Who could have replaced John Bonham?

Say it's 1980, John Bonham has died. Led Zeppelin decide remain together and either cancel or postpone their 1980 US gigs to search for someone to replace Bonzo. In 1980, who was available that could've done it?

 

Ian Paice from Deep Purple

 

I liked Cozy Powell’s work with Robert Plant.....songs such as Slow Dancer. He would be my choice.

 

Jason Bonham.

 

Keith Moon

(Forum Pedants please note that I'm fully aware that Moon could not have replaced Bonham. My point is that it would have been impossible to replace Bonzo just as it was impossible to replace Moonie.)

 

Cozy Powell

 

Ummm...

 

In 1980 he was just 14 years old

 

See above edit. Added because I was 10000% positive that at least one of you would assume I was stupid.

 

He was 14.

The groupie situation would have been... interesting.

 

Exactly the point with me mentioning pre-teen Jason,

 

Interesting, to say the very least

 

No one

 

Weren't Sable & the other "ladies" just 14 when they became "friends" with LZ band's members?

 

Mitch Mitchell

 

▶ Could Led Zeppelin have continued with Cozy Powell?

 

Carmine Appice. F*** he's great, just ask him. And if you don't believe him, check this out. Close your eyes, and it could almost be Zep in 72:




Not convinced? Ok. how about Phil Collins?

 

For the 1980 tour? Michael Derosier would have had the right combination of swing and power to pull it off. He would have done it over the Heart tour that year, and I'd imagine the band would have fully supported him doing it. Anyhow, I believe they were off the road from September until the following April anyway, so he most likely was available.

 

IIRC one of the early Roland drum machines was programmed with one of Bonzo's snare hits!

 

No one - but Jon Hyde, Carmine Appice, Phil Collins and Ian Paice would have been worthy. I also really liked Michael Lee later on.

 

Bill Ward, if healthy.
Nick Mason would have been interesting.
Mitch Mitchell.

I'm not sure if Nick was available. As for Bill, he wasn't.

 

There were a lot of drummers who were certainly technically proficient enough to play Zep's music, BUT they needed someone who had the same feel as Bonham. THAT would have been difficult to find.

 

What, like rubbernecking is interesting??

No. No way.