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Robert Plant - Pre-Zep History


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As 5 months separate the RP+BOJ and BOJ advert is it safe to say the Yenton gig is with Rob3ert..If so I would hazard a guess that cost came into the advert..if they charged by the letter the last thing you need is an eleven letter name. :slapface:

The Yenton gig is likely the "classic" BOJ lineup (with Kevyn Gammond and John Bonham), which existed from fall 1967 to spring 1968.

The earlier BOJ lineup featured Vernon Pereira and Mick Reeves (who both died in a traffic accident in 1976).

BTW, that 5/4/68 gig for Obstweedle may not have featured Plant, as most reports indicate that he didn't join the group until June.

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The Yenton gig is likely the "classic" BOJ lineup (with Kevyn Gammond and John Bonham), which existed from fall 1967 to spring 1968.

The earlier BOJ lineup featured Vernon Pereira and Mick Reeves (who both died in a traffic accident in 1976).

BTW, that 5/4/68 gig for Obstweedle may not have featured Plant, as most reports indicate that he didn't join the group until June.

I should have looked at one of my earlier posts :-)..the announcement for Robert joining Obstweedle is from July but it was probably old news by then so the June date makes sense although it's only a few weeks after the Mothers gig.

Did Rob3ert ever form his own group?.

Edited by Blocoboy
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As I have said before my main interest in searching out the early days of Slade and in the course of my search I have come across bits and pieces relating to Mr Plant..here's a classic example..The 'Nbetweens article was the thing I was after but by coincidence there's a nice Band of Joy ad.

BTW Carole Williams was secretary at the Astra agency and one of her memories of Rob3ert was having to 'phone him to come and collect his wages.

boj003.jpg

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As I have said before my main interest in searching out the early days of Slade and in the course of my search I have come across bits and pieces relating to Mr Plant..here's a classic example..The 'Nbetweens article was the thing I was after but by coincidence there's a nice Band of Joy ad.

BTW Carole Williams was secretary at the Astra agency and one of her memories of Rob3ert was having to 'phone him to come and collect his wages.

boj003.jpg

...thank you....Robert Plant is not billed separately in this add, interesting...He was still in BOJ around this time.....and it looks like there is no information as to why Robert Plant chose ROB3ERT...

As for Ms. Williams she certainly was very efficient...I am so thankful to her that our Beloved ROBERT PLANT got paid....phew!!!!!!! :D :D

...and those personal items, for the girls for a nominal fee?, .......hmmmm :D :D

Thank you again for the fascinating journey to all the Clubs...yep!! le$$ was more, a lot more.........

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...thank you....Robert Plant is not billed separately in this add, interesting...He was still in BOJ around this time.....and it looks like there is no information as to why Robert Plant chose ROB3ERT...

As for Ms. Williams she certainly was very efficient...I am so thankful to her that our Beloved ROBERT PLANT got paid....phew!!!!!!! :D :D

...and those personal items, for the girls for a nominal fee?, .......hmmmm :D :D

Thank you again for the fascinating journey to all the Clubs...yep!! le$$ was more, a lot more.........

I would imagine the Rob3ert thing was purely for publicity..it got his name in the papers.

I spoke to Bill Bonham today and he told me his version of the Obstweedle story..can anybody give me a brief "official" version for comparison.

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I would imagine the Rob3ert thing was purely for publicity..it got his name in the papers.

I spoke to Bill Bonham today and he told me his version of the Obstweedle story..can anybody give me a brief "official" version for comparison.

.....Hope to hear more about the Obstweedle story......

As for his publicity name Rob3ert, I am analysing his ancestory....Robert's Grandfather, father, and himself are 3 Roberts.... "Rob-3ert"..........

http://serious.manicnirvana.com/miscellany/?p=10

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I spoke to Bill Bonham today and he told me his version of the Obstweedle story..can anybody give me a brief "official" version for comparison.

Much of the official story has come from Bill Bonham. I know that the group existed before Robert joined them, and that Robert only joined them because their singer got sick and they needed someone on short notice. Robert had been in London, trying to land a record contract and also playing with Alexis Korner (and sleeping on his couch). I wonder why Robert went back home? It seems to me that the smarter career move was to stay in London for as long as possible. But who am I to argue with fate?

Robert was only with them for a few weeks.

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Much of the official story has come from Bill Bonham. I know that the group existed before Robert joined them, and that Robert only joined them because their singer got sick and they needed someone on short notice. Robert had been in London, trying to land a record contract and also playing with Alexis Korner (and sleeping on his couch). I wonder why Robert went back home? It seems to me that the smarter career move was to stay in London for as long as possible. But who am I to argue with fate?

Robert was only with them for a few weeks.

Robert Plant has preferred other parts of England to London in the past. Maybe it's the urban culture that seems too harsh compared to less complicated environments.

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Much of the official story has come from Bill Bonham. I know that the group existed before Robert joined them, and that Robert only joined them because their singer got sick and they needed someone on short notice. Robert had been in London, trying to land a record contract and also playing with Alexis Korner (and sleeping on his couch). I wonder why Robert went back home? It seems to me that the smarter career move was to stay in London for as long as possible. But who am I to argue with fate?

Robert was only with them for a few weeks.

This is Bills version as told teatime Sunday 3rd May 2009.

He was playing in a group called The Answer..Robert and Maureen came to see them at a gig at Dudley Zoo..Robert asked to join them and they agreed..while rehearsing at the Three Men In a Boat Bills father came up with the name Obstweedle..Bill says that they also went out as Robert Plant and the Band of Joy to fulfill some of Roberts obligations but the Robert was with Obstweedle from the start.

The Answer gig can be looked for..but it still seems to me that Roberts pre fame days depend on a lot of hearsay and old memories.

A proper search for early gigs is needed..they tend to dispel a lot of myths.

The Obstweedle ad from December 1967 and the Walsall College gig are a case in point..6 months apart..not just a few weeks. and if Bills verion of the story is correct Robert was them throughout that period.

It's all a bit of mystery wrapped in an enigma etc.

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This is Bills version as told teatime Sunday 3rd May 2009.

He was playing in a group called The Answer..Robert and Maureen came to see them at a gig at Dudley Zoo..Robert asked to join them and they agreed..while rehearsing at the Three Men In a Boat Bills father came up with the name Obstweedle..Bill says that they also went out as Robert Plant and the Band of Joy to fulfill some of Roberts obligations but the Robert was with Obstweedle from the start.

The Answer gig can be looked for..but it still seems to me that Roberts pre fame days depend on a lot of hearsay and old memories.

A proper search for early gigs is needed..they tend to dispel a lot of myths.

The Obstweedle ad from December 1967 and the Walsall College gig are a case in point..6 months apart..not just a few weeks. and if Bills verion of the story is correct Robert was them throughout that period.

It's all a bit of mystery wrapped in an enigma etc.

It sure is a mystery but thanks for sharing the above information! It's been wonderful getting bits of insight into his pre Zep days.

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From the Wolverhampton Express and Star,Thursday 13th April 1967.

plant002.jpg

Gone is the familiar soulful voice, the churning beat and the wild sound for which he was associated for so long.

In its place is a ballad singer of the old school, singing a love song of the old school.

History repeats itself.

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A few Obstweedle ads ..hopefully they are of interest and might promote discussion.

All from the Wolverhampton Express and Star.

Mon June 3rd 1968-

plant003.jpg

Wed June 12th 1968-

plant004.jpg

Sat June 22nd 1968-

plant005.jpg

Fri June 28th 1968-

plant006.jpg

Sat July 13th 1968-

plant007.jpg

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So complicating the "did Obs'tweedle have an apostrophe?" question, we now have it with a Period (OBS.TWEEDLE), a hyphen (OBS-TWEEDLE) and a space (OBS TWEEDLE). :D

It's a latin word so I would suggest that it's Obstweedle and the other variations are just misheard or left to the the discretion of the typesetter.I have the same problem with The 'Nbetweens..In-Betweens/Inbetweens/Nbetweens/N'betweens..I would imagine Led Zeppelin was subject to variation.

Are any of the July dates near the Walsall College date?

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Don't know the answer to the dates question, I'm afraid--

are you sure it's a Latin word?? :huh: I know quite a lot of Latin, and it doesn't sound like it to me. I thought it was an invented word. (I do know that Led Zeppelin still gets misspelled big-time--on this board, let alone elsewhere!).

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A few more-

Sat July 20th 1968-

plant008.jpg

Highly interesting. I've always remembered the Saturday, July 20th 1968 as the day Jimmy Page and Peter Grant (plus Chris Dreja) went to see Robert Plant sing but at the West Midlands College of Higher Education?

Edited by glicine
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Don't know the answer to the dates question, I'm afraid--

are you sure it's a Latin word?? :huh: I know quite a lot of Latin, and it doesn't sound like it to me. I thought it was an invented word. (I do know that Led Zeppelin still gets misspelled big-time--on this board, let alone elsewhere!).

I'm probably totally wrong on the latin thing ;)

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Highly interesting. I've always remembered the Saturday, July 20th 1968 as the day Jimmy Page and Peter Grant (plus Chris Dreja) went to see Robert Plant sing but at the West Midlands College of Higher Education?

I think the Walsall ad needs to be seen :D

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June 12th - Obs-Tweedle

June 22nd - The New Obs-Tweedle

I would not be surprised if Robert joined sometime between those two shows. It fits in perfectly with the common story that he was only with the band for a few weeks.

Also, the venue for the July 20th show (The Connaught Hotel, Tettenhall Road, Wolverhampton) is quite interesting, because this was supposedly the date of the show at the "teacher training college" where Jimmy and Peter Grant saw Robert.

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