Many drummers in the music industry have been influenced by John Bonham’s forceful drumming, quickness, and unique sound. His quick single-footed kick drumming technique has left a lasting impact on the drumming community. John Bonham was a vital part of Led Zeppelin for the duration of his career, and his fellow musicians cherished him. That’s why they believed Led Zeppelin was finished when he passed away on September 25, 1980.
There was a special bond between Jimmy Page and John Bonham because Page would ask Bonham for his thoughts on the band’s future. It was Page who helped the drummer realize his greatest dream of recording an all-drums track called “Bonzo’s Montreux.” As it happens, Page and Bonham had a dream project together that never got off the ground because of the drummer’s death.
The Project Jimmy Page Dreamt Of Making With John Bonham
Led Zeppelin released their eighth and final album, “In Through The Out Door,” before John Bonham’s death and the band’s dissolution. The album was recorded in three weeks in 1978, and on August 15, 1979, it was released. John Paul Jones’ contributions were the main focus of “In Through The Out Door,” despite Zeppelin’s earlier records.
Before John Bonham’s Robert Plant and John Paul Jones were the album’s dominant forces, but Bonham and Page made comparatively smaller contributions. Jimmy Page’s struggles with substance abuse and Bonham’s battle with alcoholism partially contributed to Led Zeppelin’s decline. They would thus record their portions earlier and add them later in the evening, while Plant and Jones would do the same.
Despite the album’s success, Bonham and Page weren’t happy with “In Through The Out Door.” In a 1993 interview, Jimmy claimed Jones’s new synthesizer inspired creative ideas and served as a source of inspiration. In addition, the other members of the band were unfamiliar with Jones’ collaboration with Plant.
Page angrily rejected the interviewer’s assertion that it appeared as though he had lost interest in the band during the “In Through The Out Door” recordings. Rather, the musician disclosed that he and Bonham were considering recording a hard-rock record subsequent to that. Page stated that the two thought “In Through The Out Door” was comparatively quiet. It didn’t capture the sound of Zeppelin.
In the interview, Jimmy Page was questioned about the following:
John Paul Jones appears to have dominated that record—at least, his contribution seems more substantial than it has on any other record. Do you think serving as an accompanist instead of taking center stage would be more interesting for you?
Page answered:
“You know, there was a strain in the ‘Presence’ situation where Jonesy did not contribute at all. Well, at that point, I would have preferred to have had some say. However, he had recently purchased a Yamaha GX-1 synthesizer, which gave him a lot of inspiration for “In Through The Out Door.” Additionally, he began collaborating closely with Robert, which had not previously occurred.
Next, the interviewer stated:
“I wondered if you were growing less excited about the band.”
The guitarist answered, saying:
Never. Never. Actually, after that, Bonzo and I had already begun talking about ideas for a hard-driving rock album. “In Through The Out Door” seemed a little too soft, in our opinion. “All Of My Love” was not to my taste. Regarding the chorus, I had some concerns. I could picture people doing the whole wave thing. “That is not us,” I thought to myself. We are not like that. It was okay in its context, but I wouldn’t have wanted to go in that direction again.
Jimmy Page and John Bonham had intended to record a more aggressive follow-up album to ‘In Through The Out Door.’ However, Bonham’s sudden death in September 1980 derailed their plans. Page had no choice but to shelve his cherished project.
