ON THIS DAY IN 1970, THE MEMBERS OF LED ZEPPELIN PERFORMED UNDER A DIFFERENT NAME

The name Led Zeppelin was based around the famed Zeppelin airship, designed by Count Ferdinand Adolf Heinrich August Graf von Zeppelin. His granddaughter, Countess Frau Eva von Zeppelin took insult to the name and felt that it dishonoured her family. They first noticed the Countess when she unsuccessfully attempted to have a television appearance cancelled, calling the band “shrieking monkeys”. She then threatened with lawsuits.

The band themselves were actually fairly amicable about the situation, inviting the Countess for a cup of tea at a television studio. By all accounts this meeting went well and the issue was resolved until the Countess glimpsed a cover for the groups debut album, featuring a picture of the Hindenberg airship combusting into flames and could not be calmed, even with offers of an all-areas backstage pass and, reportedly, free drugs.

It was at this point that notorious manager Peter Grant decided to temporarily change the bands name to The Nobs for several shows over their Scandinavian tour. The band apparently found this absurd but performed without complaint.