| John Bonham was one of the world’s most | | | | was the tradition for rock drummers in his day. |
| influential drummers, especially in the genre of | | | | This playing style match very well the both Jones |
| hard rock and heavy metal. He was born in | | | | and Page, and Bonham was able to incorporate |
| England in 1948, and from an early age he began | | | | many complex drum patterns and fills into songs |
| banging on pots and pans, boxes, anything with a | | | | that most drummers wouldn’t even attempt |
| flat surface that would let him imitate the jazz | | | | during a solo. |
| and big band drummers who inspired him. He | | | | As was the case with so many rock stars in the |
| spent his teenage years working construction with | | | | 1970’s, John Bonham was plagued by the |
| his father and searching for bands to play with. | | | | demons of substance abuse, particularly alcohol. A |
| This was how he ran into Robert Plant for the | | | | great fan of automobiles, he also had rotten luck |
| first time, and although the two only performed | | | | with them due to his drinking, and his hard |
| together in the same group for a brief time, they | | | | partying had gotten completely out of control. On |
| kept in touch throughout the years. | | | | a typical morning for him in September of 1980, |
| Bonham got his big break at the age of 20, when | | | | Bonham began his day with an extremely large |
| that same Robert Plant called him up to ask him if | | | | amount of alcohol before being driven to and |
| he was interested in joining a band that noted | | | | from tour rehearsals. He was left at home to |
| guitarist Jimmy Page was putting together. | | | | ‘sleep it off’, and when Jones and the |
| Bonham, or ‘Bonzo’ to his friends | | | | band’s tour manager found him the next |
| answered in the affirmative and history was | | | | morning, he had choked to death in his sleep, a |
| made. With the addition of John Paul Jones, the | | | | victim of the day’s excessive drinking. |
| lineup for Led Zeppelin was set. | | | | Bonham’s tombstone to this day covered |
| Many musicologists and modern drummers agree | | | | with respectfully stacked drum sticks left by |
| that John Bonham was an absolute master of his | | | | those who have come to pay their respect. He is |
| instrument. He hit the drum skins very hard, and | | | | survived by a son and daughter, and his son |
| used extremely thick drum sticks. These sticks | | | | Jason has become an excellent drummer in his |
| could be used to batter out the most brutal | | | | own right. |
| rhythm, or become incredibly agile to tap out a | | | | is the mystical rehersal studio for rockers DEMON |
| gentle sound no louder than that of the falling rain. | | | | TWEAK. Listen as they prepare for battle with |
| He was famous for creating a groove where the | | | | the evil trickster Loki by playing home brewed |
| drum sound seemed to occur just behind the | | | | classic rock direct from Ragnarok. |
| beat, instead of hitting it exactly in the middle as | | | | |