JASON BONHAM: 'I'm A Jukebox Drummer'

April 18, 2008

Drummer Jason Bonham, who filled in for his long-deceased father John at LED ZEPPELIN's reunion show in London this past December, was recently asked by RollingStone.com if he is a better drummer now as a result of the practice and learning that he put into that ZEPPELIN concert. "Right up to the last minute, I was struggling with detail," he replied. "I was trying to replicate what my dad did. It was ruining my fun. Then someone said, 'Why not be Jason Bonham? And John Bonham will come naturally.' It was that simple. I went into the last two days of rehearsal and played without thinking, 'I'll do the fill from '73 into '75.' I just played from the heart.'

"I'm not technically minded I couldn't describe what I play," Jason said of his attack and technique. "I'm a jukebox drummer, as my dad taught me. We'd put the jukebox on, and I'd play along to music. I play to what I hear. I have a small bag of tricks. But on that night, I managed to do the tricks all at the right time." With, he noted, one exception: "I came in two bars too soon in 'Dazed and Confused'. Jimmy [Page] stared at me 'What are you doing?' But I got it back. And it was cool."

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