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whole lotta money


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to reform supergroup
Nov 08, 2014 21:00 By Katie Hind
The rock legend ripped up Sir Richard Branson’s contract for 35 dates in front of astonished promoters after the other members of the supergroup all signed up

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Led balloon: Refusenik Plant, left, and band in 1970
Led Zeppelin’s Robert Plant has turned down a Whole Lotta Lolly – more than £500MILLION – to reform the band for the dearest tour in history.

The rock legend ripped up Sir Richard Branson’s contract for 35 dates in three cities in front of astonished promoters after the other members of the supergroup all signed up.

The tour would have earned singer Plant and fellow founders Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones £190million each before tax.

But Plant, 66, said he thought it wasn’t the right thing to do.

A source close to the group said: “They have tried to talk him round but there is no chance.

“His mind is made up and that’s that.”

Virgin tycoon Branson, 64, has been a lifelong fan of the band.

He was getting ready to rebrand one of his Jumbo jets “The Starship” to fly the group around the venues.

Richard BransonSuperfan: Branson was keen to fly group around venues
An industry source said they were told they could have £250 million for 35 dates in three cities, London at the O2, Berlin and New Jersey.

Led Zep were also promised £70million of the profit from merchandise and there was an option to do 45 more gigs in five venues.

The cash was to be split three ways between Plant, Page, 70, and Jones, 68, while Jason Bonham, 48, son of late drummer John, would have been paid a wage to perform.

Our band source said: “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.”

Branson had planned to have the staircase of the Starship jet renamed the Stairway to Heaven after the band’s 70s hit and was going to sell off the back 20 rows of the aircraft as special Led Zep seats for £100,000 each.

The source added: “Branson tried to pull out all of the stops. But even his money was not enough to get Plant to sign up. He is gutted.”

Plant has previously said: “I have to be in some brand new zones quite regularly... It’s an insane thing to do, to go back.”

Formed in 1966, Led Zeppelin have sold more than 300 million albums. Their last performance was a one night only gig at London’s O2 on December 10, 2007.

Would YOU turn down £500m?

YES
NO

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Wasn't the Starship broken up for parts in the early 80's?

Katie Hind appears to be a 'journalist' in the loosest possible definition of the word, and most of her articles seem to be joyfully unbeleaguered by facts of any description.

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being from the other side of the world I take the mirror does not have high ethical standards

calling it a 'news' paper is stretching the definition somewhat.

If I add the name 'Murdoch' to the mix, I think you'll get the gist.

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calling it a 'news' paper is stretching the definition somewhat.

If I add the name 'Murdoch' to the mix, I think you'll get the gist.

Murdoch has nothing to do with Mirror Group Newspapers.

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If I was Robert and had the money I needed and it felt like selling out or could not put my whole heart into it... Yeah I would have ripped it up too but I don't believe this story for even a second. There.s people that swear The Beatles made an album in 1976- not Klaatu- and I think there's almost 0 chance of it being true. Enjoy the remasters and let it go would b my thought... But I guess this subject will never be laid to rest....

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I think dred zeppelin should unite the original members an get paid 800,000 each for a spectacular tour. There will never b anotherTortelvis when this one leaves the building for good. This inane reply is about what the Mirror deserves... When did said event happen... 7 years ago or now. Plant has a tour on which I seriously doubt he'd just ditch good god there.s a better chance of Paul Macca being dead since 1966 on this day than this story being factual

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If this even happened, I wonder if this recently occurred or if it's a years-old story that was dug up for easy hits and a headline.

All sides of this have been discussed thousands of times before, and completely I respect RP's decision not to reunite, but just because: I still think it's weak that half of Robert's live set is reworked Zep songs. Yes he has a "right" to play them but either you've moved on or you haven't; playing the songs in some inferior form doesn't grant you any more integrity. I'd like to see him go out there and sink or swim based on his solo material alone.

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La la isnt a big hit on the radio and city dont cry wasnt either, for page and plant....no money involved at all.....

Not sure what you're talking about MZ as this is about the rag from the UK's story about Zep being offered 500 million pounds to do 35 dates, allegedly from Virgin's Richard Branson.

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If this even happened, I wonder if this recently occurred or if it's a years-old story that was dug up for easy hits and a headline.

All sides of this have been discussed thousands of times before, and completely I respect RP's decision not to reunite, but just because: I still think it's weak that half of Robert's live set is reworked Zep songs. Yes he has a "right" to play them but either you've moved on or you haven't; playing the songs in some inferior form doesn't grant you any more integrity. I'd like to see him go out there and sink or swim based on his solo material alone.

Those like you who keep dragging out the old line, "Robert has no true integrity, he is playing Zep tunes" are obviously lacking in reading comprehension and basic critical thinking. Robert has said on numerous occasions he loves Zep songs, he just wants to do them differently and not be stuck doing the same shit over and over again. This is what he supposedly told Jimmy as well, he would love to get together with him (Jimmy) but he wants to re-tool the tunes. Jimmy does not want to do that, he wants to do Zeppelin songs in the original arrangements, which is his prerogative.

No lack of integrity whatsoever, Plant is doing exactly what he said he would do and is doing it on his own terms. If anyone has a problem with that, well, too damn bad, grow up and let the man be. It's his life and he has a right to live it as he sees fit, he owes you, me, nor anyone else a damn thing.

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Internet news is rife with this story.What I am suspicious of are the amounts of money being offered is all over the place.Much more interesting is Pages recent interwiew of why there was no Zep V.Can't quite get my head around the fact that we have five digits on our hand and we are in the Holy Houses. Perhaps this needs a new thread.I have had a long day!

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Those like you who keep dragging out the old line, "Robert has no true integrity, he is playing Zep tunes" are obviously lacking in reading comprehension and basic critical thinking. Robert has said on numerous occasions he loves Zep songs, he just wants to do them differently and not be stuck doing the same shit over and over again. This is what he supposedly told Jimmy as well, he would love to get together with him (Jimmy) but he wants to re-tool the tunes. Jimmy does not want to do that, he wants to do Zeppelin songs in the original arrangements, which is his prerogative.

No lack of integrity whatsoever, Plant is doing exactly what he said he would do and is doing it on his own terms. If anyone has a problem with that, well, too damn bad, grow up and let the man be. It's his life and he has a right to live it as he sees fit, he owes you, me, nor anyone else a damn thing.

Hi lpMan. I am not particularly invested in what RP plays at his solo gigs and don't have a "problem" with him, and I certainly don't think he "owes" me anything. Why must so much discussion on this board default to "RP/JP doesn't owe us anything"? It's a forum so of course we're going to discuss our opinions and be critical. No need for such hostility or to tell me to grow up...

The way I see it, Robert's always had this need to "justify" playing Zep songs post-1980, and he's done so through his world music-inspired retooling of them. Just not my cup of tea, although I'm sure I'd enjoy it in person. I just think the rationale -- that they're retooled and therefore "new" and therefore a-ok to play -- is silly. My impression is that he thinks this approach somehow preserves his cred, integrity, whatever you want to call it, as opposed to if he just went out there and played the songs in their original incarnation. Obviously it works for him, and I'm sure he genuinely enjoys performing the retooled versions as well (as you alluded to). But fans are allowed to be critical of it.

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