Sept. 25, 1980: Bedtime for Bonzo

by Kanrei

Once upon a time, long ago I played the drums. I was not a percussionist, I was a drummer. I was a heavy-footed, slow and hard hitting drummer of the Led Zeppelin variety due to one afternoon flipping through channels and coming across The Song Remains the Same on MTV. All it took was a song named for a Herman Melville novel and I had to be a drummer. I imagine the “Moby Dick” from that movie made a lot of people feel that way.

The “Classic Rock” era gave us many great musicians. It was a period of time lasting from around 1965 to 1979 and gave us more than legends, it gave us Rock Gods. Each member of that class added to the legacy of the era and tragically most died doing it as well. Jimi Hendrix changed guitar forever while Jim Morrison was the ultimate rock star before they were rock stars. Bob Marley brought reggae to our consciousness and John Bonham was the hardest hitting of all drummers. Where Keith Moon was known for his insanity behind a kit and Neil Pert is known for his technical skill, Bonham was known for his power.


For those who do not know the name, John Henry "Bonzo" Bonham was the drummer for Led Zeppelin from their conception in 1968 to their demise in 1980. In fact, it was his passing that brought the end of Led Zeppelin about because he was that unique of a man and that important to the sound. He took drummers from being thought of as nothing more than a human metronome and brought them to the limelight.

In a world slowly becoming dominated by drummers using double bass kits, Bonham kept to his single bass set and still outplayed most. The man was a percussive animal whose solos would usually be upwards of 30 minutes long and featured his bare hands on the skins. Outside of the live show, a feature drum solo was very rare and Bonham was a talented enough drummer to take his solos into the realm of musical composition instead of merely a display of skill. Yes, he was so monstrous a force that drum solos were even featured on Led Zeppelin’s second, fourth, and last albums. Bonham brought the respect of the world to the drums and made drummers real rock stars.

John Bonham died on September 25, 1980. The popular story involves his consumption of 40 shots of Vodka and being found dead the next morning in Jimmy Page’s home. While 40 shots of Vodka would probably kill most people from alcohol poisoning, it was not the booze that did John in. John was a big guy and a steady drinker who redefined alcoholic. No, it was not the booze that did him in, but rather he died from asphyxiation. No drugs were found in his body either.

John Bonham did more to influence not only the world of hard rock, but all genres of music and he can still be heard today. The beats he created for songs such as “The Ocean” and “When the Levee Breaks” are still sampled today by many popular artists.

To hear him at what I feel is his best, I recommend the above mentioned “Moby Dick” from Led Zeppelin II and “Fool in the Rain” from the In Through the Out Door album. Another option is to visit 23 John Henry Bonham Drum Outtakes.

Bonzo and his great white whale of a drum sound will never be repeated again. The impact he made with a few beats and a couple of shuffles changed my life’s course. I never became a professional drummer, but also never listened to music the same again. Thank you John and continue to Rest in Peace. Your talent has still not been equaled and never will be.