Overview

The first biography of Led Zeppelin's John Bonham, considered by many to be one of the greatest drummers in rock history, and a genuine wild man of epic (and sadly fatal) proportions. BEAST: JOHN BONHAM AND THE RISE OF LED ZEPPELIN is the first-ever biography of the iconic John Bonham, considered by many to be one of the greatest (if not THE greatest) rock drummer of all time. Bonham first learned to play the drums at the age of five, and despite never taking formal lessons, began drumming for local bands immediately upon graduating from secondary school. By the late 1960s, Bonham was looking for a more solid gig in order to provide his growing family with a more regular income. Meanwhile, following the dissolution of the popular blues rock band The Yardbirds, lead guitarist Jimmy Page sought the company of new bandmates to help him record an album and tour Scandinavia as the New Yardbirds. A few months later, Bonham was recruited to join the band who would eventually become known as Led Zeppelin-and before the year was out, Bonham and his three bandmates would become the richest rock band in the world. In their first year, Led Zeppelin released two albums and completed four US and four UK concert tours. As their popularity exploded, they moved from ballrooms and smaller clubs to larger auditoriums, and eventually started selling out full arenas. Throughout the 1970s, Led Zeppelin reached new heights of commercial and critical success, making them one of the most influential groups of the era, both in musical style and in their approach towards the workings of the entertainment industry. They added extravagant lasers, light shows, and mirror balls to their performances; wore flamboyant and often glittering outfits; traveled in a private jet airliner and rented out entire sections of hotels; and soon become the subject of frequently repeated stories of debauchery and destruction while on tour. In 1977, the group performed what would be their final live appearance in the US, following months of rising fervor and rioting from their fandom. And in September of 1980, Bonham-plagued by alcoholism, anxiety, and the after-effects of years of excess-was found dead by his bandmates. To this day, Bonham is posthumously described as one of the most important, well-known, and influential drummers in rock, topping best of lists describing him as an inimitable, all-time great. As Adam Budofsky, managing editor of Modern Drummer, explained, If the king of rock 'n' roll was Elvis Presley, then the king of rock drumming was certainly John Bonham.

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9781668600047

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C.M. Kushins gives us a wild, behind-the-scenes look at one of the greatest rock bands ever, and brings John 'Bonzo' Bonham back to life in this well-written rock classic. -- Peter Leonard, author of Voices of the Dead

C.M. Kushins gives us a wild, behind-the-scenes look at one of the greatest rock bands ever, and brings John 'Bonzo' Bonham back to life in this well-written rock classic. -- Peter Leonard, author of Voices of the Dead

Author Information

C. M. Kushins has been a freelance journalist for over fifteen years. After graduating from SUNY Empire State College with a degree in communications he worked for MTV and the NAACP. His writing has appeared in numerous print and online publications, including High Times and Creative Nonfiction. A musician himself, Nothing's Bad Luck is his first book. He lives in New York. Dave Grohl is an award-winning musician and director. He has been one of the most beloved and respected figures on the international music since his recorded debut with Nirvana on 1991's generation-defining Nevermind. Grohl took centre stage with Foo Fighters' 1995 self-titled debut album, and the band have gone on to win twelve Grammys and five Brit Awards. Their most recent album, Medicine at Midnight, went to No 1 on the UK charts. In 2013, Grohl made his debut as a feature director/producer with the acclaimed documentary Sound City. Grohl also directed the eight-part HBO docuseries Foo Fighters: Sonic Highways, which premiered in October 2014 and went on to win two Emmys. Matthew Wolf has worked extensively as a voice, theater, radio, and television actor. He has appeared in many productions on the London stage, including the title role in a sell-out production of Macbeth alongside Twilight star Robert Pattinson. He is also the official voice of Thor for Mavel Studios' animated films Hulk Vs. Thor and Thor: Tales of Asgard. He lives in Los Angeles, where he is also producing with his production company, Cool Hand International.

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