JASON BONHAM Admits He Was 'A Little Upset' With SAMMY HAGAR After Being 'Let Go' From His Band

During a May 30 appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", Jason Bonham spoke about his 2024 exit from Sammy Hagar's band. Drummer Kenny Aronoff replaced Bonham at the end of Hagar's "The Best Of All Worlds" tour over the summer after Jason went home to take care of his mother who had suffered a stroke. Hagar, Aronoff, guitarist Joe Satriani and bassist Michael Anthony also completed a Las Vegas residency earlier this month. Asked if everything is "okay" now between him and Hagar, Bonham said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We're good. I was a little upset with him, obviously — when it happened, I was upset, because I had 10 years — great years — with Sam. Love him, love his family, kids, everything, his wife. His wife and my wife are very, very close. So it was a bit of a shock, but I get it. At that time I couldn't commit to the Japanese tour because mom was still in a bad way. And at that time, I'd got everything held for the following year that I was asked to do. So, I'd held everything off. The only one commitment I had, which was BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION. So I read recently, there was an article that somebody kind of cornered him on me. And I just wanted to clear that up. I didn't have any dates booked or anything. So I could have done rehearsals. I just wanted it to be out there. I could have done rehearsals. The only thing I had booked was the three weeks in June [with BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION]. But so is Joe and Kenny; [they] are gonna be away at that time [as well]. So that was my only thing. I don't know if there's more to it than the eye. And he kind of said Kenny was way more upbeat and I was a bit drama. But oh, well. But I love Sam to bits. Me and Mike, we speak every week. Mikey, I really miss him. But we had a great time. To get where we got playing those songs, who wouldn't want to do that gig? So, we had a great time last year. If that was my swan song with Sam, then we ended up on a high."

Last November, Sammy opened up about his decision to replace Bonham with Aronoff, telling Rolling Stone magazine: "There's two reasons. Number one, [Kenny is] one of the greatest drummers on the planet. I think he's been on more million-selling records than any musician in the world. And he did so well on this tour, and he plays with Joe on a full-time basis... And he blew my mind. I played with Kenny in CHICKENFOOT, and he blew my mind then too, because when we auditioned him, he learns every song. 'Tell me what songs we're playing.' 'Okay, here they are.' He charts them out and he sits there, and he fuckin' can read it and play it with soul and power perfectly, just one time, the first time he plays it. If that don't blow a musician's mind, I don't know what would, especially these kinds of songs. These songs are crazy. They're fuckin' VAN HALEN arrangements."

Bonham, for his part, told Ultimate Classic Rock that was disappointed to see his time in Hagar's band come to an end. Referencing the fact that he initially confirmed that he would not be rejoining Sammy's group in a social media post, Jason said: "I was trying to answer fans, really, because they were asking me, 'Why aren't you involved with the new thing they're recording?' and saying, 'Aren't you gonna do it again?' 'I was let go, so, no,'" Bonham explained. "Sammy rang me awhile ago. He was asking about my mom, but then he said, 'Y'know, I'm not gonna do much next year,' blah, blah blah, 'and I'm gonna go with Kenny.' I was a little shocked, I must say. I'd be lying to you if I wasn't a little sad, because we were on fire at the end of the tour. And I got a little upset. That was strange, after 10 years of being with him."

Despite the fact that he is no longer playing with Sammy, Bonham insisted that there was no bad blood between the two musicians. "Listen, I love the guy to bits. I don't wish him any ill. I still speak to him," Bonham clarified. "Honestly, the guy has taught me so much — about business, being positive. I'm an English guy; I can be really negative half the time. Even if the sun is shining, 'but it could rain.' He really helped me in that aspect big-time, and business sense and never taking no for an answer, always believing in yourself."

Aronoff, a legendary drummer in his own right, is best known for his work with John Mellencamp and John Fogerty, among other projects. He has also worked with the likes of LYNYRD SKYNYRD, THE SMASHING PUMPKINS and Jon Bon Jovi.

On the heels of a successful tour that brought multiple sellouts, JASON BONHAM'S LED ZEPPELIN EVENING (JBLZE) recently announced another round of dates to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the LED ZEPPELIN classic "Physical Graffiti". The latest 22-city trek is billed as "An Evening With JBLZE Celebrating 50 Years Of Physical Graffiti". The show made headlines as JBLZE has been performing all the songs from the album that fans have been clamoring to hear including classics such as "The Wanton Song" and "Kashmir" live alongside deeper cuts like "In The Light" and "Boogie With Stu". The evening is also made up of other LED ZEPPELIN favorites, including "Good Times Bad Times", "Whole Lotta Love" and, of course, "Stairway To Heaven".