Richard Branson shoots down report that Robert Plant ‘ripped up’ $800 million offer for Led Zeppelin reunion tour
Airline mogul Richard Branson has grounded bogus rumors he planned to pay Led Zeppelin $800 million to reform and launch a reunion tour until the idea was nixed by front man Robert Plant.
“As much as I love the band, there is absolutely no truth to the story,” Branson wrote in a blog post he called “Dazed and Confused by Led Zeppelin rumors.”
He also shot down bizarre claims he planned to name a Virgin Atlantic plane after the band that would “include a stairway to heaven” in their honor.
Branson said he’d been in touch with the 66-year-old Plant, who’d dismissed the Daily Mirror’s report as “rubbish.”
“Robert told me he is very proud of his history and the band’s past, and has always had great respect and love for his work throughout his career. However, he really believes he must move on with his life and career today,” Branson said.
John Paul Jones, Robert Plant and Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin at a press conference in London in 2012.
The Mirror claimed Branson “pulled out all the stops” to get the group to reunite for a 35-show tour and guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist John Paul Jones and drummer Jason Bonham, son of original drummer John Bonham, were on board.
Plant, though, rejected the offer and “ripped up the paperwork” in dramatic fashion, the report claimed.
The story has since been removed from The Mirror’s website.
“Making up this story is very disrespectful to how wonderful his solo career with the Sensational Space Shifters is going,” Branson said.
“He is setting out on a sold-out tour today and they released a brilliant album last year.”
“Fellow band members Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones also have many exciting projects in the works and should be respected in their own right,” he added.
A Page-spearheaded project has been reissuing pumped-up versions of the band’s stellar first albums, sparking rumors that a reunion was on the horizon.
The three remaining members did reunite for a one-off concert in London in 2007, though Plant has repeatedly insisted that a reunion was not in the works
