How Led Zeppelin’s John Bonham Inspired a Famous Movie Moment With His Harley at the Chateau Marmont

Stories of rockstar debauchery are endless. The list of what we do know about rock stars in their mid-century heyday is lengthy enough. Now, imagine all the stories no one has ever told. We can’t even begin to fathom what might be hiding in some of our favorite artists’ memories. One story that has been told involves Led Zeppelin‘s John Bonham, a Harley-Davidson, and the Chateau Marmont. What took place went on to inspire a famous movie moment that epitomized ’70s rock.

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How Led Zeppelin’s John Bonham Inspired a Movie Scene

Like many of their peers, Led Zeppelin were diversely debaucherous. Though some of their contemporaries were more famously depraved, the English rockers did their fair share of things only rock stars could get away with.

Drummer Bonham was particularly infamous for throwing caution to the wind. For his 25th birthday, his bandmates bought Bonham a Harley-Davidson. In prime rockstar fashion, he couldn’t just drive his new toy out on the street. He took the bike inside a famous Los Angeles landmark, the Chateau Marmont.

He reportedly drove the bike around the lobby, tearing up the carpet and disturbing the peace. One can only imagine what that might’ve been like to witness as a guest. However, Bonham fixed the situation, returning the next day to pay for the damage. He even let the hotel keep the bike.

The tire marks he left stayed on the property for a while, until new owners came and covered up that piece of rock history.

This wasn’t the only time Zeppelin and Bobham would cause a rucus in hotels. In one story told in the documentary Sunset Strip, Zeppelin once gave a hotel employee the chance to be as debaucherous as them. They let the employee pick a room and then paid for the cleanup.

Almost Famous

While Bonham was tearing up the Chateau lobby, frontman Robert Plant reportedly screamed out, “I am a golden god!” This line would later inspire a scene in one of the most famous ’70s rock-star movies: Almost Famous.

In this fictitious retelling of rock star life from the era, one of the main characters climbs to the roof after a particualrly wild party and screams the same line Plant said back at the Chateau.

Though there are many similar stories that Cameron Crowe could’ve told in his semi-autobiographical film, the “golden god” line basically sums up the power trip one gets from being a musician in their prime.

(Photo by Chris Walter/WireImage)