Alley 61

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John Bonham Grave — St Michael's Church, Rushock

St Michael's Church, Rushock, Rushock
Droitwich Spa, Worcestershire, UK

52.3289° N · -2.1654° W

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What happened here?

John Bonham is buried in the churchyard of St Michael's Church in the village of Rushock, Worcestershire, close to his home at Old Hyde Farm where he died on 25 September 1980. Bonham had consumed an extraordinary quantity of vodka over the course of the day and was put to bed at Jimmy Page's house, Clewer Manor in Windsor, where the band had been rehearsing for a forthcoming tour. He died in his sleep from asphyxiation. He was 32 years old. Led Zeppelin announced their dissolution shortly after, stating that they could not continue without him.

Bonham is widely regarded as one of the greatest drummers in the history of rock music — not merely powerful but extraordinarily musical, with a feel for groove and timing that gave Led Zeppelin its distinctive earthen momentum. His drum introduction to 'Good Times Bad Times', the shuffle pattern of 'Fool in the Rain', and the monumental 'Moby Dick' drum solo are all benchmarks of technique and imagination. His playing on 'When the Levee Breaks', recorded in the entrance hall of Headley Grange, produced what many producers and engineers consider the greatest drum sound ever captured on tape.

St Michael's Church in Rushock is a small medieval parish church in the Worcestershire countryside. Bonham's grave is in the churchyard and is visited regularly by Led Zeppelin fans. Fresh flowers and guitar picks are typically left at the site. The grave is simply marked, and the rural setting — entirely removed from the excess and spectacle of the rock world — is quietly moving. Old Hyde Farm, Bonham's nearby home, is a private residence.

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