Hey, Ms. F! I put Mick Bonham's book on my "to read" list after seeing some quotes on posts you'd reblogged. I've got LZ by LZ floating around somewhere, and read Hammer of the Gods yearssss ago (much too young to have been soaking in such wild tales, surely ;). But! My question for you is: what other Zep tomes come with your reader's stamp of approval?
Well, first and foremost I must recommend Barney Hoskyns’ Trampled Underfoot. It’s done oral history style, so you’re getting stories and quotes from the band and folks who were there - employees, roadies, groupies, etc.
Bring It On Home, Mark Blake’s bio of Peter Grant, is great. Totally covers G from beginning to end. And does him justice.
If you’re into Jimmy, Brad Tolinski’s Light and Shade is an interesting collection of interviews with JP. Jimmy’s a squirrelly interviewee, but I think he trusted Tolinski enough to make for a good read. Not sure how he feels about him now, though. Also, if you’re feeling spendy, Jimmy’s own The Anthology is fantastic. And I say this as an archives worker. It’s a great photographic catalog of Jimmy’s life in clothes and gear and ephemera.
If it’s Robert you’re after, Robert Plant: A Life by Paul Rees is a fun read. He managed to track down good sources for stories and quotes. Personal favorite: “Robert’s the kind of man who likes to get on with life. And the babysitter.” - Benji LeFevre.
Has anyone written about Jonesy yet? 🤔 Anyhoo... I hope these are helpful suggestions and I really hope you like Mick Bonham’s book. He wrote it because he wanted Bonzo’s daughter Zoe (who was 5 when he died) to know her dad was a good man. And was he ever 😌. Also, the Bonham clan 😳 what a riot they were/are. You will laugh as hard as you cry.
Happy reading!
