Led Zeppelin II is, of course, the name of one of the greatest albums in rock history. Now, it bears another distinction: it's the name of the former George F. Blackburn, a 64-year-old who Missouri man who decided his life would be a little more awesome if he had a new moniker.
"I've reinvented myself," Blackburn, erm, Zeppelin told stltoday. "Since I became Led Zeppelin, my life has improved a thousand fold."
Zeppelin says that it's been nothing but dancing days since he rambled on to his local courthouse to finalize his divorce from his third wife. While there, he decided to file papers with the clerk's office to change his name to his favorite album by his favorite band.
"I don't want to appear to be some off-the-wall, drug-addict idiot," he said. "I just changed my name from the standpoint that I can be a better person than I used to be."
In the state of Missouri, naming yourself after an album is something of a breeze: All you have to do is fill out some forms, pay a fee of $200, and then - voilà! - you can be Led Zeppelin IV. Or Physical Graffiti. Or Houses Of The Holy, if you don't go in for that whole brevity thing.
As long as your new name "would be proper and not detrimental to the interests of any other person," and you're not trying to defraud creditors or hide from the law, the hammer of the gods can be yours.
Just ask George F. Blackburn - we mean Led Zeppelin II. No fool in the rain is he.
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