Zeppelin fans… What do you call this Led Zeppelin album, and does Zoso (or Zofo?) have any meaning? Did they ever disclose what this means, such as a running joke within the band, perhaps? - Jinx
Ask and ye shall receive (kinda, the answer is far from definitive). A staff report on Zoso (though I just call it “4”) can be found here
I especially like how Plant calls Jimmy Page “Pagey.” How cute is that?
The album has no name.
I have read Hammer of the Gods (fascinating; read it sometime); and in fact I used to in the early 80s put all the members’ symbols (there is Zoso for Page, Plant has one that is a double ring with a stalk of wheat bent at the top inside it, Bonzo’s and Jones’ symbols are sort of like spirograph designs) on my letters and such. LOL; yes I was a fan in the true meaning of the word - fanatic.
Anyway, the album has no title (it’s all in the book! lol). The symbols have led it to be called “Runes” at times. But in general I just call it Zeppelin 4. Because you have to say something lol.
BTW has anyone seen the new DVD called Led Zeppelin? Came out the same time as How the West Was Won and DAM the second disk is AWESOME. So is the extra stuff. LOVE IT!!!
Anniee, I read that book quite a while ago and I found it very interesting too.
As for the album, I’ve always called it Led Zep 4.
As other posters have said, officially the album has no title - I believe I read in Hammer of the Gods that the band saw this as a statement of just how big they were - “we don’t even have to name the album!”.
Also, to my knowledge, Page hasn’t told anyone what his “rune” means. Plant has said (where did I read this?) that at one point, Page told him, but Plant simply can’t remember what Page said, and now Page won’t answer the question…
[demone]When it comes down to making out, whenever possible, put on side one of Led Zeppelin IV[/demone]
[Kashmir] Da-da-dum, da-da-dummm, da-da-dum, da-da-dummm, naah-naah-naah, nah nah-nah-nah[/kashmir]
its either 4 or 4 symbols
From Cat Fight’s cite:here
Seems all too simple, it was an early version of 420 code and since Robert “partakes” he has succumbed to the effects of it as well.
It’s a pictogram of a guy with glasses smoking a pipe.
Seriously.
Exactly! Me too, on both points. Thought the book was a fascinating insight! (“No One Here Gets Out Alive” too!)
DJ’s usually call it “4”… mainly 'cause the preceding 3 are Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin II, and Led Zeppelin III… so four would be logical…
but on to the Demone thing… didja ever notice that he told him to put on Zeppelin 4… and what he actually put on was “Physical Graffiti”?
I always called it “Zeppelin 4.”
The symbols (based on what I remember from “Hammer of the Gods” and other sources I’m probably entangling together) were chosen by each band member based on nothing more than personal preference (I seem to recall them being Celtic in origin, but that may be way off). Page in particular had a fascination with the occult and Aleister Crowley and it was at his behest that they did it. I’m not sure what the meanings are, just that each symbol represents a different member of the band.
IIRC, they didn’t name the 4th album as a sort of experiment. They were so big at the time that they likely could have recorded someone vomiting for 45 minutes and it would’ve gone platinum if it had the Zeppelin name stamped on it. They wanted to see if they could sell records without relying on the name brand. They used the symbols to avoid a blank cover I guess.
Whew - old thread, I guess. But now there’s an additional answer to the question. Zofo does, indeed, mean something. It’s the name of a (fabulous) piano duet. I recommend that if you’re interested, and that’s not terribly likely considering this thread was originally about Led Zeppelin, you give a listen. It’s essentially classical music, but for those who like that music, it’s remarkable stuff.