--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I left school I went into the trade…" description: "\"When I left school I went into the trade with my Dad. He had a building business, and I used to like it. But, drumming was the only thing I was any goo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c43/john-bonham-16678_business_when-i-left-school-i-went-into-the-trade_1856745.jpg" --- # When I left school I went into the trade with my Dad. He… ![“When I left school I went into the trade with my Dad. He had a building business, and I used to like it. But, drumming was the only thing I was any good at, and I stuck at that for three or four years. If things got bad I could always go back to building.” quote by John Bonham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c43/john-bonham-16678_business_when-i-left-school-i-went-into-the-trade_1856745.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c43/john-bonham-16678_business_when-i-left-school-i-went-into-the-trade_1856745.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c43/john-bonham-16678_business_when-i-left-school-i-went-into-the-trade_1856745.jpg) > “When I left school I went into the trade with my Dad. He had a building business, and I used to like it. But, drumming was the only thing I was any good at, and I stuck at that for three or four years. If things got bad I could always go back to building.” [John Bonham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bonham/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He pursued a trade with his father as a fallback while following his passion for drumming, balancing practicality and artistic drive. **In simple terms:** He kept a safe job while chasing music. Key Takeaway Maintain a backup plan while pursuing passion. Themes career family music risk balance Mood reflective determined Type personal inspirational When to use this quote - starting a band - learning a new instrument - financial planning - career transition Key Concepts fallback planning creative pursuit family business Questions to Reflect On - What would you sacrifice for your art? - How does family support shape career choices? A Different Perspective Relying on a fallback can limit full commitment to art. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Drumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drumming/) [Drumming Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drumming-thing-2473165/) [Left School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/left-school/) [Like Drumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-drumming-2473167/) [Trade Dad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trade-dad-2473166/) ## Related quotes > [Drumming was the only thing I was ever good at.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bonham/drumming-was-the-only-thing-i-was-ever-good-at/) [John Bonham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bonham/) > [Most of it was nuts, but I was determined to be a drummer as soon as I left school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bonham/most-of-it-was-nuts-but-i-was-determined-to-be-a-drummer-as-soon-as-i/) [John Bonham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bonham/) > [I swore to Pat that I'd give up drumming when we got married, but every night I'd come home and just sit down at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bonham/i-swore-to-pat-that-i-d-give-up-drumming-when-we-got-married-but/) [John Bonham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bonham/) > [I was so keen to play when I left school, I'd have played for nothing. In fact, I did that for a long time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bonham/i-was-so-keen-to-play-when-i-left-school-i-d-have-played-for-nothing/) [John Bonham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bonham/) > [There was always a guitar hanging around the house when I was a kid. It was a much lower impact instrument than me playing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rzeznik/there-was-always-a-guitar-hanging-around-the-house-when-i-was-a-kid/) [John Rzeznik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rzeznik/) > [I had been composing just for myself, and people would say I played so orchestrally, and wondered if I thought about having someone write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-bozzio/i-had-been-composing-just-for-myself-and-people-would-say-i-played-so/) [Terry Bozzio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-bozzio/) > [your morse code interferes with my heart beat. 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I will not lend my soul nor my bones to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suheir-hammad/what-i-will-by-suheir-hammad-i-will-not-dance-to-your-war-drum-i-will/) [Suheir Hammad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suheir-hammad/) > [But ice-crunching and loud gum-chewing, together with drumming on tables, and whistling the same tune 70 times in succession, because they indicate an indifference…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-benchley/but-ice-crunching-and-loud-gum-chewing-together-with-drumming-on/) [Robert Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-benchley/) > [Had I joined a straight rock band, I'm sure my drumming would be a little bit different right now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-chamberlin/had-i-joined-a-straight-rock-band-i-m-sure-my-drumming-would-be-a/) [Jimmy Chamberlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-chamberlin/) > [I immersed myself in the police work and I guess drumming wasn't even a hobby, just something my body naturally wanted to do, tapping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hernandez/i-immersed-myself-in-the-police-work-and-i-guess-drumming-wasn-t-even/) [Eric Hernandez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hernandez/) > [It's interesting. 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We sit at the back of the stage getting beat up like a workhorse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-lee/drumming-s-pretty-physical-we-sit-at-the-back-of-the-stage-getting/) [Tommy Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-lee/) ## More by John Bonham > [If we'd have said we were not upset, they would have thought we were so rich it meant nothing to us, and if we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bonham/if-we-d-have-said-we-were-not-upset-they-would-have-thought-we-were/) [John Bonham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bonham/) > [Not everybody likes or understands a drum solo, so I like to bring in effects and sounds to keep their interest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bonham/not-everybody-likes-or-understands-a-drum-solo-so-i-like-to-bring-in/) [John Bonham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bonham/) > [I think the marketing needs work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bonham/i-think-the-marketing-needs-work/) [John Bonham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bonham/) > [With Zeppelin, I tried to play something different every night in my solos. 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