Book Review: âBONZO: 30 Rock Drummers Remember the Legendary John Bonhamâ by Greg Prato
Itâs been 40 years since âBonzo,â the mighty John Bonham, backbone of the mightier Led Zeppelin, died in 1980 after choking on his own vomit.
He was just 32 years old.
Gone. But not forgotten. And widely revered as one of rockâs greatest drummers, Bonham is remembered by a score plus 10 of his contemporaries and acolytes in music journalist Greg Pratoâs âBONZO: 30 Rock Drummers Remember the Legendary John Bonham.â
Thirty drummers may have been too many as Prato runs out of unique questions and repeats himself often, making the final third feel like a rehash of what came before. Still, thereâs something satisfying in hearing famous musicians speaking as fans.
Prato wisely allows the drummers to talk about the drummer and his drumming, asking simple, concise questions and geting out of the way. He then lays out his conversations with journeyman Kenny Arnoff, Quiet Riotâs Frankie Banali, Gregg Bissonette (Ringo Starr), Grand Funkâs Don Brewer, Liberty DeVitto (Billy Joel), the Black Crowesâ Steve Gorman, Marky Ramone and others in Q&A style over 275 pages.
Although âBONZOâ is a book about drumming as told by drummers, the interview subjects donât speak in any kind of secret language, making it comprehensible to anyone.
While the subjects universally agreed Bonham is among the best of the best, other names - Starr, Carmine Appice, Neil Peart, Mitch Mitchell, Phil Collins, et al. - pop up with surprising regularity in interviews that took place after Peartâs death in January and before Banaliâs in August 2020.
The book puts an end to the apocryphal stories of Bonham playing with inordinately large sticks or whacking the drums with extraordinary force, instead explaining his big sound is attributable mostly to Bonhamâs tuning, expert micâing, Jimmy Pageâs sage production and the fact he was in Led Zeppelin.
âBonham is to rock ânâ roll what Buddy Rich was to jazz,â Arnoff says. âThereâs only one human being like that - and so different and so unique.â
Grade card: âBONZO: 30 Rock Drummers Remember the Legendary John Bonhamâ by Greg Prato - B