During the tour, their debut album Led Zeppelin I was released, peaking at number 10 on the US Billboard chart, though it fared better when released in the UK peaking at number 6 on the 31st March. Tour manager Richard Cole, who would go on to become an influential part of the band and major figure in touring life, was busy organising their first North American tour at the back end of 1968. The band played their first show under the new name Led Zeppelin at the University of Surrey on the 25th October. In fact, the label was so keen to work with Led Zeppelin that record executives signed them without ever having met. Though Atlantic Records normally associated with acts specialising in jazz, soul and blues, in the late ’60s the company was becoming more focused on British progressive rock acts. In November 1968 Led Zeppelin were offered an advance contract of $143,000 by American label Atlantic Records, the biggest offer of its kind at the time for an emerging band. One $143,000 advance from Atlantic Records later and Led Zeppelin was born. They dropped the ‘A’ to avoid mispronunciation and made a name swap from balloon to zeppelin. Though the story varies, it was The Who drummer Keith Moon that coined the name after remarking that the new project would “go down like a lead balloon”. After receiving a cease and desist letter from Dreja, former ‘New Yardbirds’ were ordered to rename the band. They were still committed to several concerts in Europe at this point, so with the authorisation of past members Jim McCarty and Keith Relf, the band continued under the name The Yardbirds to fulfil the bands’ obligations.īy late September 1968, The Yardbirds had just finished touring in Scandinavia and it was obvious Led Zeppelin’s musical style was beginning to take shape, however, it wasn’t until later in the year that the name Led Zeppelin would first appear. When Chris Dreja, The Yardbirds bassist, retired in the pursuit of a photography career, John Paul Jones was contacted by Plant and was granted the final position. Jimmy Page had recently swapped his bass guitar for lead and was looking to start a supergroup with fellow guitarist Jeff Beck, vocalist Robert Plant, and on the recommendation of Plant, drummer John Bonham. Led Zeppelin officially formed in 1968, rising from the ashes of previous group The Yardbirds.
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