Led Zeppelin IV, huh.
We always called it ‘The old man in the picture album’.
I guess we’ll have to start calling it ‘The Lot Long album’.
That works!................
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Led_Zeppelin_IV
The original vinyl record label with the four hand-drawn symbols
After the lukewarm, if not confused and sometimes dismissive, critical reaction Led Zeppelin III had received in late 1970, Page decided that the next Led Zeppelin album would not have a title, but would instead feature four hand-drawn symbols on the inner sleeve and record label, each one chosen by the band member it represents.[5] The record company were strongly against the idea, but the group stood their ground and refused to hand over the master tapes until their decision had been agreed to.[33]
Page has also stated that the decision to release the album without any written information on the album sleeve was contrary to strong advice given to him by a press agent, who said that after a year’s absence from both records and touring, the move would be akin to “professional suicide”.[34] Page thought, “We just happened to have a lot of faith in what we were doing.”[34] He recalled the record company were insisting that a title had to be on the album, but held his ground, as he felt it would be an answer to critics who could not review one Led Zeppelin album without a point of reference to earlier ones.[35]
Releasing the album without an official title has made it difficult to consistently identify. While most commonly called Led Zeppelin IV, Atlantic Records catalogues have used the names Four Symbols and The Fourth Album. It has also been referred to as ZoSo (which Page’s symbol appears to spell), Untitled and Runes.[5] Page frequently refers to the album in interviews as “the fourth album” and “Led Zeppelin IV”,[34] and Plant thinks of it as “the fourth album, that’s it”.[36] The original LP also has no text on the front or back cover, and lacks a catalogue number on the spine.[5]
Cover
Page
Jones
Bonham
Plant
Symbols representing the band members mentioned above
In place of a title, Page decided each member could choose a personal emblem for the cover. Initially thinking of a single symbol, he then decided there could be four, with each member of the band choosing his own.[34] He designed his own symbol[5] and has never publicly disclosed any reasoning behind it. It has been argued that his symbol appeared as early as 1557 to represent Saturn.[37] The symbol is sometimes referred to as “ZoSo”, though Page has explained that it was not in fact intended to be a word at all.[5] Jones’ symbol, which he chose from Rudolf Koch’s Book of Signs, is a single circle intersecting three vesica pisces (a triquetra). It is intended to symbolise a person who possesses both confidence and competence.[5] Bonham’s symbol, the three interlocking (Borromean) rings, was picked by the drummer from the same book. It represents the triad of mother, father and child, but, also happens to be the logo for the steel and armament producer Krupp and, turned upside down, Ballantine beer.[5] Plant’s symbol of a feather within a circle was his own design, being based on the sign of the supposed Mu civilisation.[5] A fifth, smaller symbol chosen by guest vocalist Sandy Denny represents her contribution to “The Battle of Evermore”; the figure, composed of three equilateral triangles, appears on the inner sleeve of the LP, serving as an asterisk.[38]