Led Zeppelin Was Reportedly Offered $14 Million To Play Desert Trip

Organizers of Desert Trip – the festival featuring Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Roger Waters, The Who and The Rolling Stones set to take place over two weekends in October at the site of the Coachella festival – reportedly tried to get Led Zeppelin to play the inaugural events. Roger Friedman’s Showbiz 411 claims the surviving members of Led Zeppelin turned down a whopping $14 million to play what fans have dubbed “Oldchella.”

Showbiz 411 goes on to say Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page “was all for it,” but vocalist Robert Plant “wouldn’t agree to any kind of reunion. The guitarist “went crazy” as he “really wanted to do it.” The band, who is currently fighting off a copyright lawsuit over “Stairway To Heaven,” reunited on December 10, 2007 for an Ahmet Ertegun Tribute Concert in London but have not shared the stage together since. Friedman reports each act playing Desert Trip will receive $7 million per weekend.

It appears the festival will return in 2017 as Steely Dan’s Donald Fagen recently revealed the band is considering playing Desert Trip in 2017.

[Hat Tip – Vintage Vinyl News]