John Bindon

[Neil J]

I'm a first time poster, so greetings everyone (and thank you for sharing your knowledge over the last few years with this Zep neophyte).

Anyway, rather odd choice you may think for a first post - next week in the UK, ITV 4 (9pm, 27 June)is screening a documentary about John Bindon, the notorious London hardman hired by Peter Grant as a minder for the 77 US tour. Many fans (and probably band members) may prefer to forget about Bindon as he's associated with some of the darker moments of the 77 tour (including the vicious beating of one of Bill Graham's staff at Oakland). However, he's a fascinating figure (also appearing in the film PERFORMANCE) and pops up in various aspects of 60s/70s popular culture like some kind of psychotic Forrest Gump.

I'm not sure if the doc covers anything in relation to the Zep tour but should be interesting nonetheless.

[Moonmaid]

Hi Neil J!

I just want to welcome you to the board. I'm in the U.S. and won't be seeing this doc, but I want you to know that what you wrote was a fine post and the line "like some kind of psychotic Forrest Gump" is a new personal favorite.

-Moonmaid

[FireOpal]

Welcome Neil!

How interesting about the documentary - I didn't know Bindon was that notorious, though I did read somewhere that he had murdered someone.

[Jimmy 66]

Yeah i think it's the one i've seen at the back end of last year , it's worth watching , he was a very colourful character but ultimately a bit of a knob ..... or should i say BIG knob .

He was renowned for having a big todger as well as a hard man type , he was a big hit with the ladies , so much so he was even shagging Princess Margaret {the Queen's Sister ) on Mustique . Apparently his party piece was balancing 4 or 5 half pint pots on his "One Eyed Trouser Snake" ...... if you get my meaning , when he wasn't bashing some blokes head in .

Anyway he did a bit of acting between being a gangster and murderer and whatever else he did , but their was no mention of Zep , but it's a good watch non the less .

[Neil J]

I did read somewhere that he had murdered someone

He stood trial for murder (the incident in question, a stabbing in a London bar, occured in 1978, only a year or so after the Oakland Zep escapades) but the jury found him not guilty. It is widely believed that the Jury was influenced by the character testimony provided by none other than Bob Hoskins, who described him as a 'big cuddly bear'.

I don't buy into the whole cursed Led Zeppelin mythology myself, but it is very interesting how another life that came into the band's orbit, albeit temporarily, then proceeded to spin out of control.

Despite the 'not guilty' verdict, Bindon found it difficult to secure acting work afterwards (although he appears in QUADROPHENIA briefly) and he died alone and reclusive in 1993, aged 50, from an AIDS related illness.

There is a biography available on Bindon by Wensley Clarkson, but from what I can gather, it plays fast and loose with a lot of facts for the sake of a good ole' London hoodlum yarn.

Murder, violence, disease - I've just related what a downer my first topic thread is. From now on its all lightness and positive energy.

[SteveAJones]

No mention of Zep in the tv documentary? How unfortunate. There are only two or three Zeppelin anecdotes in the John Bindon biography which was published a few years ago.

[zeptangerine]

Murder, violence, disease - I've just related what a downer my first topic thread is. From now on its all lightness and positive energy.