Robert Plant Says No To $800 Million Led Zeppelin Reunion
By Scott Bernstein Nov 9, 2014 • 1:00 pm PST
Reunions can be a huge money maker for musical acts with fanbases pining for their return, just ask The Police, Outkast and Van Halen. One person who famously has left money on the table has been Robert Plant. Over the past few years Plant has made clear he isn’t looking for a Led Zeppelin reunion, but that didn’t stop Virgin’s Richard Branson from presenting him with a near $800 million offer for 35 dates in three cities according to a report from UK tabloid The Mirror.
The Mirror claims Plant ripped up a contract for 500 million pounds (roughly $790 million) “in front of astonished promoters after the other members of the supergroup all signed up.” According to The Mirror, Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones would each get paid 190 million pounds pre-tax and that drummer John Bonham’s son Jason would have been paid a wage for the potential reunion.
“They have tried to talk him round but there is no chance. His mind is made up and that’s that,” a source close to the 66-year-old vocalist told The Mirror. Branson would’ve even branded one of Virgin’s planes as “The Starship,” named after the 747 that famously shuttled Led Zeppelin around during the band’s hey day.
“Jimmy, John and Jason signed up immediately. It was a no-brainer for them but Robert asked for 48 hours to think about it. When he said no and ripped up the paperwork he had been given, there was an enormous sense of shock. There is no way they can go ahead without him,” a band source explained to The Mirror. Led Zeppelin has only reunited once since breaking up following the death of John Bonham -for a 2007 performance at the 02 Arena in London. For now, that seems to be the end of Led Zeppelin.
