Editing Led Zeppelin (section)

=== Bonham's death and break-up: 1978–1980 ===
[[File:John Bonham 1975.jpg|thumb|upright|After the death of Bonham (pictured in July 1973) on 25 September 1980, the remaining members of Led Zeppelin decided to disband the group.|alt=A black and white photograph of John Bonham playing drums]]

In November 1978, the group recorded at [[Polar Studios]] in Stockholm, Sweden. The resulting album, ''[[In Through the Out Door]]'', featured sonic experimentation that again drew mixed reactions from critics.{{sfn|Wall|2008|p=424}} Nevertheless, the album reached number one in the UK and the US in just its second week of release. With this album's release, Led Zeppelin's entire catalogue returned to the ''Billboard'' Top 200 in the weeks of 27 October and 3 November 1979.{{sfn|Lewis|2003|p=80}}

In August 1979, after two warm-up shows in [[Copenhagen]], Led Zeppelin headlined [[Knebworth Festival 1979|two concerts]] at the [[Concerts at Knebworth House|Knebworth Music Festival]], playing to a crowd of approximately 104,000 on the first night.{{sfn|Wall|2008|p=425}} A brief, low-key [[Tour Over Europe 1980|European tour]] was undertaken in June and July 1980, featuring a stripped-down set without the usual lengthy jams and solos. On 27 June, at a show in [[Nuremberg]], West Germany, the concert came to an abrupt halt in the middle of the third song, when Bonham collapsed onstage and was rushed to hospital.{{sfn|Wall|2008|pp=431–432}} Speculation in the press suggested that his collapse had been the result of excessive alcohol and drug use, but the band claimed that he had simply overeaten.{{sfn|Davis|1985|p=300}}

[[Led Zeppelin – The 1980s, Part One|A North American tour]], the band's first since 1977, was scheduled to commence on 17 October 1980. On 24 September, Bonham was picked up by Led Zeppelin assistant Rex King to attend rehearsals at [[Bray Studios (UK)|Bray Studios]].{{sfn|Welch|1994|p=92}} During the journey, Bonham asked to stop for breakfast, where he downed four quadruple vodkas (from {{convert|16|to|24|usoz|abbr=on}}), with a ham roll. After taking a bite of the ham roll he said to his assistant, "breakfast". He continued to drink heavily after arriving at the studio. The rehearsals were halted late that evening and the band retired to Page's house—the Old Mill House in [[Clewer]], [[Windsor, Berkshire|Windsor]].

After midnight, Bonham, who had fallen asleep, was taken to bed and placed on his side. At 1:45&nbsp;pm the next day, Benji LeFevre (Led Zeppelin's new tour manager) and John Paul Jones found Bonham dead. The cause of death was [[asphyxiation]] from vomit; the finding was accidental death.{{sfn|Welch|1994|pp=92–94}}<ref name="srapdisbnds">{{Cite news |date=6 December 1980 |title=Rock group Led Zeppelin disbands |page=24 |work=Spokesman-Review |agency=Associated Press |location=(Spokane, WA, U.S.) |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=McopAAAAIBAJ&pg=7157%2C2314905 |url-status=live |access-date=26 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201210090253/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=McopAAAAIBAJ&pg=7157,2314905 |archive-date=10 December 2020}}</ref> An [[autopsy]] found no other recreational drugs in Bonham's body. Although he had recently begun to take Motival (a cocktail of the [[antipsychotic]] [[fluphenazine]] and the [[tricyclic antidepressant]] [[nortriptyline]]) to combat his anxiety, it is unclear if these substances interacted with the alcohol in his system.{{sfn|Gilmore|2006}}<ref>{{Cite web |title=John Bonham Biography |url=http://home.att.net/~chuckayoub/john_bonham_biography.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100316013818/http://home.att.net/~chuckayoub/john_bonham_biography.htm |archive-date=16 March 2010 |website=home.att.net/~chuckayoub}}</ref> Bonham's remains were cremated and his ashes interred on 12 October 1980, at [[Rushock]] parish church, [[Worcestershire]].

The planned North American tour was cancelled, and despite rumours that [[Cozy Powell]], [[Carmine Appice]], [[Barriemore Barlow]], [[Simon Kirke]], [[Ric Lee]] or [[Bev Bevan]] would join the group as his replacement, the remaining members decided to disband. A 4 December 1980 press statement stated that, "We wish it to be known that the loss of our dear friend, and the deep sense of undivided harmony felt by ourselves and our manager, have led us to decide that we could not continue as we were."<ref name="srapdisbnds" /> The statement was signed simply "Led Zeppelin".{{sfn|Welch|1994|pp=94–95}}