Drummer Jason Bonham has confirmed that he left Sammy Hagar’s band.
The rocker took to Instagram to share the tour dates for his band JBLZE [Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Evening]. He revealed in the caption that the band would play songs he hasn’t played since 2011. Many users asked for additional dates, but one user’s comment stood out more than others.
The user asked, “C’Mon Jason… Can we get some Los Angeles dates? Also will you be rejoining Best of All Worlds band?”
“Sammy has decided to carry on with Kenny so sadly no,” Bonham revealed.
The comments came after Hagar and the remaining members of his band teased a new project on social media. The Red Rocker shared a video from the recording studio, where Michael Anthony plays bass and Hagar points to the camera and says, “We’re up to something.” In the caption, he tagged Anthony, Satriani, and their new drummer Kenny Aronoff.
Bonham was absent from the final few shows of the tour due to a family issue. He left Sammy Hagar’s Best of All Worlds tour in late August. Kenny Aronoff stepped in to fill his spot for those dates. Aronoff had also previously played with Hagar, Michael Anthony, and Joe Satriani in Chickenfoot.
While he didn’t share a statement about why he left right away, Hagar talked about the drummer’s absence in an interview.
“[Aronoff]’ll be the drummer till Jason can [come back],” he explained. “I mean, the tour is over now, but we’re going to Japan, and if Jason is still with his mom – he’s gotta be there till she either comes through or whatever. I shouldn’t be talking about his personal business, but, you know, he’s got a medical emergency with his mother. You don’t ignore that.”
Although Hagar stated that Aronoff would only be the band’s drummer until Bonham’s return, Bonham’s recent statement revealed that the situation is not as it appears.
Bonham later explained on Instagram why he left the Best of All Worlds Tour. “As many of you know, my mother has been facing some serious health issues, and it’s been an incredibly challenging time for our family. I’m grateful to share that she’s on the mend and has been discharged from the hospital! She’s now home and recovering, which brings me immense relief. It was truly difficult to step away from ‘The Best Of All Worlds’ tour with only four shows left.”
For now, Bonham continues his music journey with JBLZE, while Hagar is expected to announce the ‘big news’ next week.