Why Led Zeppelin Played One Fateful Night as "The Nobs"

Get ready to dive into one of the most hilariously absurd, yet historically significant, moments in rock history!

Picture this: it’s 1970, Led Zeppelin, the mighty titans of rock, creators of heavy metal, and rulers of the Billboard charts, are tearing through Europe on a massive tour.

But for one incredible night, they were forced to shed their legendary identity and perform under a name that sounded like a cheeky pub joke: The Nobs!.

This is the epic tale of how aristocracy clashed with electric guitars, resulting in a moment of pure, unadulterated rock defiance!

On February 28, 1970, at the K.B. Hallen in Copenhagen, Denmark, the biggest band in the world faced an identity crisis.

This wasn't a PR stunt; it was a necessary act of survival!

The four members, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Bonham, and John Paul Jones, had built their reputation on their innovative and eclectic style, but this night required innovation of a different sort.

They had to improvise their identity itself.

The story of the name change, which became a mere footnote in their career, is actually a brilliant demonstration of their resilience and humor.

We're going to explore the high-stakes drama and the ingenious pun that saved the show!

The source of all this magnificent rock drama was a formidable woman named Frau Eva von Zeppelin.

She was a member of the German aristocracy, a direct descendant of Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin, the legendary inventor who developed and popularized the airships.

The Royal Lineage and the Initial Complaint

Frau Eva von Zeppelin was vehemently "outraged" by the band’s commercial use of her "illustrious family name".

She felt their use of the name was utterly disgraceful and disrespectful, fearing they were tarnishing her family’s legacy. She publicly denounced the band, famously stating: “They may be world famous... but a couple of shrieking monkeys are not going to use a privileged family name without permission.”

The historical weight of the name was significant; older generations might have recalled the German children's marching song during the Great War, "Zeppelin, flieg' nach England, England wird abgebrannt" (Zeppelin, fly to England, England will be burned), adding to the family's sensitivity.

This noble woman had already denounced the band and had previously tried, and failed, to stop them from appearing on a Copenhagen TV show in 1969.

The Failed Peace Talk and the Catalyst

In a gesture of supreme goodwill, the band members invited her to a meeting at the TV studio to prove they were, in Jimmy Page's words, "nice young lads". According to Page, she was even a "quite a nice person" during the chat.

The meeting was surprisingly cordial, and the band thought they had appeased her.

But then came the explosive catalyst!

Upon leaving the studio, Frau Zeppelin laid eyes on the cover of the band's debut album.

That cover featured the horrific burning Hindenburg airship, the 1937 accident that killed 36 people and brought the airship era to a crashing halt.

The sight of this traumatic image "enraged" her all over again. Page recalled that she simply "blew her top" and he "had to run and hide."

She saw the image as deeply insulting to her family name.

When Led Zeppelin returned to Denmark for their 1970 European Tour, the aristocratic hostility continued with a vengeance.

The Escalating Legal Threat

Eva von Zeppelin was so determined to prevent the band from performing under her family’s name that she hired high-profile lawyers.

A lawsuit was threatened, and the band realized they were in a tight spot.

Led Zeppelin was in their "earliest, busiest years," embarking on a massive three-week tour that had just started.

Manager Peter Grant, usually known for his combative nature, made the strategic choice to appease the noblewoman rather than bog down the tour with a complex, tense legal battle involving potentially expensive lawyers.

The pragmatic decision was made: they would temporarily change the name to avoid trouble.

The Birth of "The Nobs"

After some press speculation (one paper jokingly suggested "Ned Zeppelin", a name the band had considered printing on an LP sleeve along with other "weird comments"), the band settled on the magnificent, hilarious alternative: "The Nobs".

Guitarist Jimmy Page, reacting with "little surprise and considerable amusement," simply decided to adopt the name, dismissing the situation as utterly "absurd".

The chosen name was a brilliant "tongue-in-cheek strategy" and a perfect demonstration of the band’s iconic wit.

It wasn't just a random name; it was layered with rock 'n' roll defiance!

The Triple-Layered Pun

"The Nobs" worked on multiple levels of genius:

• Subtle Homage: It was a "tip of the hat" to their well-regarded European promoter, Claude Nobs.
• Social Rebuke: The name is slang for a wealthy, snobbish person.

  By adopting "The Nobs," the working-class rockers were subtly mocking the very aristocracy that sought to silence them.

• The Double-Entendre: The name was intended as slang for genitalia, providing a further irreverent jab.

This incident was one of several naming controversies connected to the band.

Later, bassist/organist John Paul Jones became involved in a dispute with a singer named John Paul Joans (whose song "Man From Nazareth" was in the charts).

Jones' management alleged the similarity was causing confusion, eventually leading the singer to change his stage name to John.

Despite these external pressures, the band members maintained a confident front, dedicated to offering young rock fans "Violence, atack, glamour of a sort, sophistuca[tion] of a kind and a high degree of musicianship."

The Triumphant Aftermath

The resulting controversy and the witty resolution were a massive win!

The sources confirm that the whole incident was beneficial for their publicity, earning them advantageous worldwide publicity.

It was instantly recognized as a "masterstroke of rock ‘n’ roll rebellion," cementing the band's reputation for resilience and sharp humor.

The concert itself in Copenhagen was explosive, featuring a typical setlist of the era, including epic covers like "Long Tall Sally" and "C'mon Everybody"/"Something Else".

The name change was strictly temporary; the band performed as Led Zeppelin at their very next date just days later.

And perhaps the best summary came from drummer John Bonham, who gleefully wondered if they shouldn't have just continued permanently as The Nobs, imagining the brilliant possibilities for future album covers!.

The rock gods won this round!