I'm probably totally wrong on the latin thing

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?

A few more- Sat July 20th 1968- Mon July 22nd 1968 Sat July 27th 1968-

A few Obstweedle ads ..hopefully they are of interest and might promote discussion. All from the Wolverhampton Express and Star. Mon June 3rd 1968- Wed June 12th 1968- Sat June 22nd 1968- Fri June 28th 1968- Sat July 13th 1968-

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

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.

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.

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.

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?.

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.

Glad you like them. Mothers and Le Metro were good clubs ,everybody and their granny played there. The Youth Club still exists..they advertised grroups every week by the look of it..no big names at all but they probably couldn't afford them

A bit more to add to the story..all from the Sutton Coldield News.- Sunday July 6th 1967 Friday 22nd Dec 1967 Saturday May 4th 1968.

Great article. Does anyone have an approx date of Rob3ert's one man demo in Wolverhampton (it might have been Birmingham)..I came across the news report a few years ago and it would be nice to refind it..67/68 ish..unless it's already on here of course.

The 1st time I saw Slade was outside Noddy Holders parents in October 1969..they had only recently had the skinhead cut and they looked scarey..I went to see them play in Jan 1970 and the audience were just as scarey..the group grew their hair ASAP.:-)

I'd like to see the Walsall College ad..I looked in the Walsall Observer archives last week and couldn't find it but that doesn't mean anything it was probably put in another paper. Your comment about the college having name changes is interesting..I have lived in Walsall for over 50 years and it's always been known as Walsall Teacher Training College as far as I know..it would be great to find out what else it was known as. Club names do change but they usually make some sense.."Established Owl"?? The Blue Horizon Wolverhampton is listed as well..never heard of it and never seen it mentioned in any of the Black Country archives..it's probably The Blue Flame. The main problem with any of this stuff is relying on books and the memories of the artist..most books have little or no research done and rock and roll can take its toll..classic case in point..The 'Nbetweens were said to have played their 1st paid gig together at Walsall Town Hall on 1st April 1966..they group told the story..the books told the story..their is a Blue Plaque in the Mayors parlour to commerate the date..its total rubbish..they played there 2 weeks earlier..the TH was closed on the alledged date and the group were in Newcastle on the night..a little research would have stopped this tale becoming the "truth" Their is still a lot pre Zep stuff available...it just needs someone to look for it..my main interest is the pre Slade things so any Zeppelin fan on here from the Black County who wants pointing in the right direction please contact me and we'll have a chat.

"You Better Run" was released by Listen and The 'Nbetweens within a week of each other..The 'Nbetweens version made No 1 in the local charts..the Listen release appears to have vanished without trace despite their appearance at WH Smiths in Walsall...The 'Nbetweens did their record promo at Cliff and Halifax (a Wolverhampton record shop) who produced the local chart..which might explain something. This is from the Wolverhampton Express and Star 24th November 1966- This from the December 1966 issue of Midland Beat

Swanlicote is a mystery..probably Swadlincote in Derbyshire. The Willenhall Baths and "Autumn 66" gigs are the same thing..it doesn't help that Slade didn't exist for another 3 years..the confusion is probably because the 'Nbetweens became Slade. A couple of the venues listed are a bit strange.."Bent Jade" and the "Established Owl"? Is the Bromsgrove July 20 1969 gig before or after the Walsall Teacher training gig?

I haven't looked to be honest..I was looking for some 'Nbetweens/Steve Brett and the Mavericks stuff and saw a late 1965 Kings Snake gig at one of Ma Regans venues..it intrigued me so I thought I'd have a look what was on t'internet which led me here. I'll make a note of the groups listed..are their any of them that can be identified as definitely having Rob3ert play in them. "You Better Run " has an interesting story and I have a couple of articles that compliment the one I posted earlier..my usual question..is their any interest or am I just repeating a previously covered topic.

No probs..whatever I have or can get I'll put on here. Apologies if this pic of Rob3ert and his chums is already on here somewhere.

I'd hazard a guess it was a homage to John Lee Hooker who I think wrote Crawling King Snake,but thats just a guess.

I wanted to find some info about the Crawling King Snakes so I thought I'd check on the official Led Zep site and found this thread..I was suprised to find that their is little or no stuff about Rob3erts early career. I don't know how much of the stuff I have has been seen before so If it is old hat just tell me. Here's an interesting item from the Walsall Observer dated 25th November 1966. Please excuse the quaility of the pic (I think it's well known though).The pic and article belong to each other. The following article is worth a read.

This appeared for 2 consecutive weeks in the Walsall Observer-Sept 23rd and 30th 1966.

This is the Three Men In A Boat PH Beechdale..long gone I'm afraid..apologies if a pic has been posted on here before.

If Steve Brett and the 4 other Mavericks I've spoken to have no recollection of John Bonham being a Maverick I'd tend to believe them..I was always amazed that Zep Biogs couldn't get the Walsall gig right..possibly one of the most important events in Zeppelin history and no one appears to have done any research..I think John Bonham may have sat in with them when they played at his uncle's pub. Steve Brett is well aware of the people who backed him and went on to become famous,Noddy Holder and Dave Holland,so it's unlikely that he wouldn't add John Bonham to that list Thanks for the Little Nightingale info..great stuff.

Thanks..I think the word generic is the important one..a case of stick your name on and see if someone objects. "You Don't Believe me" is credited to Merrell,Page ,Graham and May..I assume Graham is Bobby Graham and I wouldn't be too suprsed if the other 2 were staff members as well.