Van Halen icon, Sammy Hagar was interviewed on a podcast recently, and he shared a story about how Led Zeppelin reunion shows drummer Jason Bonham, son of the late John Bonham, was sent to rehab after a disastrous drug meltdown in Mexico. Alternative Nation transcribed his comments.
Hagar: So anyway, Mikey (Anthony) would come hang out and hang with us for a while and I’d do a Van Halen set in the middle of our show. Jason (Bonham) is on the side stage, I’m going, I see him, it’s all:
“Jason, I haven’t seen you in a long time!”
Hagar: Last time, I’ve seen him he was in Mexico. We had to bust the door down, get him out and get him on an airplane. He had to end up going to the hospital and went straight to rehab. We saved his life. He came down there and just went all the way. So that’s the last time I’d seen him and I’m going:
“Hey Jason, how are you doing man! You know Poundcake?”
Hagar: He goes:
“yeah, yeah. I might, you know?”
Hagar: I said for him to jump on the drums because we are gonna play it in two songs. He gets up and played Poundcake and I’m like:
“holy fuck! Sounds like somebody put a new drum set up there.”
Hagar: You know, like you just change the kit out or something, man. Same sticks, same drums. I’m going “wow” so I asked if he would finish what he started:
“Yeah, yeah, yeah”
Hagar: Okay, let’s play some Led Zeppelin, Whole Lotta Love, Rock and Roll and the next day I just said:
“I’m gonna get him in the band”
Hagar: I called him up and asked if he wanted to joined my band and he said sure. So I said that I three more shows, I’ll call you next week and then [we] flew him out. We rehearsed [for] two weeks.
