John Bonham: A Thunder of Drums

Led Zeppelin were the first Heavy Metal band, their sound defined and driven by the explosive drumming of John Bonham. John Henry "Bonzo" Bonham nearly didn't join the band, having to be lured away from better paying jobs in 1968, but going on to help write such legendary tracks as "Stairway to Heaven" and "Kashmir". His drumming style forms much of the lexicon of rock drumming and he remains an idol to Led Zep and heavy metal fans worldwide. Bonham played as hard as he worked and his life produced many of the enduring legends of the Rock and Roll lifestyle. Co-author Chris Welch toured with Zeppelin and writes with the advantage of first hand experience. It is a measure of the integral role Bonham played in the band that his untimely death in 1980 led to its immediate demise. His influence, however, lives on. His unmistakeable drum patterns are among the most sampled by today's musicians.