The legendary Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham tragically passed away in 1980 at the age of 32 when his son Jason was only 14. He learned to play the drums with his father and continued the career playing with bands and artists like Foreigner, Sammy Hagar, Jimmy Page and Led Zeppelin. One of his many projects is Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Experience, where he performs the songs of the band. In an interview with All Music, the musician said that “Ten Years Gone” is the most emotional Zeppelin song for him.
Jason Bonham reveals the Led Zeppelin song that is most emotional for him
“Because that song, to me, is one of the most beautiful pieces of music ever written. And live, when we play it, it’s one of the most emotional songs to play. Because it’s a realization it’s 45 years gone since he passed.”
“And it’s one of the last songs I remember him playing at Knebworth ’79, when I stood at the side stage, disgruntled, because I was very into my dirt bike (Jason was thirteen at the time). There was a race, a very big race, that I was supposed to be at, and I couldn’t. It was two races over the same weekend. So, ‘You have to choose to miss one race, because you’ve got to come and see your dad.’ Y’know, God, I am so glad that my mom and dad were like, ‘Hey, you can’t have everything in life. Make a sacrifice.’ Because I only got to see Zeppelin four times. So, I’m glad.”
“And that show to me, Knebworth, was a very special show. And it stuck out to me. I remember Robert saying, ‘It should be called ‘Eleven Years Gone,’ because it was now ’79 and it was ’68 when they first got together. I love the line, ‘Never thought I’d see your face the way it used to be.’ Always, it’s one of those moments that you’re, like, ‘Wow. I wonder, what he’d think now?'”
“And the solo, just Jimmy’s playing in it. And for us musically now, how we put it together with having the other the other musician, the keyboard instrumentalist, come guitarist, come mandolin player, come whatever we throw at him, Alex Howland, there’s one part, if you listen to that. There is a sitar line, and it goes all the way through (sings main guitar riff) in that,” Jason Bonham said.
Next Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Experience tour dates
October
- 22 – Louisville, KY, United States – The Louisville Palace – 8:00 PM
- 24 – Cincinnati, OH, United States – Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati – 8:00 PM
- 25 – Gary, IN, United States – Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana – 8:00 PM
- 26 – Cleveland, OH, United States – MGM Northfield Park – 8:00 PM
- 28 – Indianapolis, IN, United States – Murat Theatre at Old National Centre – 8:00 PM
- 29 – Detroit, MI, United States – The Fillmore Detroit – 8:00 PM
- 30 – Rockford, IL, United States – Hard Rock Casino Rockford – 8:00 PM
November
- 1 – Waterloo, NY, United States – The Vine Showroom at del Lago Resort & Casino – 8:00 PM
- 2 – Port Chester, NY, United States – The Capitol Theatre – 8:00 PM
- 4 – Ottawa, ON, Canada – Hard Rock Live Ottawa – 8:00 PM
- 5 – Toronto, ON, Canada – Massey Hall – 8:00 PM
- 7 – Atlantic City, NJ, United States – Sound Waves at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino – 8:00 PM
- 8 – Danville, VA, United States – The Pantheon at Caesars Virginia – 8:00 PM
- 9 – Montclair, NJ, United States – The Wellmont Theater – 8:00 PM
- 11 – Boston, MA, United States – Citizens House of Blues Boston – 8:00 PM
- 12 – Providence, RI, United States – The Vets – 8:00 PM
- 14 – Hampton Beach, NH, United States – Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom – 8:00 PM
- 15 – Bethlehem, PA, United States – Wind Creek Event Center – 8:00 PM
- 16 – Hanover, MD, United States – The HALL at Live! – 8:00 PM
- 18 – Huntington, NY, United States – The Paramount – 8:00 PM
- 19 – Albany, NY, United States – Palace Theatre – 8:00 PM
- 21 – Bristol, VA, United States – Hard Rock Live Bristol – 8:00 PM
- 22 – Atlanta, GA, United States – Coca-Cola Roxy – 8:00 PM
- 24 – Orlando, FL, United States – Walt Disney Theater at Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts – 8:00 PM
- 25 – Tampa, FL, United States – Hard Rock Event Center – Seminole Hard Rock Tampa – 8:00 PM
- 26 – Hollywood, FL, United States – Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino – 8:00 PM