It was an April Fool's morning when he told us they would go ...

The following is adapted from an edition of the newsletter "On This Day In Led Zeppelin History."

One year ago today, when all some fans needed was the slightest glimmer of hope that Led Zeppelin was on the path toward reuniting, a Los Angeles DJ made a brief announcement similar to this:

"Well, folks, it's finally happened. Led Zeppelin is finally giving the fans what they really want: The band is getting back together. That's right, folks, you heard it here first: Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and John Paul Jones have stated in a press conference that they're officially reuniting for a summer tour of the United States this year. As for who will be playing drums, the band has agreed to allow a fan in each city who bid the highest on eBay to be that evening's drummer."

The announcement by Gary Moore of 95.5 KLOS was a flash in the pan: It lasted less than a minute and was immediately followed by the words, "Check the calendar: April Fools!" There was no truth to anything he'd said. It was just a joke designed to take place on the first day of April, which in some countries is traditionally a day full of practical jokes.

But the reaction by some fans indicated that they didn't get the joke. Moore told Lemon Squeezings a few days later:

"Clearly, as evidenced by the half-dozen calls and emails I received, people either tuned out after I said the word 'reuniting' or just didn't get it. But the phones didn't light up per se. The whole bit lasted maybe 40 seconds and, again, I thought I'd defused it by saying, 'April Fools!'"

And how did I hear about this L.A. DJ's announcement all the way on the other side of the country? From people wanting to ask Steve "The Lemon" Sauer whether it was true, of course. If you wrote me this time last year to ask whether what you heard was true, then your secret's safe with me. Got that, Sasha? Got that, Temax? ;-)