Random Infamous Stories From Led Zeppelin's Heyday Most Fans Don't Talk About (16 items)

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  (#10) John Bonham Had 40 Shots Of Vodka On The Night Of His Death

  Like the legendarily debauched drummer Keith Moon before him, John Bonham really, really enjoyed drinking. Also like Keith Moon, Bonham died early thanks to his drinking, passing away on September 25th, 1980, at the age of just 32. 

  On the day of his death, Bonham was rehearsing with the band at guitarist Jimmy Page's home in Windsor Berkshire, England, allegedly drinking quadruple vodkas. At some point, Bonham passed out and was unable to wake up when his body began throwing up the alcohol in his system; he passed from choking on his own bile. An autopsy later revealed that, though he had no drugs in his system, he had consumed the equivalent of 40 shots of vodka.
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  (#14) Robert Plant's 1975 Car Accident Stopped The Physical Graffiti Tour Dead

  In August 1975, while vacationing on the Greek island Rhodes, Robert Plant's wife Maureen lost control of a car, which smashed into a tree. Plant shattered his right leg and broke his elbow and ankle on the same side. Recovery took months, which ended the world tour for Zeppelin's recently released, critical- and fan-favorite Physical Graffiti. and heralded the end of peak Zeppelin. 

  The band's follow up to Physical Graffiti, Presence, suffered delays on account of Plant's accident. The wreck was the first in a series of misfortunes for Plant that ended with the death of his son. 
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  (#16) Zep Security Man John Bindon Enjoyed Waving His Notoriously Large Drum Stick About

  For its 1977 US tour, Zeppelin brought London underworld figure John Bindon and his brother along as security guards. Jack Calmes, who revolutionized concert sound and lighting systems and worked with Zeppelin frequently, recalled the following: 

  The Bindon brothers were thugs who were friends of Peter Grant’s and were on this whole tour as security guards. And they brought an element of darkness into this thing. The only thing I remember about John Bindon is that we were in The Roxy [in Los Angeles, prior to the Oakland shows] and he was in the back corner with Zeppelin, and he had his d*ck out, swinging it for a crowd of about 50 people that could see it [Bindon was famously well-endowed]. And John Bindon later stabbed this guy through the heart [he was acquitted of murder in ’79]; it sounds like something out of a blues song.
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  (#1) Jimmy Page Donned A Nazi Uniform While Doing Drugs With Drag Queens

  Jimmy Page is a weird guy. To some extent, he has the right to be - he's one of the best guitarists of all time. So when you read a story about him dressing up in full Nazi SS gear, you kind of shrug your shoulders for a second before doing a double-take on the words "full Nazi SS gear."

  According to Pamela Des Barres, the band's favorite groupie, in each city the band visited in the mid-'70s, Jimmy Page allegedly donned full SS regalia and found the nearest drag club, where he did heroin with the performers in the bathroom. 
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  (#12) Bonham Motorcycled Down The Halls Of The Chateau Marmont

  In what is one of the more memorable scenes in Cameron Crowe's 2000 film Almost Famous (a film based on the exploits of '70s rock hedonists, including Led Zeppelin), a rowdy rock and roller rides a motorcycle through a hotel hallway. While the image evokes an exaggerated idea of rock star excess, it was based on a real event. 

  Drummer and wild man John Bonham is responsible for one of the most famous events in the history of Hollywood's storied hotel, Chateau Marmont. Bonham, as the story goes, rode a motorcycle right through the lobby of the hotel in an insanely bold stunt he would repeat two more times, giving the same treatment to the Continental Hyatt House Hotel and the Andaz West Hollywood. Odds are, the room deposit was a non-issue.
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  (#11) Jimmy Page Greeted Groupies Wearing Nothing But Whipped Cream

  Ever the enterprising lothario, Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page has no shortage of crazy sexual tales attached to his name. An instance of him greeting some groupies, however, gets some extra points for creativity. While out on tour - and apparently bored stiff at a hotel - Page and drummer John Bonham were struck with an idea for how to present the in-demand guitarist to a small horde of female fans.

  Page reportedly stripped completely naked and laid down on a room service cart; Bonham then covered him in whipped cream, and assuming the role of bell hop, wheeled him into a room of young women. Whatever happened next was probably really unsanitary.  

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