Thread: Robert Plant rejects billion dollar contract for Led Zepplin tour.

NO AMOUNT of money is enough for Led Zeppelin front man Robert Plant to get the band back together.

The 66-year-old singer walked away from a 35-date tour that would have paid the rock group nearly $924 million — ripping up the contract in front of stunned promoters, The Mirror newspaper reported.
British tycoon Sir Richard Branson had planned to reunite the Stairway to Heaven rockers and promoters had even gotten the green light from the other band members.



The mega deal would have paid Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones roughly $346 million apiece, before taxes, according to The Mirror.
Group members lobbied hard for Plant to join in but he wouldn’t change his mind.
“They have tried to talk him round but there is no chance,” a source close to the group told The Mirror. “His mind is made up and that’s that.”
A big payday would have also gone to Jason Bonham, 48, the son of late drummer John Bonham.

The 35 shows would have been split between London, Berlin and a site in New Jersey, according to The Mirror.
“Jimmy, John and Jason signed up immediately,” the source said. “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.”

Led Zeppelin: Robert Plant ripped up $924 million reunion contract

2012 estimates in wikipedia show Plant's net worth to be about £80 million or about $130 million. $346 million before taxes would certainly make a big difference to that bottom line.

A quote from wikipedia states he wouldn't agree to a tour back in 2008 because he didn't want to "tour like a bunch of bored old men following the Rolling Stones around."

Works out to about 10 million a night to belt out some greatest hits.

Has Robert Plant issued a statement regarding the OP or is it just Gossip like most media outlets do these days.?

Originally Posted by Necron99

Works out to about 10 million a night to belt out some greatest hits.

It's fuck all when you put it like that

Here's the NYpost version sources and reports sounds like the Bkk Post

Robert Plant didn’t have a whole lotta love for this deal.
He and the other living founding members of legendary hard-rock band Led Zeppelin were about to ink an $800 million contract with Virgin Atlantic billionaire Richard Branson to play a reunion tour, but the iconic band’s singer ripped the contract to shreds in the final moments, a report said.
Founding members Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones signed on immediately when the flamboyant investor offered the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers the staggering amount to perform just 35 tour dates in three locations including London, Berlin and New Jersey, according to the UK’s Mirror.
But Branson was left stunned when the 66-year-old Plant tore the agreement to pieces right in front of the concert promoters, the newspaper said.
“There was an enormous sense of shock,” a source told the Mirror. “He said no and ripped up the paperwork he had been given.”
Guitarist Page and bassist Jones were all set to perform along with drummer Jason Bonham, who has filled in for his late father, John Bonham, in the past.
They gave their cranky frontman two days to think about the historic reunion, and he turned into a real heartbreaker for fans who have dreamed of another reunion tour.
“It was a no-brainer for them, but Robert asked for 48 hours to think about it,” the source said. “They have tried to talk him ’round, but there is no chance. His mind is made up and that’s that.”
And it’s not likely that the band can hire a replacement for Plant’s unique voice.
“There is no way they can go ahead without him,” the source said.
Branson, a tremendous fan of the ’70s rock band, reportedly pulled out all the stops to get the “Song Remains the Same” rockers back on stage together.
The founder of Virgin Group was planning on renaming one of his jumbo jets “The Starship” and having the craft ferry the stars around to their gigs.
He was even going to have the staircase of the jet renamed the Stairway to Heaven after the band’s landmark hit.
“Even his money was not enough to get Plant to sign up,” the source said, adding that the tycoon was very upset by the singer’s diss.
The band last played together, with Jason Bonham filling in on drums, during a tribute concert at London’s O2 arena in 2007.
The band has been notoriously cranky about whether it would ever reunite, with Plant even calling one reporter “schmuck” during a press conference in 2012.

Originally Posted by Necron99

Works out to about 10 million a night to belt out some greatest hits.

Yet, wouldn't be so great, huh?

Buncha brilliant old rockers that aren't that any more.


If one has a romantic notion, try Youtube - a wealth of LZ archival concert material to be found.

Its not like he needed the money so fair call to him.

He got rich and famous through his music and the fans buying the music .
He could have done the concerts , just to give something back to the fans .
He could have given the 800 million GBP to charity , also giving the band members a pay day .
Hes being a bit selfish .

Originally Posted by Fluke

He got rich and famous through his music and the fans buying the music .
He could have done the concerts , just to give something back to the fans .
He could have given the 800 million GBP to charity , also giving the band members a pay day .
Hes being a bit selfish .

Missing the larger picture, as you usually do.

hes doing well he still gigs.

Originally Posted by Fluke

He got rich and famous through his music and the fans buying the music .
He could have done the concerts , just to give something back to the fans .
He could have given the 800 million GBP to charity , also giving the band members a pay day .
Hes being a bit selfish .

Maybe he figures he cannot deliver a proper performance any more and give the punters their monies worth.

Don't know, have not heard him sing for years.

Can he still deliver a decent version of " Stair Way " ?

Originally Posted by thaimeme

Originally Posted by Fluke

He got rich and famous through his music and the fans buying the music .
He could have done the concerts , just to give something back to the fans .
He could have given the 800 million GBP to charity , also giving the band members a pay day .
Hes being a bit selfish .

Missing the larger picture, as you usually do.

And what is the larger picture ?
What did I miss ?

Just looking at the figures :
$924 Million . Divide that by 35 concerts , maxim 100 000 audience at the gigs , and that would workout over $300 per ticket , just to pay the band . Plus the actual cost of staging the shows . That would probably bring the cost of staging the shows to over $400 per person going .

He has other interests, good luck to him.
He used the same driver as me when he toured around Burma on holiday a few years ago.

Originally Posted by Fluke

He could have done the concerts

I think there's actually some doubt about that.

Really not sure he'd be capable of doing the songs justice now.

A voice is somewhat different from a guitar and a set of drums...

Fair play to him.

Fluke you're talking bollocks as usual "Give something back to the fans", he's fucking earned it and owes them nothing.

66-years old, I think he's played enough gigs.

Anyone who wants to pay top dollar to watch Mick Jagger rasping through an autotune, good luck, I'd rather have the memories of when they were good.

Originally Posted by cyrille

Originally Posted by Fluke

He could have done the concerts

I think there's actually some doubt about that.

Really not sure he'd be capable of doing the songs justice now.

A voice is somewhat different from a guitar and a set of drums...

He is currently touring , so his voice is up to it .
Even if his voice has changed a bit, punters wouldnt have minded, there are plenty of singers who kept going on as they got older . Jagger , Sinatra , and numerous others .
Punters will realise that they are all older and they will decide whether to buy tickets or not

Originally Posted by Fluke

Just looking at the figures : $924 Million . Divide that by 35 concerts , maxim 100 000 audience at the gigs , and that would workout over $300 per ticket , just to pay the band . Plus the actual cost of staging the shows . That would probably bring the cost of staging the shows to over $400 per person going .

I haven't checked the figure Fluke but I think you left out many things that would enhance the figures ie film and television rights, recordings, merchandising etc etc

Looking at that recent photo of him with Barack Obama in the article cited, Robert Plant looks like a pre-cancerous old fart from Pattaya.

Preparing for London concerts ended up killing Michael Jackson, and I daresay an additional year of retirement is worth a lot more than money to Robert Plant.

he knows he can't hit those notes anymore.... bottom line....

he couldn't hit them 10 years ago!

he knows it would be embarrassing to even try!

listen to that old zeppelin... dude is singing some high fucking notes! his voice is toast!

Just before Zepplin released their last album Plant had major throat surgery to repair damaged vocal cords and In through the outdoor confirmed he had vocal problems.

I am also aware he is enjoying a quite life back in the UK spending a lot of time with friends and family.

Not surprised by his decision and to not go on a Rolling Bones tour.

Judge for yourselves.