As Jason Bonham embarks on his latest tour with Led Zeppelin Evening, he expresses a mix of emotions, feeling “a little sad” yet not harboring any anger regarding his departure from Sammy Hagar’s band. This transition marks the end of a significant chapter for Bonham, who enjoyed a decade-long collaboration with Hagar’s Circle. Recently, he shared with fans via social media that his participation in last year’s Best of All Worlds tour has concluded. Reflecting on this change, Bonham mentioned, “Sammy has decided to carry on with Kenny,” referring to Kenny Aronoff, who stepped in during the tour while Bonham was attending to family matters in England.

Bonham’s exit from Hagar’s band coincided with the reunion of the last Chickenfoot lineup, which includes Hagar, Aronoff, guitarist Joe Satriani, bassist Michael Anthony, and keyboardist-guitarist Rai Thistlethwayte. In the studio, this group has been busy creating new material, and Bonham revealed that he was informed of his replacement shortly after the tour’s conclusion. He expressed his initial surprise and disappointment: “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.’

Having recorded three albums with Hagar, including 2015’s At Your Service, 2019’s Space Between, and 2022’s Crazy Times, Bonham shared that the news of his departure did come as a shock. He recalled a conversation with Hagar in which they discussed Bonham’s mother’s health, followed by Hagar’s decision to move forward with Aronoff. “I’d be lying to you if I wasn’t a little sad,” Bonham admitted. “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.”

Despite the changes, Bonham holds nothing but admiration for Hagar. He stated, “Listen, I love the guy to bits. I don’t wish him any ill. I still speak to him.” Bonham acknowledges that Hagar has imparted invaluable lessons about the music industry and maintaining a positive outlook. “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,” he said, highlighting the significant impact Hagar has had on his life and career.

Reflecting on his decade with Hagar, Bonham expressed gratitude for the freedom he was given to pursue his own projects. “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.” In personal news, Bonham is relieved to report that his mother is recovering well after her stroke. “Mom is absolutely doing amazing, which is more than I could ever possibly imagine – from literally being told ‘Say goodbye now’ to now,” he shared with emotion. “She is a stubborn, hard-ass woman that suddenly went, ‘I’m OK. I’m gonna be good.’ It’s still gonna take a lot of rehab and a lot of time to get back to what she was, but the real painful part – she beat that. So she’s fighting on. She’s almost back to normal, almost back to not talking to me. So she must be getting better! [Laughs.] She’s gonna be around for a lot longer.”

In the midst of these personal and professional changes, Bonham has hit the road again with Led Zeppelin Evening, kicking off a new series of concerts on November 19 in Indianapolis, with 18 more dates scheduled through December 16. “It blows my mind that something I started 14 years ago, only wanting to do it once, has just naturally become a part of my life that I’ve enjoyed doing on a yearly basis,” Bonham remarked. “I never intended to do so many shows each year – but we’ve got about 20 in the beginning of the year and 20 at the end of the year, a winter run, and then bands started to ask me to go open for them on summer tours.”

Bonham has also been diversifying the set lists for LZE, introducing songs that have rarely been performed live, such as “Friends,” “Achilles’ Last Stand,” “In the Evening,” and the extended “Dazed and Confused” from The Song Remains the Same. He is currently working on a special full-album presentation of Led Zeppelin’s Physical Graffiti to celebrate its 50th anniversary next year. “This is purely done as love, as a passion project,” Bonham emphasized. “I still get very kind of in awe or overwhelmed with the response we get. Every night I say to the audience, ‘I will do it until I can’t play any longer. If I can’t play to the ability that the songs need, or the day I don’t enjoy doing it, I will call it a day.’

In addition to his musical endeavors, Bonham takes pride in his son’s achievements. His son, Jagr Henry, recently made waves in the rock radio scene with his hit “Breed.” “I’m so proud of him and the music he’s making. Some of the music is a little heavy for some people’s tastes, but to me – I’m a drummer. I love riff-based music. We’ve got a really good start with it, and he’s gonna come out and join [LZE] for a few shows and scare some of my fans a little because he’s, like, 6-foot-4, he’s ripped, completely tattooed, but his band is great. I am just so pleased he’s at this point, and it’s just gonna get better.”

Discover How Jason Bonham Contributed to Foreigner’s Reunion

Although he was not an inducted member, Bonham is thrilled to have played a role in the recent recognition of Foreigner by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Reflecting on his involvement with the band from 2004 to 2008, he recounted a charity event in Santa Barbara where he first connected with Foreigner founder Mick Jones and bassist Jeff Pilson. “After it was over I said, ‘Come on, Mick. let’s get the band back together!’ That was the start of it, and they’re still touring 20 years later,” he said proudly. While his time with Foreigner was brief, Bonham feels satisfaction in having contributed to the band’s resurgence, stating, “the music of Foreigner is timeless.”

Bonham added with a chuckle, “It was always weird … ’cause my wedding song was ‘Waiting For a Girl Like You.’ That’s when I danced with my wife. To play that on a nightly basis always felt a little weird.”