JASON BONHAM Was 'A Little Shocked' About Being 'Let Go' From SAMMY HAGAR's Band

Jason Bonham says that he is "a little shocked" about being "let go" from Sammy Hagar's band for the upcoming "The Best Of All Worlds" shows.

The veteran rock drummer, son of late LED ZEPPELIN legend John Bonham, recently took part in the U.S. leg of "The Best Of All Worlds", which focused largely on celebrating the music of Hagar's former band VAN HALEN. Unfortunately, Bonham had to leave the tour with four shows remaining on the U.S. leg due to a family issue. The drummer was replaced at the last several dates of the trek by Kenny Aronoff, who had previously played with Hagar, bassist Michael Anthony and guitarist Joe Satriani in CHICKENFOOT.

A few days ago, Bonham revealed that he wouldn't be taking part in any of the upcoming "The Best Of All Worlds". While answering a fan's social media question, Bonham wrote: "Sammy has decided to carry on with Kenny."

Speaking to Ultimate Classic Rock, Bonham 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.' 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 was fired from Hagar's band, Bonham was full of praise for the legendary rocker. "Listen, I love the guy to bits," Jason said. "I don't wish him any ill. I still speak to him. 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.

"So, yeah, I had a great 10 years. He allowed me to always do what I wanted to do. When my thing would get busy he always gave me the space. I couldn't ask for more."

Earlier this month, Jason addressed his absence from the last few shows of "The Best Of All Worlds" tour, sharing a statement on social media in which he said that his mother had been "facing some serious health issues" but that she was "now home and recovering, which brings me immense relief."

In early September, Hagar told Guy "Favazz" Favazza of the St. Louis, Missouri radio station KSHE 95 about how he hooked up with Kenny: "Well, I've known Kenny for a long time. Kenny has been my backup drummer for about — not just me. You talk to Billy Gibbons, you talk to anybody, they're gonna tell you that he's their backup drummer because he's the only guy that you can hand a setlist of 24 songs and in 24 hours he can play 'em."

Sammy clarified that he didn't know ahead of time that Kenny was going to be stepping in for Jason. "Jason's [family emergency] was a sudden thing," he explained. "His mother had a stroke and went into a coma and it's serious. So [his] whole family went over there [to the United Kingdom]. And he held out for two or three days, and he says, 'I gotta go. I gotta go.' I said, 'You go. Go.' So we told Kenny. He had about 24-hour notice. And he came in the first night. He got there at six in the morning. We played that night in Cincinnati. And he did a 90-percent perfect show. I swear to you, I make more mistakes every night than he did. So that's big hats off to this guy."

Aronoff replaced Chad Smith in CHICKENFOOT's touring lineup from 2011 to 2012. Smith was forced to step away from CHICKENFOOT's touring activities due to his commitments with the RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS.

Jason Bonham spent nearly a decade touring as JASON BONHAM'S LED ZEPPELIN EXPERIENCE before changing the band's name to JASON BONHAM'S LED ZEPPELIN EVENING. Bonham later explained that the switch was prompted by a request from the LED ZEPPELIN camp, who wanted to use the "Experience" name for a project involving the archive of ZEP live recordings.

JASON BONHAM'S LED ZEPPELIN EXPERIENCE was formed in 2009 to pay tribute to Bonham's father, legendary LED ZEPPELIN drummer John Bonham, who died in 1980 at the age of 32.

Jason launched JASON BONHAM'S LED ZEPPELIN EXPERIENCE two years after taking part in LED ZEPPELIN's one-off performance at London's O2 Arena tribute concert for friend and Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun. The rare live set, which saw Jason behind the drums in place of his late father, was released in 2012 as "Celebration Day".

Photo credit: Timothy Norris (courtesy of Valeska Thomas at Live Nation PR)