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Jason Bonham 'Struggles' With His Dad's Death Every Day

Jason BonhamToby Canham, Getty Images

Jason Bonham understands his dad, John Bonham, the backbeat behind the mighty Led Zeppelin, was inarguably among the greatest rock drummers who ever lived. Sadly, the younger Bonham only realized that after his father passed away in September 1980 after a lethal drinking binge. "I struggle with that on a daily basis. I never got to tell him how great he was cause he was just 'Dad,'" Jason tells Spinner. "I lost him at 14. I lost him before adolescence."

On tour now with his new project, the Led Zeppelin Experience, Jason is getting to pay respect to his father as a drummer. Still, he believes that his true "thank you" to dad came when he joined Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones in December 2007 for a one-off Led Zeppelin show. "I hope one day when that comes out it's kind of my documented homage to him -- 'Look what you taught me. This is what you gave me,'" Jason says. "It made me go back and sit listen to him again. It made me sit and focus on him like I had never done before."

So, will the long-awaited DVD of that magical show see the light of day? "I hope so," Jason says. "The business side, the Led Zeppelin thing, has always been their decision and I have no need to question it. Obviously, this one I'm involved with it so I really hope it does come out sooner than later." Shockingly, Bonham doesn't even have a personal copy of that show. "No, it's in a vault. Nobody has a copy," he says.

Before he can revisit that triumphant night, Bonham is busy making sure the Zeppelin Experience is as perfect as can be. "I'm very meticulous with the band. The guys, I'm really on them," he says. "Musically, they have to be right. I record every rehearsal every day and I sit every night, listening to the set over and over again. For me to go out and play it, once it's right, I'm gonna be beaming from side to side."

Bonham knows there are those who have been skeptical about taking this on the road. "There are people out there, the skeptics, who go, 'Oh, you shouldn't be doing this,'" he acknowledges, but as a drummer, he wants to tackle the best. "I always say, 'Well, if I wasn't my dad's son and I was a drummer in a band, I'd still want to do it. I'd still want to play Zeppelin songs at some point."

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Steve

Jason is not even half the drummer his father was.
Jason lacks the techniques, chops and originality
his father invented.There is a reason why Zeppelin is not using him up,, He is just not that good!

November 30 2010 at 11:43 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Steve's comment
Joe Falco

You sir,

are a cur.

January 02 2011 at 1:10 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Rocky

Hats off to he group. As a life long drummer with the late Bonzo as my hero and role model as well as a lifelong fan of the Zep, I am impressed. I applaud Jason Bonham for his talent and efforts to keep the legacy of his father and Led Zeppelin's music alive and well up front and in our hearts. Well Done.

November 18 2010 at 3:53 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply