Led Zeppelin: John Bonham’s Gift to His Long-Lost Aunt Showed He Had a Soft Side

Led Zeppelin won over fans, especially in the United States, early in the band’s career. Still, several musicians hated them, and so did hotel managers. Led Zeppelin’s reputation for mayhem and debauchery wasn’t made up — they frequently took out their pent-up energy on hotel rooms, hallways, lobbies, and kitchens. He had a reputation as a wild one, but drummer John Bonham’s gift to his long-lost aunt proved he had a soft and sentimental side, too.

John Bonham earned a reputation for wild behavior

Bonham played his drums hard with Led Zeppelin. He partied hard, too.

He often dealt with the boredom of life on the road and the adrenaline of playing sold-out concerts with alcohol. And when Bonham overserved himself, mischief often ensued. He once had his nose broken by Led Zeppelin’s tour manager during a confrontation with a kitchen worker at one hotel. It was the best way to end a scene that threatened to turn more violent the longer it lasted. Bonham once rode a motorcycle through a hotel’s hallway, too.

Reflective Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant once said Led Zeppelin’s behavior embarrassed him. The world will never know if the drummer felt the same way. He died at age 32 in September 1980 after a day of heavy drinking, but he wasn’t all about being destructive and violent. Bonham’s gift for his long-lost aunt showed his soft and sentimental side.

Bonham gifted his long-lost aunt a Led Zeppelin gold LP 

Though he could be destructive, mischievous, violent, and impulsive (he once paid $85,000 cash for a car just to upstage the salesman), Bonham also possessed a more sentimental side.

Led Zeppelin toured Australia and New Zealand just once in their career, but the band performed many of their signature songs for the fans. The set list in Auckland, New Zealand, included several Led Zeppelin IV tunes as well as signature songs such as “Immigrant Song,” “Dazed and Confused,” Whole Lotta Love,” and “Heartbreaker.”

The tour stop also included a meeting between Bonham and his long-lost aunt. The drummer arranged for the meeting.

When the Auckland concert ended, his aunt Dorothy, who left England when Bonham was a child,  found her nephew waiting for her backstage, writes C.M. Kushins in the biography Beast. Bonham also came with a rare gift that he freely gave to his aunt, according to Bonham’s brother Mick:

“They caught up with each other at the gig in Auckland, and he gave her the Gold LP for ‘Led Zeppelin’ he’d received for Australian sales.”

Mick Bonham describes John Bonham’s meeting with his aunt

Bonham could easily have ignored his relative. He could have gone from the gig to the hotel for drinks and destruction. Or he could have done a quick hello and then left. The drummer certainly didn’t need to give away a rare and hard-earned gold record. But he did.

Bonham’s rare gift to his aunt, and the fact he took time out of his tour schedule to see her, proved he possessed a thoughtful, sentimental side.

The drummer experienced homesickness while touring with Led Zeppelin

Bonham’s gift for his aunt was a show of his softer side. It wasn’t the only time his sentimental streak shined through in Led Zeppelin.

Each Led Zeppelin member had a section in The Song Remains the Same movie for their own narrative. Bonham’s bit sees him hanging out at home with his wife, Pat, and his car collection. Dedicated fans can find an online video of Bonham joining his young son, Jason, for a gleeful jam session.

Bonham admitted the grind of touring combined with lengthy time away from home wore on him (per Kushins). “Sometimes, it gets to be a bit wearing, but that’s only because I’m married and got kids at home. But I’ve never gotten bugged with the actual touring — I could play every night. It’s just the being away that gets you down sometimes.”

There’s no doubt the Bonzo side of her persona shined through with the wild behavior on Led Zeppelin tours. But John Bonham’s rare gift for his long-lost aunt proved he had a soft side, too.

How to get help: In the U.S., contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration helpline at 1-800-662-4357.