The music of Led Zeppelin is classic, perpetually cool and heavy, defying timestamp. In Through the Out Door, which was released in 1979, was the last studio album recorded before Zep disbanded, due to the death of drummer John Bonham.
While there have been good imitators and scores of Led Zeppelin covers played, the closest taste we've had of the greatest rock and roll band of all time (my favourite, while Oasis were, let's say, Britpop) was when Jimmy Page, Robert Plant (legends loved by the Gallaghers), and John Paul Jones took the stage in 2007 with Jason Bonham at the drum kit.
And if anyone can fill John Bonham's Led boots it is, unequivocally, Jason, the Son of Bonzo.
You're playing "Moby Dick" in your set, of course.
B: Yes, very much so. And I do that with Dad, and it's just a very special thing to do each night. Something we didn't do together because we only had one drum kit in the house.
What songs can people expect to hear on this tour?
B: We kind of mix it up. We do some obscure (songs), but we do "Since I've Been Loving You," I love. "The Rain Song" (YES! - Marco, lol) we've been doing, which is just a huge, beautiful musical masterpiece which the guitarist does wonderfully well as well as the singer. The whole band has been playing really, really at the top of its game. Some of the songs we choose are tricky musical pieces, so you've got to be a competent musician to even attempt it. The last thing I want to do is pick a song that we couldn't really pull off. There's other songs in there, like, "You're Time is Gonna Come," which was never done by Zeppelin live from Led Zeppelin one. "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You" is just a show stopper. That's the first time you get a standing ovation.
That must be extremely satisfying, to say the least.
B: Every night we throw in a different song, like, "In the Light" from Physical Graffiti. And that goes down hugely well. We did "Achilles Last Stand" on the first couple of nights as well. So we have a huge knowledge of all the songs, and that is the one thing that you have to have to be in the band. We didn't want to have to keep rehearsing. The soundchecks are useful for fine-tuning things. ["When the] Levee Breaks" is always a show stopper, especially with Dad playing the drums on it. He's the main drummer on that song.
A long time ago when I was reading the liner notes on Robert Plant's solo album, Principle of Moments, and saw your name. Did you record tracks for that?
B: I did all the demos for both Pictures at Eleven and Principle of Moments.
You must have been only 15 or 16 then. I saw the L.A. Forum show on that tour in 1983 and Phil Collins was drumming. How was it to be playing drums, making those two amazing records?
B: He used to pick me up from school and he'd say, "Can you help me finish up these new songs I've got?" Yeah, it was a lot of fun.
Robert Plant used to pick you up from school?
B: Yeah. It was my last year of school. "Okay, I've asked your mom. I just need you for a couple hours. Do you want to come and jam?"
It must be the most exhilarating thing in the world to get up onstage with Robert, Jimmy, and John Paul Jones, yeah?
B: Oh yeah. As I say--for me--it brings me closer to my father to play with my dad's bandmates. I always say if I can't play with them, then I'll play for my dad's audience. And that's another way of bringing me closer to him, too.
What are you listening to as far as up-and-comers and new music these days?
B: I bought the new Beady Eye, which is Oasis without Noel Gallagher. It's cool, actually. I kinda like it. I bought Adele's album. I'm getting old. (laughs) That's one of the newer things I bought the other day. And I bought the Beastie Boys new thing. So I'm still on the "No Sleep Till Brooklyn" kind of vibe.
B: I bought the new Beady Eye, which is Oasis without Noel Gallagher. It's cool, actually. I kinda like it. I bought Adele's album. I'm getting old. (laughs) That's one of the newer things I bought the other day. And I bought the Beastie Boys new thing. So I'm still on the "No Sleep Till Brooklyn" kind of vibe.
