me up and drive us both home. I spent the rest of that day and the next in bed. To this day, if I think too long and hard about Bonzo and what happened to him, I still get depressed. Quote
wep363 Posted January 18, 2008 Posted January 18, 2008 On September 24th 1980 I sent in a money order for two tickets to see Led Zeppelin for the second time, if I was lucky enough to get tickets before the show on the new tour sold out....but September 25th early in the morning i was baking bread when one of the high school kids that cleaned up after us came in and said that the Drumer had died. At first I thought he was he was lying but i soon realized that he was telling the truth. Several months later I got my money order back. Quote
Idunn Posted January 18, 2008 Posted January 18, 2008 My high school english lit class. I was so floored, I had to leave class and go throw up. True story. Quote
GetInLine Posted January 18, 2008 Posted January 18, 2008 I was 16 and a Jr in High School and quite honestly I don't recall hearing the news that day, in fact i don't recall when or how i heard the news. Quote
Stargroves Tangie Posted January 18, 2008 Posted January 18, 2008 I heard about Bonzo on the school bus ride home. I really didn't think it was true because only 1 person was talking about it & I thought that if it was true there would be more people who had heard. So when I got home I turmed on the radio & all the rock stations were playing Zeppelin & my heart sank. I shut off the radio & played Moby Dick from TSRTS over & over. What a horrible day. Quote
jj20030 Posted January 18, 2008 Posted January 18, 2008 i was working as a pipewelder for h.b. zachry in a refinery in freeport texas and had been rockin to zep since i can rember! Quote
Virginia Posted January 18, 2008 Posted January 18, 2008 I was in my 10th grade English class when I heard the news; I couldn't believe it. Quote
Dzldoc Posted January 18, 2008 Posted January 18, 2008 i was working as a pipewelder for h.b. zachry in a refinery in freeport texas and had been rockin to zep since i can rember! WHOA! I was working as an Iron worker in a refinery in Good Hope, LA Quote
mordor_maiden Posted January 18, 2008 Posted January 18, 2008 I was 9 and in the 4th grade. I didn't learn about until sometime in high school in the mid-80s...I think about the same time I learned who that cool guitarist was who played in The Firm Quote
mladyria Posted January 18, 2008 Posted January 18, 2008 I'd like to start this thread off with my own personal story. I apologize if this topic is located elsewhere, I searched and could not find it on site...I know this is most probably the most depressing day for most Zep fans...but it is, unfortunately part of our experience...it is life. I didn't start learning about and getting into zep until late '77/early '78...they played my hometown on April 15th, 1977. I do remember seeing on the local news all the hub-bub concerning the ticket situation for zep tickets...I dont have a clue when tickets actually went on sale in STL for the '77 show, but i DO remember seeing on the news how fans camped out at the STL arena for three DAYS and when tickets went on sale they sold out in less than three hours! Amazing! I was a late bloomer and couldn't see what the big deal was.... Waited for 2 years and 9 months (since i became a fan) for my heroes to come again...Got the good word Sept. 18th, 1980, a friday. I got home from school (i was a junior in hs) and heard the news that LZ had announced 1st leg of US tour with last four nights (of 1st leg) in Chigaco...I was bummed but excited...no STL date announced...yet. The anticipation and exitement were in the air...In Through The Outdoor had been out a year already... Sept. 25th, 1980. Another friday. Took the bus (public trasit) home from school. Received a call not long after getting home...hadn't turned the radio on yet...a friend from school (not even a Zep fan) informed me of the situation...totally, totally blown away.... The oddest memory of that horrid day is that I had tickets to see Yes at the St.Louis arena that night, "In the Round"...almost didn't go due to the total devastation and uncertainty of the events that had unfolded...but ended up going so as not to wallow in the misery of the day...it didn't matter, who could escape that? I sat through the concert in stunned silence, hoping at the VERY LEAST that these musicians would at least acknowledge what had happened...and they never said a fucking word. Not a single word about their fellow englishman, fellow musician, brother-in-arms....I stopped liking Yes immediately after that...they KNEW, the FUCKING KNEW! HOW COULD THEY NOT SAY ANYTHING?!? Nothing would ever be the same... I was with my son Bobby, celebrating his 13th birthday~ Quote
Hammer of the Cods Posted January 18, 2008 Posted January 18, 2008 I was a high school senior and was coming back from lunch when I heard it on the radio. I even remember what intersection I was at. I got to break the news to a good friend who is a drummer and a monster Zep fan. Quote
Pilot of the Storm Posted January 18, 2008 Posted January 18, 2008 I was working in Leeds, West Yorkshire at the time. Was left totally numb. One thing I will never forget was the choice of record played by the BBC Radio 1 DJ at the time, who made comment on Bonzo's demise (I think it was Peter Powell), and then went on to play "Another One Bites The Dust" by Queen. I was so outraged at this (and still am to this day) and thought it showed a lot of disrespect to the memory of John and his family. Can you believe that!! I thought it was a right piss take Quote
lillian Posted January 18, 2008 Posted January 18, 2008 I heard the news on KGB FM in San Diego, and actually called the Swan Song office in New York City and I remember talking to the receptionist who answered the phone who was crying and we both cried together, she confirmed the news and I was devastated. I called the radio station who began playing Zeps music all evening and taking calls from listeners, I was 17 years old and I cried so much my eyes were swollen the following day. One of the things I have always admired about the remaining band members was that they were so loyal to John and didn't replace him, they could have easily gone on without him and made tons of money and yet they decided not to. For that they certainly have earned my respect and admiration for life. I can think of so many bands who should have folded after losing one or two of their band members... The Who certainly come to mind... Quote
dpat Posted January 18, 2008 Posted January 18, 2008 I was about to exit out of a parking garage, when over the radio came news that "rumors out of England about a famous rock star passing away." I thought, well, I hope it wasn't anyone in Zep, as I had been up late the night before standing outside a newspaper building (along with 200 of my closest friends) waiting for the first edition at midnight with our money orders in hand and envelopes to mail in our ticket applications for the "upcoming" 1980 shows at the Chicago Stadium. We en masse zipped over to the main post office and mailed in our letters. It was a sight to see. 200 freaks at one in the morning storming a post office facility looking for employees to give their letters. A middle-aged postal employee muttered out loud to no one in particular, "Who's this Jimmy Page?" Anyhoo, the next day the radio reports confirmed it was John Henry Bonham. Quote
SIBLY Posted January 18, 2008 Posted January 18, 2008 I was in my local folk club chatting to friends before it started when I heard someone in another group (who I didn't know) say Led Zeppelin. Now I'll chew the fat with anyone who wants to talk Led Zep so I excused myself from mu friends and when over to say hi. As I aproached I heard the words Bonham and then Dead. Stopped me in my tracks like I'd been slapped. I thought 'no, I've miss heard'. But, of course, I hadn't. Like a lot of you, it wasn't far short of a death in the immediate family - that's not over stating it. I've had cousins die before their time who's death didn't effect me as much as John's did. I went straight home that night I couldn't sit in a club listening to music. Quote
Bong-Man Posted January 18, 2008 Posted January 18, 2008 I had just started a new job in a police station. I didn't think anybody even knew I was a Zeppelin freak. I was in training, and an older lady said to me out of the blue, "Hey you know that hippie band you like so much ?.....we just heard on the news that the drummer died." I was floored. Our self-addressed envelope was already in the mail for the '80 Joe Louis show in Detroit. I went into another funk when my buddy gave me my money back three weeks later. I remember his exact words....."Well, at least we got to see them once". I was 20 when Bonham and Lennon died. It really did feel like the music died too....at least for awhile. Quote
Dharmabum Posted January 18, 2008 Posted January 18, 2008 I had just started the 3rd grade and have no distinct memory of John's passing. I do remember, however, when John Lennon was shot. Quote
stonefreelee Posted January 18, 2008 Author Posted January 18, 2008 I was working in Leeds, West Yorkshire at the time. Was left totally numb. One thing I will never forget was the choice of record played by the BBC Radio 1 DJ at the time, who made comment on Bonzo's demise (I think it was Peter Powell), and then went on to play "Another One Bites The Dust" by Queen. I was so outraged at this (and still am to this day) and thought it showed a lot of disrespect to the memory of John and his family. Can you believe that!! I thought it was a right piss take how frickin' rude (to say the least)! Never heard of that jerk, being an american, but boy, what a no-class piece of tripe to disrespect JB, his family, his fans and LZ like that...man, that makes me mad...and for something to make me mad 27 years years later...wow. Quote
stonefreelee Posted January 18, 2008 Author Posted January 18, 2008 So when I got home I turmed on the radio & all the rock stations were playing Zeppelin & my heart sank. Yes, that brings back my memory...after receiving my call (it was from one of my school mates, a non-zep fan who i wasn't crazy about) i just couldn't believe it, considering the source (i thought, i hoped this guy was playing a horrible, horrible joke on me) and yeah, when i got off the phone and turned on the local radio station...my heart sank to the lowest depths...they were playing zep. I hadn't heard the DJ announce it, but the second i heard them on the radio...i knew. Quote
Styrbjorn Posted January 18, 2008 Posted January 18, 2008 I was in the pub thinking "..thank f*ck I saw them at Earls Court and Knebworth..." Poor Bonzo. Rest in peace mate. Quote
reezon Posted January 18, 2008 Posted January 18, 2008 At a bowling alley.I was 13 and had tickets to the Oct. 29th show and had never seen them before. Needless to say I was devistated Quote
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