Drummer Jason Bonham recently opened up about his absence from the last four shows of Sammy Hagar's "The Best Of All Worlds Tour" due to a family issue. The son of Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham was replaced on the closing dates of the trek by Kenny Aronoff, who previously played with Hagar, bassist Michael Anthony, and guitarist Joe Satriani, when he replaced Chad Smith in Chickenfoot.
On Sunday, November 3, Bonham released the following statement via social media:
"I wanted to take a moment to explain my absence over the past few weeks. As many of you know, my mother has been facing some serious health issues, and it's been an incredibly challenging time for our family. I'm grateful to share that she's on the mend and has been discharged from the hospital! She's now home and recovering, which brings me immense relief."
"It was truly difficult to step away from 'The Best Of All Worlds' tour with only four shows left. The energy, the connections, and the experiences were nothing short of incredible, but my priority had to be with my mother during her fight for life."
"I'm excited to announce that JBLZE [Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Evening] will be back on tour starting November 19th! I can't wait to see all of you and share this journey together once more."
"Thank you for your understanding and love. See you soon!"
On November 15, Bonham shared the JBLZE dates and was asked by a fan if he would be rejoining the Best of All Worlds band. His reply: "Sammy has decided to carry on with Kenny, so sadly, no."
"I was trying to answer fans, really, because they were asking me, 'Why aren't you involved with the new thing they're recording?' and saying, 'Aren't you gonna do it again?' 'I was let go, so, no,'" Bonham, who recorded three albums with Hagar (2015's At Your Service, 2019's Space Between and 2022's Crazy Times), tells Ultimate Classic Rock. "Sammy rang me awhile ago. He was asking about my mom, but then he said, 'Y'know, I’m not gonna do much next year,' blah, blah blah, 'and I'm gonna go with Kenny.' I was a little shocked, I must say. I'd be lying to you if I wasn't a little sad, because we were on fire at the end of the tour. And I got a little upset. That was strange, after 10 years of being with him."
Nevertheless, Bonham has nothing but good to say about Hagar. "Listen, I love the guy to bits. I don't wish him any ill. I still speak to him. Honestly, the guy has taught me so much – about business, being positive. I'm an English guy; I can be really negative half the time. Even if the sun is shining, 'but it could rain.' He really helped me in that aspect big-time, and business sense and never taking no for an answer, always believing in yourself. So, yeah, I had a great 10 years. He allowed me to always do what I wanted to do. When my thing would get busy he always gave me the space. I couldn't ask for more."
Read more at Ultimate Classic Rock.
