1973 Interview: John Bonham Shares Story Of A Guy Pointing Gun To Led Zeppelin
John Bonham - Bent Christiansen / Youtube
Danger coming too close for comfort doesn’t discriminate, not even when you’re the top rock band of the decade. This is what happened with Led Zeppelin in 1973, as what John Bonham and his brother Mick recalled in an interview.
He said, “We enjoy playing. Every gig is important to us. In this business, it doesn’t matter how big you are, you can’t afford to become complacent. If you adopt that attitude you’re dead. That’ll never happen to us.”
The drummer reflected further on their life on the road, saying, “There are some bands who tour America as many times as possible, but although we could do this, the result would be that the audience would go along for the sake of going to a concert and not because it’s an event. Before long your prestige goes and you burn yourself out. You must create your own demand.”
“Sometimes touring gets a bit wearing, but that’s only I’m married with kids at home. I’ve never gotten pissed off with the actual touring. I enjoy playing – I could play every night. It’s just being away that gets you down sometimes. I still enjoy going through different towns that we haven’t been to before. But you get fed up with places like New York because they’re not interesting anymore,” he continued.
“The restaurant scene in the South can be unbelievable. We’ve stopped for a coffee and watched everybody in the place get service. People who came in after we did. Everybody sits and glares at you, waiting and hoping that you’ll explode and start a scene,” Bonham on dealing with fame in day to day transactions.
