Carmine Appice wants Led Zep job

Veteran drummer Carmine Appice insists he’d be a better fit for any future Led Zeppelin lineup than Jason Bonham.

The Ozzy Osbourne, Jeff Beck, Rod Stewart and Vanilla Fudge icon recalls there was talk of him replacing his friend John Bonham when he died in 1980 – and he’d love to see it come to fruition, even though Robert Plant has ruled out a reunion.

Appice tells Totally Driven Radio: “I would like to work with a Led Zeppelin configuration, whether it’s just John and Jimmy, me and a singer.

“There’s a rumour that Ann Wilson might go out with them. I’d love to play drums on something like that.”

Asked about the chances that Bonham Jr would be likely to return to the kit for any future work, Appice says: “Everybody in that band is old school and legendary. Jason isn’t legendary and he’s not old school.

“He’s John Bonham’s son but he don’t play like John Bonham. I’m not either – but I think my style might be close, because I came first. John listened to stuff I did and did it his own way. And we took them on their first tour. It’s very close in feel.”

Appice, who’s currently working with Joe Lynn Turner in supergroup Rated X, adds: “When John passed away there were rumours that I was going to join Led Zeppelin. Obviously I didn’t get to do that – but I would still like to do that.”

Page, who this year completed work on his Led Zep remaster project, recently told Classic Rock that he’s gearing up to surprise people with new music in 2015.

Not only is one-time online news editor Martin an established rock journalist and drummer, but he’s also penned several books on music history, including SAHB Story: The Tale of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band, a band he once managed, and the best-selling Apollo Memories about the history of the legendary and infamous Glasgow Apollo. Martin has written for Classic Rock and Prog and at one time had written more articles for Louder than anyone else (we think he's second now). He’s appeared on TV and when not delving intro all things music, can be found travelling along the UK’s vast canal network.