Mothership

Happy Birthday Bonny!

Please disregard the fact that I nearly forgot Bonzo's birthday... But here's a bit of a bio on the heart and soul of Led Zeppelin, then an interesting fact about him:

Born John Henry Bonham in 1948 in Redditch, Brum, England, Bonzo (as he was better known) became one of the founding fathers of the debauchery that comes with being a rockstar. One of the first to throw a TV out of a window or drive a motorcycle through a hotel, the drunkard was not only known for his antics but his talent. He knew how to drum with four sticks or even his fingers and was known to not be afraid to do whatever he wanted. When he joined Robert Plant in the Band of Joy in the mid-60s, he was noted to have said to Robert, "You're great, but your band's shit. You need a drummer like me." He hopped from band to band until he landed in Led Zeppelin where he made more than enough money to satisfy his lust for cars (always having 16 at any given time), drugs, and bourbon. He died September 25, 1980 (thus ending Led Zeppelin forever), but still remains to be the best known drummer to date, still known as "The Beast" among beasts.

Fun Fact: During the taping of When the Levee Breaks on Led Zeppelin IV, the band just couldn't get the rhythm right. So one day, when Bonzo-- drunk as usual-- stumbled into one of Jimmy's abodes they had all been staying at in Scotland,  he dragged his drum set into a hallway of the mansion that had cathedral ceilings and began laying down what is now one of the most ominous, well know, and most rhythmic drum beats of all time.

A Special Extra Fun Fact: Around 1970, Bonzo was having troubles with his drums falling apart from hitting them too hard, so Ludwig made him custom drums with added size to the bass drum (they made him two but Jimmy hated how loud it was and hid the second one) for more sound, and they also crafted John Bonham- brand drumsticks, thick enough to endure the abuse but not so big as to be... Well, Cheech and Chong size. Infact, with his new bass drum (and even before it), Bonzo was so loud acoustically that during concerts in the early days, they didn't even amplify Bon's drums, and they didn't put microphones near them because he was so loud that people in the way back could still hear him.

And to think that all along Bonzo's goal was to be recognized as more that just the drummer, when really he achieved more than being above drummer standards. There is no doubt who the best drummer to have ever lived is-- any man that can make a song just with drums is enough to make any Bill Ward, and Tommy Lee, and Phil Collins bow down in worship. Rest in peace Bonzo. May you drum after death, and have a wonderful birthday, where-ever you are.

Bon and Keith Moon!

And Ringo! [Sorry for the watermark...]