"Led Zeppelin I" 1969 and JOHN BONHAM STYLE TRIBUTE DRUM SOLO / ANNIVERSARY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2024

"The New Yardbirds" recruited into "Olympic Studios" on Sept 25, '68 at 11pm(+Oct '68)to record their debut LP "Led Zeppelin"(released Jan 12, '69(US), March 31, '69(UK),done in about 30hrs).Jimmy Page provided a powerful LP with placing of mics to create a huge ambient reverb sound which would make all the instruments and Robert Plant's powerful vocals STRONG/BIG and not so boxy or muted such as the sounds bands were doing in the '60's.Jimmy experimented with reverse echo and massive reverb on the LP.Page taking control of the "Mothership" changing the band name from "The New Yardbirds" to "Led Zeppelin" after signing with "Atlantic Records" in '68 with band manager Peter Grant."LZ" BRANCHING OUT to other STYLES OF MUSIC on their debut LP.John Bonham born May 31, ‘48 in Redditch Worcestershire, England and began playing drums at age 5!Making his kit out of plastic containers and coffee tins and was influenced by the big band jazz drummers like Buddy Rich, Max Roach, and Gene Krupa.No lessons but JB was skilled to play in grammar school bands such as "Gerry Levene & the Avengers."!Per John’s brother Mick his mother said “It was just a phase John was going through and he’d grow out of it.”JB worked for his father as a carpenter after leaving "Lodge Farm Secondary Modern School" in '64.He played in an early band called the "Senators" and recorded a single with the group called "She's a Mod" in '64.JB said "I went into the trade with my dad(carpentry)."He had a building business and I use to like it.""But drumming was the only thing I was really any good at.During Led Zeppelin's '75 U.S. tour(after the 1st show on Jan 19, '75), John snapped noticed that the Feb '75 "Playboy" magazine(he was reading in his Chicago, IL, hotel room preparing for the next gig that night)voted drummer Karen Carpenter as the best rock drummer of the year.Jealous?Destroying hotel rooms up to $50,000 of repairs in a "damage deposit" + driving a Harley-Davidson motorcycle through the hallways of the "Hyatt House hotel(nicknamed "The Riot House")Plant remembers Bonzo ripping the visor off in a car heading to one rehearsal saying "Everyone plays drums better than me!""How about when we get to the rehearsal, you play drums and I'll sing?!"On Wed Sept 24, '80(9am-noonish)Bonham was picked up by Zep assistant Rex King to attend rehearsals at Bray Studios for a tour of North America, to begin Oct 17th in Montreal, Canada."John drank 4 quadruple vodka screwdrivers for breakfast with a bite from a ham sandwich at a Pub and continued to drink throughout the day of the rehearsal.""Jonesy", said "he was completely wasted!"Taken long draws of vodka straight out of the bottle."Falling off his drum chair."BONZO" suffered from anxiety, depression, gaining a lot of weight and was taking medication for it along with groupie fun to take the pain away.He was also coming out of a heroin addiction.John simply was tired of touring and being away from his family and his farm.Page said "lets call it a day.""We will pick it back up tomorrow."From passed experience the band knew John was outrageous when it came to drinking.They were use to it thinking it would blow over the next day."The rehearsal was retired later on Sept 24, and John was escorted back to Jimmy's mansion("Old Mill House")where "THE BEAST" continued to drink more vodka and went in to a BEASTLY TANTRUM ABOUT NOT WANTING TO GO ON THE NEXT TOUR IN THE STATES before being laid to sleep on his side and at one point vomited in his sleep choking to death.John Bonham's death occurred at Page's home in the early hrs of Sept 25, '80 at 32 years old after a heavy drinking binge session during the '80 U.S. tour rehearsals for what was supposed to be the next U.S. tour since '77.John Paul Jones and one of the roadies found "The Beast" cold, pale and blue.He was gone 12 years after the debut recording sessions.Ironic.The tour was canceled and on Dec 4, '80 the band put a national publicized article about splitting for good."BONZO" was the pounding heart of Led Zeppelin and could not be replaced.Jimmy Page quotes about the LP "Coda"(released Nov 26, '82), "It was the most difficult album I've ever done.""After John's death I did not want to touch the guitar for months"-Jimmy Page.Robert Plant at 33 years old said "it was time to carry on."This inspired Plant to go solo.My idea here was to demonstrate the "BONHAM ENGINE"(thanks to YouTuber Terry Keating "BONZOLEUM" + YouTuber George Fludas "BONHAMOLOGY")and play in a "Bonzo" style with some ideas from John's solo on "Moby Dick" from Led Zeppelin's "Royal Albert Hall, London, Jan 9, '70 show(+studio version)and ideas from Bonzo's "Out On The Tiles"/"Moby Dick" performance from Led Zeppelin's July 17, '77 Seattle, WA, "Kingdome" show.Nothing over the top here just me preparing for future projects flexing my wings throwing in Bonham motifs/riffs.
Gear
RolandmicroCubeGXAmp(Reverb/JCClean)
RolandTDK-4PV-Drums
LudwigSpeedKing
ProMarkSticks
BossGE-7Equalizer
LudwigT