Jason Bonham | |
|---|---|
 Bonham in 2021 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | (1966-07-15)15 July 1966 (age 58) Dudley, England |
| Origin | Liverpool, England |
| Genres | |
| Occupations |
|
| Instruments |
|
| Years active |
|
| Member of | |
| Formerly of | |
| Website | jasonbonham |
Jason John Bonham (born 15 July 1966) is an English drummer. He is the son ofLed Zeppelin drummerJohn Bonham. Since his father's death in September 1980, he has performed with the surviving three members of Led Zeppelin on several occasions, including theAhmet Ertegun Tribute Concert atO2 arena inLondon in December 2007. He has also done extensive work as asession musician, led the groupBonham in the 1980s and '90s, and is a member of the supergroupsBlack Country Communion andSammy Hagar and the Circle.
Bonham could play drums skillfully at the age of five,[1] and appeared with his father in the filmThe Song Remains the Same, drumming on a scaled-down kit.[2] At 15, he joined his first band, Airrace. In 1985, he joinedVirginia Wolf, making two albums and touring the US supportingthe Firm.[1]
In 1988, Bonham joined Led Zeppelin guitaristJimmy Page for hisOutrider album and tour. In May of the same year, Bonham appeared with the three surviving members of Led Zeppelin for a performance atAtlantic Records 40th Anniversary concert in New York City.[1]
In 1989, Bonham appeared as a special guest at theMoscow Music Peace Festival, performing the song "Rock and Roll" with many major rock stars of the day. That same year, he formed his own band,Bonham, whose Zeppelin inspired first releaseThe Disregard of Timekeeping had a hit single, "Wait for You" and the music video for the subsequent single "Guilty" did get some play; however, after a lukewarm reception for their 1992 release,Mad Hatter, the band was dissolved, and Bonham concentrated on session work and guest appearances.
On 28 April 1990, Bonham married Jan Charteris, in Stone,Worcestershire. His wedding reception included a jam withJimmy Page,Robert Plant, andJohn Paul Jones. The Bonhams have two children: a son named Jager and a daughter, Jaz (born 1993).[1]
Bonham drummed forPaul Rodgers on theGrammy nominatedMuddy Water Blues: A Tribute toMuddy Waters project. A year later withSlash and Paul Rodgers, he appeared atWoodstock II in 1994. Bonham reformed his band with a new lead vocalist,Marti Frederiksen, replacingDaniel MacMaster. Renamed Motherland, they released the albumPeace 4 Me later in 1994; however, his down-to-earth nature always showed—on one occasion making an encore drumming appearance for local Led Zeppelin tribute bandsFred Zeppelin andLed Zepagain.
In 1995, Bonham and his sister Zoe represented their father when Led Zeppelin was inducted into theRock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Bonham soon put together another solo project that culminated inIn the Name of My Father - The Zepset, which featured the songs of Led Zeppelin. Proceeds from the album went to charity. The album followed up withWhen You See the Sun.
Following an album and tour with his auntDebbie Bonham, Jason Bonham was invited to drum forhard rock groupUFO.[clarification needed] In 2006, he recorded withJoe Bonamassa.[1]
Jason Bonham also appeared in the 2001 movieRock Star.[1] Bonham played drummerA.C., of the fictional bandSteel Dragon. The film also featured performances by musicians such asZakk Wylde,Jeff Pilson,Myles Kennedy,Jeff Scott Soto,Brian Vander Ark,Blas Elias,Nick Catanese, andRalph Michael Saenz ofSteel Panther. He also played on the film's soundtrack.
Bonham starred withTed Nugent,Evan Seinfeld (Biohazard),Sebastian Bach (Skid Row), andScott Ian (Anthrax) on theVH1 reality television show,Supergroup, in May 2006. The musicians formed a band calledDamnocracy (after ditching the names FIST, God War, and Savage Animal) for the show, during which they lived in a mansion inLas Vegas for twelve days and created music. Jason also played drums live withForeigner from 2004 to 2007 and part of 2007 to 2008.
Bonham joined the supergroupBlack Country Communion with guitarist and vocalistJoe Bonamassa, vocalist and bassistGlenn Hughes and keyboardistDerek Sherinian, late in 2009 and stayed with them until they broke up in March 2013. He rejoined the group when they reformed in 2016.
On 14 May 1988, the Atlantic Records label held its 40th Anniversary Celebration by staging a non-stop concert lasting almost 13 hours. A reformed Led Zeppelin, with Jason on drums, closed the event.
On Saturday 28 April 1990, Jason Bonham married Jan Charteris. Later, during the wedding reception at the Heath Hotel in Bewdley, England, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, and John Paul Jones joined Jason on stage and performed "Custard Pie", "It'll Be Me", "Rock and Roll", "Sick Again", and "Bring It On Home" for the wedding party.
On 12 September 2007, it was announced that Jason Bonham would take over his father's role and play drums for Led Zeppelin at theLed Zeppelin reunion concert. This took place on 10 December 2007 at London'sO2 arena as part of an all-star tribute toAhmet Ertegun.[3][4][5]His performance was described as "flawless" by music critics.[6]
In February 2009, Jason Bonham and James Dylan began working together in what would become Jason Bonham'sLed Zeppelin Evening, a live homage to his late father's band. During the autumn of 2010, Jason Bonham'sLed Zeppelin Evening embarked on their first North American tour[7] and toured worldwide throughout 2011.
Bonham more recently played drums, along with sistersAnn andNancy Wilson of the groupHeart on vocals and guitar respectively, with successive additions of band, string and horn sections, and choirs (including theJoyce Garrett Youth Choir)[8] for a show-ending performance of "Stairway to Heaven" during the Led Zeppelin tribute at theKennedy Center Honors hosted byBarack Obama in December 2012 with his late father's band members Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, and John Paul Jones in attendance.[9] It was described as a "bring down the house" version.[10]
In the Summer of 2013,Jason Bonham'sLed Zeppelin Evening joined forces with the bandHeart for "The Heartbreaker Tour" celebrating the music of Led Zeppelin.[7][11]
Later that year, he teamed up again withGlenn Hughes to form a new rock band, which becameCalifornia Breed, adding the guitaristAndrew Watt.
In 2014, Bonham joinedSammy Hagar'ssupergroupSammy Hagar and the Circle. The band featured Led Zeppelin tracks along with songs from Hagar's various career projects, such asMontrose,Van Halen, andChickenfoot.[12]
From early March to late May 2015, Jason Bonham'sLed Zeppelin Evening toured extensively inNorth America. On 4 December 2015, the band began their North American Winter Tour inSan Jose,California.[7] In early May 2016, they embarked on a one-month / 22-date North American tour. Most recently, they embarked on another tour throughout the United States, with dates running through November 2021.[13] He also joinedKid Rock on hisBad Reputation Tour.[14]
Bonham has endorsedDW Drums. Prior to this, for many years he played aLudwigVistalite drumkit similar to his late father's.
| Drum | Depth | Diameter |
|---|---|---|
| Bass | 14" | 26" |
| Snare | 6.5" | 14" |
| Rack Tom | 10" | 14" |
| Floor Tom 1 | 16" | 16" |
| Floor Tom 2 | 16" | 18" |
| Cymbal | Model | Diameter |
|---|---|---|
| Crash | 2002 | 22" |
| Ride | 2002 | 24" |
| Thin Crash | Formula 602 | 22" |
| Hi-Hats | 2002 Sound-Edge | 15" |
| Gong | 38" |
Bonham has produced his own line of signature series drumstick withPro-Mark. The SD531W is made of AmericanMaple with acorn shaped, wooden tips. The taper is relatively short and the sticks have considerably large dimensions, being 16.75" (42.5 cm) in length and 0.595" (1.5 cm) in diameter. The sticks also feature the symbol used by Bonham's father,John Bonham, of the three interlocking rings – they are printed next to Jason's signature on the side of the stick.
Bonham endorsesRemo drum heads andDW drums & hardware. He usesDW 9000 Series Double Pedals.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
| Other | |
