Jason Bonham, son of late Led Zeppelin icon John Bonham, recently discussed his upcoming Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Evening tour of Australia and his career plans following his departure from Sammy Hagar’s band, in an interview with Today Extra.
The drummer shared his vision for the tour, which celebrates the 50th anniversary of Led Zeppelin’s ‘Physical Graffiti’ double album. He explained his desire to create something more than a typical tribute performance.
“Fifteen years into paying homage to Dad, I wanted a challenge,” Bonham said. “Well, my favorite album was ‘Physical Graffiti’, so I went back and did some research and realized that some of the songs were actually recorded for ‘Led Zeppelin IV’, some of them were recorded for ‘Houses Of The Holy’. I always say, why wasn’t ‘Houses Of The Holy’ on ‘Houses Of The Holy’? So, part of the show — it’s more than just us playing the music.”
Bonham emphasized that the performances will include personal stories and insights from his unique perspective growing up in the Bonham household.
“I explain some of the things and what it was like being around them and growing up in the household of Bonham and getting to play with, of course, Robert [Plant], John [Paul Jones] and Jimmy [Page],” he continued.
The drummer outlined his approach to making the shows engaging and dynamic for audiences.
“It’s gonna be more than just the album,” he said. “And we couldn’t just go and play it the same way as the album. We wanna keep you entertained. We wanna keep you sat in your seat. We want to keep you standing up. So it’s a show, and we have some great stories in between and how things are put together.”
Bonham also highlighted the band’s versatility and readiness to adapt to audience requests during performances.
“And if the audiences are good, and they’re usually very, very good in Australia and New Zealand, so we can always throw in some surprises,” he noted. “The main thing in the band is you have to know every song to be in the band, and we know every song. So just shout them out and we’ll play ’em.”
The tour represents a new chapter for Bonham following his recent exit from Sammy Hagar’s band.
Bonham’s tribute tour comes at a significant time for Led Zeppelin fans. The band itself has been commemorating the milestone anniversary of their iconic double album throughout 2025.
Led Zeppelin’s official website reported that the band marked the album’s 50th anniversary on September 12, 2025, with the release of a new Live E.P. featuring four previously unreleased concert recordings. The special release included “In My Time of Dying” and “Trampled Under Foot” from Earl’s Court in London in May 1975, plus “Sick Again” and “Kashmir” from Knebworth Festival in August 1979.
The anniversary celebration also featured an updated 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition 3LP vinyl set with remastered tracks and bonus material. Analog Planet noted that all new 3LP sets included a bonus replica Physical Graffiti promo poster measuring 443 x 610mm.
Physical Graffiti was originally released in February 1975. It is generally regarded as one of the greatest double albums of all time. Real Rock News described the original 15 tracks as representing a creative tour de force that explores various musical territories, making it a fitting choice for Bonham’s ambitious tribute performances.
The timing of Jason Bonham’s Australian tour alongside Led Zeppelin’s official anniversary celebrations creates a unique opportunity for fans. They can experience both the band’s archival releases and live interpretations of the classic material from the perspective of the legendary drummer’s son.
