NEWS

LED ZEPPELIN fans around the world are remembering late drum legend JOHN BONHAM today (September 25th) as it is the 25th anniversary of his death (September 25th, 1980). Looking back at the last few hours of his life, according to Wikipedia, Bonham disliked both being away from his home and family for long periods and flying. This led him to heavy alcohol use to work off his nerves. On September 24, 1980, he was picked up by Led Zeppelin assistant Rex King from The Old Hyde hotel to be at rehearsals at Bray Studios for the upcoming tour of the US, the band's first since 1977. During the journey Bonham had downed four quadruple vodkas, and continued to drink at the studio. A halt was called to the rehearsals late in the evening and the band retired to Page's house in Windsor. After midnight, Bonham had fallen asleep and was taken to bed on his side. Tour manager Benji LeFevre found him dead the next morning. The cause of death was asphyxiation caused by choking on his own vomit. John Bonham was buried on October 10, 1980 at Rushock parish churchyard, near The Old Hyde farm. He was 32. Led Zeppelin issued the following statement on December 4th, 1980: "The loss of our dear friend, and the deep sense of harmony felt by ourselves and our manager, have led us to decide that we could not continue as we were."

QUIET RIOT drummer FRANKIE BANALI, a self-confessed Zep-junkie and devout Bonham follower, has graciously answered a number of Bonham-centered questions for BW&BK in memory of the late skinsman. Enjoy...

BW&BK: Toughest Bonham performance(s) to duplicate.
Banali: "They are all equally difficult because John had such a wonderful feel and swing. Credit must also be given to Jimmy Page (guitar) and John Paul Jones (bass) because musically they were so supportive of that style of drumming. You can't play drums that way and with that feel if it is not with the right musicians and songs."

BW&BK: Any blatant "borrowing" of a Bonham drum lick on a Quiet Riot song?
Banali: "Obviously all the single bass drum triplet combinations punctuated by the snare drum as well as the triplets between the hands on the snare, toms, punctuated by the kick drum. This is really more for me on live dates than on most of the recordings with Quiet Riot because that material didn't often lend itself to that style of drumming. The track 'Condition Critical' as well as a little of the material on Terrified, Down To The Bone and Guilty Pleasures has some of that, but I have yet to get it just right on any Quiet Riot record."

BW&BK: What main stylistic influences did you "acquire" from listening to Bonham?
Banali: "It has always been more about the feel and space than anything else. Again though, without the right combination of musicians and especially the rhythm section, no matter how hard you might try to get that feel, it won't work if the other musicians don't understand that style of playing. I've come close on record with bassist Tony Franklin (ex-BLUE MURDER, THE FIRM)."

BW&BK: First Bonham moment. Where? When?
Banali: "February 14 and 15, 1969 at Thee Image Club, North Miami Beach, Florida. I was still in school, no car, no drivers license. I talked my father into buying me a ticket and driving me from Ft Lauderdale where we were living at the time. My father was great, he sat outside in his car drinking espresso, smoking Denobili cigars and reading the New York Times while I was inside having the whole way I looked at a band and music change forever. John was the most exciting drummer I had ever seen. My father asked me how it was, I was speechless, so he said 'I guess you want to come back and see them again tomorrow...' I nodded yes and he bought me a ticket for the next night and we did it all over again! LOL!"

BW&BK: Fave Bonham moment(s)
Banali: "Anything he ever played, period. Can't tell you any one particular moment that would be more than another. It would be like saying that any one shade of any color is favored more than another when they are all so wonderful."

BW&BK: Most prized Bonham collectibles and the stories behind them?
Banali: "A "Ching-Ring" which is a round metal tambourine like percussion instruments that is attached with a hi-hat clutch to your hi-hat stand above the hi-hat cymbals. This one was indeed one of John's, used by him and still is attached to a Rogers Drums Hi-Hat clutch which John preferred at the time over the Ludwig clutches because is was a little more heavy duty. This wonderful item was a gift from Todd Trent who is the Ludwig Drums Artists Representative and more importantly, a dear friend. He received the Ching-Ring as well as other items that belonged to John from his widow, Pat Bonham."

BW&BK: Ever see Bonham perform live? Where? When? Describe the experience...

Banali: "February 14 - 15, 1969 at Thee Image Club, North Miami Beach, Florida: John was using his maple Ludwig kit. The experience mentioned previously. July 8, 1969 at Pirates World, Dania, Florida: they started the set with the old YARDBIRDS standard 'Train Kept A Rolling' and went straight into 'I Can't Quit You' and John was again using his maple kit. April 10, 1970 at Miami Beach Convention Center, Miami Beach: the sound was not particularly good at that venue, but they were great, of course, so was John. September 1, 1971 at Hollywood Sportatorium, Hollywood, Florida: this venue was just one large concrete enormous venue, so the sound was not great and it was the loudest of the LZ shows I attended. June 25, 1972 at The Forum, Inglewood, California: I had really bad seats, enough said! May 5, 1973 in Tampa Stadium, Tampa, Florida: a friend of mine was one of the promoters for that event so I was actually on the side of the stage and it was such a great experience that is impossible to transfer to the written page. March 25, 1975 at The Forum, Inglewood, California: again, terrible seats, and I got kicked out by security when I tried to get close to the stage. The thing about John Bonham's performances was that even on the rare occasion when he was not to his usual flawless standard, he was so much better than anyone else."

BW&BK: What do you think Bonzo did for rock n' roll / metal?
Banali: "He had an uncanny sense of what to play and what not to play, his technique was better than he is given credit for, his feel, grooves and inventiveness was without equal. He set the standard for all other drummers to follow in what can truly be done as the backbone of a band, and no one before him or sense has done it equal or better than he did."

BW&BK: With the deluge of classic rock stations, Zep won't die. Even without radio, Zep wouldn't die. The point is, given the fact that
radio is stuck in the '70s/'80s (or the nasty Jack format), one GOOD thing is, kids will find out about such talented legends cuz their
isn't anything else on the radio. Comments?

Banali: "It's good in that this style of music, especially English based heavy blues style is now the positive alternative to a lot of nonsense that is played on the radio otherwise. In a way it's not much more different for younger musicians to go back and listen to great 70's music much like those bands did in listening to 20's, 30's, 40's American blues music."

BW&BK: Where would YOU be WITHOUT John Bonham?
Banali: "John Bonham is without a doubt a great influence on my drumming. I immediately related to John's drumming and style because I had already "discovered" the idea of using a large 26" bass drum for the tone that big band drummers got. My father listened to a lot of jazz and opera, so though the jazz I was exposed to the big drum sounds of Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich to name just two because the list is lengthy! But I was also listening to Ringo (THE BEATLES) and Charlie Watts (THE ROLLING STONES) to learn how to play songs, not drums, which is something that John Bonham's drumming would also later reinforce. I was also listening to JIMI HENDRIX's Mitch Mitchell and DEEP PURPLE's Ian Paice, as well as a lot of Ginger Baker of CREAM. Add to this my longtime musical love for all of the JAMES BROWN's drum grooves, things like 'I Got You', 'Get Up', 'I Got The Feeling', 'Mother Popcorn', 'Give It Up Turn It Loose', etc., all those things are part of my playing, my soul, my love of drumming. But, without John Bonham, there would be a certain aspect of my playing that would be less than it is. He left a considerable drumming void when he left us."