{"id":1917013,"date":"2026-05-04T10:43:13","date_gmt":"2026-05-04T07:43:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1917013"},"modified":"2026-05-04T10:43:13","modified_gmt":"2026-05-04T07:43:13","slug":"carmine-appice-responds-to-rumours-he-was-asked-to-join-led-zeppelin-after-john-bonhams-death","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1917013","title":{"rendered":"Carmine Appice responds to rumours he was asked to join Led Zeppelin after John Bonham\u2019s death"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/carmine_appice_drums.jpg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article id=\"template-id-2749694\" class=\"post-2749694 tdb_templates type-tdb_templates status-publish post\">\n<div id=\"tdi_65\" class=\"tdc-zone\">\n<div class=\"tdc_zone tdi_66  wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div id=\"tdi_67\" class=\"tdc-row stretch_row_1400 td-stretch-content\">\n<div class=\"vc_row tdi_68  wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_column tdi_70  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-column td-pb-span12\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_breadcrumbs tdi_71 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2 tdb-breadcrumbs \" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_71\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span>News<\/span><span>Music News<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_title tdi_72 tdb-single-title td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_72\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Carmine Appice responds to rumours he was asked to join Led Zeppelin after John Bonham\u2019s death<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_subtitle tdi_73 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_73\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<p>The Vanilla Fudge drummer was one of the names thought to be in the running in 1980<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_author tdi_75 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2 tdb-post-meta\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_75\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-author-name-wrap\"><span class=\"tdb-author-by\">By<\/span> Max Pilley<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_date tdi_76 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2 tdb-post-meta\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_76\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><time class=\"entry-date updated td-module-date\" datetime=\"2026-05-04T11:43:13+01:00\">4th May 2026<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"tdi_77\" class=\"tdc-row stretch_row_1400 td-stretch-content\">\n<div class=\"vc_row tdi_78  wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_column tdi_80  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-column td-pb-span8\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_featured_image tdi_81 tdb-content-horiz-left td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_81\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"696\" height=\"442\" class=\"entry-thumb\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/carmine_appice_drums-696x442.jpg\" alt title=\"CityFolk Festival\"><figcaption class=\"tdb-caption-text\">Carmine Appice performs with Vanilla Fudge on Day 4 of the CityFolk Festival at Lansdowne Park on September 18, 2016 in Ottawa, Canada.  (Photo by Mark Horton\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"vc_row_inner tdi_83 article-content-row vc_row vc_inner wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_column_inner tdi_85  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-inner-column td-pb-span12\">\n<div class=\"vc_column-inner\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_content tdi_86 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2 td-post-content tagdiv-type\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_86\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<p>Carmine Appice has spoken out about the\u00a0rumours\u00a0that\u00a0Led Zeppelin asked him to join after John Bonham\u2019s death.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"855\" data-list-defn-props='{\"335552541\":1,\"335559683\":0,\"335559684\":-2,\"335559685\":720,\"335559991\":360,\"469769226\":\"Symbol\",\"469769242\":[8226],\"469777803\":\"left\",\"469777804\":\"\uf0b7\",\"469777815\":\"hybridMultilevel\"}' data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b>READ MORE:<\/b><b>\u00a0<\/b><b>Led Zeppelin \u2013 rank the albums\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The veteran rock drummer is best known for playing with Vanilla Fudge and Cactus, as well as in\u00a0Rod Stewart\u2019s band, and when Zeppelin legend John Bonham\u00a0passed away in 1980, there was speculation that Appice would be a candidate to replace him.<\/p>\n<div class=\"td-a-ad id_inline_ad0 id_ad_content-horiz-center\"><span class=\"td-adspot-title\">Advertisement<\/span><\/div>\n<p>In a new interview, Appice\u00a0has confirmed\u00a0that he was aware of the\u00a0rumours\u00a0at the\u00a0time, but\u00a0has\u00a0said he was never approached by the band in any formal capacity.<\/p>\n<p>Speaking on the\u00a0<i>Talk Louder<\/i> podcast, he recalled that\u00a0he had heard that it might come down to a choice between himself and Cozy Powell of\u00a0The Jeff Beck Group, but that even if he had been asked, he would have been unable to accept, as he was on tour with Stewart\u00a0at the time.<\/p>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Carmine Appice\" width=\"696\" height=\"392\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/YokyYmagNQA?feature=oembed&amp;enablejsapi=1\" frameborder allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<p>\u201cI\u00a0would\u2019ve, but I was with Rod,\u201d Appice explained (via\u00a0<i>Blabbermouth<\/i>). \u201cIt\u2019s not like I was with nobody, we\u2019d just finished doing six nights at the Forum [in Los Angeles].\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSo, Rod said to me, \u2018Are you gonna join Led Zeppelin?\u2019 I said, \u2018Not that I know of.\u2019 I said, \u2018I know there\u2019s rumours, but I never got a call or nothing.\u2019 He said, \u2018Oh, that\u2019s good. Let\u2019s keep [the rumours] going. There\u2019s rumours that I\u2019m gonna retire, so let\u2019s keep it going. We\u2019ll just sell more tickets.\u2019 I said, \u2018OK.\u2019 So that\u2019s what we did. But I was never asked.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"td-a-ad id_inline_ad1 id_ad_content-horiz-center\">\n<h5 class=\"taboola-mid-article-title\">Recommended<\/h5>\n<\/div>\n<p>Bonham passed away on September 25, 1980 at the age of 32 after aspirating vomit following heavy alcohol consumption. In the end, Led Zeppelin chose not to replace him, feeling he was irreplaceable, and they disbanded the group shortly afterward.<\/p>\n<p>Phil Collins\u00a0filled in on drums for their appearance at Live Aid in 1985, while Bonham\u2019s son Jason has played at the few\u00a0subsequent\u00a0Led Zeppelin shows, including their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction in 1995 and at the huge Ahmet Ertegun tribute concert in London\u2019s O2 in 2007.<\/p>\n<p>Elsewhere,\u00a0Robert Plant was named as this year\u2019s Record Store Legend as part of Record Store Day 2026,\u00a0while\u00a0Jimmy Page shared the \u201coriginal home demo\u201d of Led Zeppelin\u2019s \u2018Ten Years Gone\u2019 last month.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_tags tdi_87 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_87\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<ul class=\"tdb-tags\">\n<li><span>Related Topics<\/span><\/li>\n<li>Jimmy Page<\/li>\n<li>Led Zeppelin<\/li>\n<li>Robert Plant<\/li>\n<li>Rock<\/li>\n<li>Rod Stewart<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper td_block_wrap vc_raw_html tdi_89 \">\n<div class=\"td-fix-index\">\n<h3>You May Also Like<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"vc_column tdi_91  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-column td-pb-span4 td-is-sticky\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"td-a-rec td-a-rec-id-sidebar  tdi_92 td_block_template_2\"><span class=\"td-adspot-title\">Advertisement<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap td_flex_block_1 tdi_93 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2 tdc-no-posts td_flex_block\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_93\">\n<div class=\"td-block-title-wrap\">\n<h4 class=\"td-block-title\"><span class=\"td-pulldown-size\">TRENDING<\/span><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"tdi_93\" class=\"td_block_inner td-mc1-wrap\">\n<div class=\"td_module_flex td_module_flex_1 td_module_wrap td-animation-stack\">\n<div 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against Aerosmith\u2019s Steven Tyler dismissed<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"td-page-meta\"><\/span><span class=\"td-page-meta\"><span class=\"td-page-meta\"><\/span><\/span><span class=\"td-page-meta\"><\/span><\/article>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_content tdi_86 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2 td-post-content tagdiv-type\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_86\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<p>Carmine Appice has spoken out about the\u00a0rumours\u00a0that\u00a0Led Zeppelin asked him to join after John Bonham\u2019s death.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"855\" data-list-defn-props='{\"335552541\":1,\"335559683\":0,\"335559684\":-2,\"335559685\":720,\"335559991\":360,\"469769226\":\"Symbol\",\"469769242\":[8226],\"469777803\":\"left\",\"469777804\":\"\uf0b7\",\"469777815\":\"hybridMultilevel\"}' data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b>READ MORE:<\/b><b>\u00a0<\/b><b>Led Zeppelin \u2013 rank the albums\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The veteran rock drummer is best known for playing with Vanilla Fudge and Cactus, as well as in\u00a0Rod Stewart\u2019s band, and when Zeppelin legend John Bonham\u00a0passed away in 1980, there was speculation that Appice would be a candidate to replace him.<\/p>\n<div class=\"td-a-ad id_inline_ad0 id_ad_content-horiz-center\"><span class=\"td-adspot-title\">Advertisement<\/span><\/div>\n<p>In a new interview, Appice\u00a0has confirmed\u00a0that he was aware of the\u00a0rumours\u00a0at the\u00a0time, but\u00a0has\u00a0said he was never approached by the band in any formal capacity.<\/p>\n<p>Speaking on the\u00a0<i>Talk Louder<\/i> podcast, he recalled that\u00a0he had heard that it might come down to a choice between himself and Cozy Powell of\u00a0The Jeff Beck Group, but that even if he had been asked, he would have been unable to accept, as he was on tour with Stewart\u00a0at the time.<\/p>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Carmine Appice\" width=\"696\" height=\"392\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/YokyYmagNQA?feature=oembed&amp;enablejsapi=1\" frameborder allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<p>\u201cI\u00a0would\u2019ve, but I was with Rod,\u201d Appice explained (via\u00a0<i>Blabbermouth<\/i>). \u201cIt\u2019s not like I was with nobody, we\u2019d just finished doing six nights at the Forum [in Los Angeles].\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSo, Rod said to me, \u2018Are you gonna join Led Zeppelin?\u2019 I said, \u2018Not that I know of.\u2019 I said, \u2018I know there\u2019s rumours, but I never got a call or nothing.\u2019 He said, \u2018Oh, that\u2019s good. Let\u2019s keep [the rumours] going. There\u2019s rumours that I\u2019m gonna retire, so let\u2019s keep it going. We\u2019ll just sell more tickets.\u2019 I said, \u2018OK.\u2019 So that\u2019s what we did. But I was never asked.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"td-a-ad id_inline_ad1 id_ad_content-horiz-center\">\n<h5 class=\"taboola-mid-article-title\">Recommended<\/h5>\n<\/div>\n<p>Bonham passed away on September 25, 1980 at the age of 32 after aspirating vomit following heavy alcohol consumption. In the end, Led Zeppelin chose not to replace him, feeling he was irreplaceable, and they disbanded the group shortly afterward.<\/p>\n<p>Phil Collins\u00a0filled in on drums for their appearance at Live Aid in 1985, while Bonham\u2019s son Jason has played at the few\u00a0subsequent\u00a0Led Zeppelin shows, including their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction in 1995 and at the huge Ahmet Ertegun tribute concert in London\u2019s O2 in 2007.<\/p>\n<p>Elsewhere,\u00a0Robert Plant was named as this year\u2019s Record Store Legend as part of Record Store Day 2026,\u00a0while\u00a0Jimmy Page shared the \u201coriginal home demo\u201d of Led Zeppelin\u2019s \u2018Ten Years Gone\u2019 last month.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.nme.com\/news\/music\/carmine-appice-responds-to-rumours-he-was-asked-to-join-led-zeppelin-after-john-bonhams-death-3943956&#8243;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/carmine_appice_drums.jpg&#8221;] NewsMusic News Carmine Appice responds to rumours he was asked to join Led Zeppelin after John Bonham\u2019s death The Vanilla Fudge drummer was one of the names thought to be in the running in 1980 By Max Pilley 4th May 2026 Carmine Appice performs with Vanilla Fudge on Day 4 of the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,78],"class_list":["post-1917013","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-nme-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1917013","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1917013"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1917013\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1917013"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1917013"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1917013"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}