Expert: Chris M. Zangara - 5/7/2003

Question
Which drummer is said to have given Led Zeppelin their name?

Answer
Hey Andy!

It's Keith Moon.  You see, Page was doing a session on a song called Beck's Bolero which you can hear on Jeff Beck's album from 1968..Truth.  The musicians who played on this song were incredible.  Here's who was in the room.  Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, John Paul Jones, Keith Moon, John Entwistle ('Who' bassist) and Nicky Hopkins (piano player).

Remember that The Yardbirds had just devolved and Page was looking for members to start a new band.
Keith Moon told Jimmy, at those sessions, that his new band would probably go down like a lead zeppelin.  A few months later, after Page had hired Plant, Jones and Bonham, he remembered what Moonie had said and thought it was a perfect name.  Peter Grant, Zeppelins manager, had taken the "a" out of the word "lead" so us Americans wouldn't mispronounce it "Leed Zeppelin".  And that's the OFFICIAL story of how Led Zeppelin came to be.  All 4 bandmembers have stood by this story since the first time asked.  It's Keith Moon and don't let anybody tell you different.  :o)

Hope this helped.

Chris.