How Led Zeppelin Got Their Name From a Drummer's Joke
What Happened
In 1968, guitarist Jimmy Page found himself in need of a new band after The Yardbirds dissolved. He had contractual obligations to fulfill tour dates, so he quickly assembled a group with bassist John Paul Jones, drummer John Bonham, and vocalist Robert Plant. Initially, they called themselves “The New Yardbirds” to honor Page’s previous commitments.
During this transitional period, The Who’s notoriously wild drummer Keith Moon made an offhand comment that would inadvertently create rock history. Moon joked that Page’s new band would go down “like a lead balloon” – British slang for something that fails spectacularly. The phrase stuck with the musicians, who found dark humor in Moon’s prediction.