re: Robert Plant turns down $800 million for Zeppelin reunion

What an incredible waste of money that would have been.

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This. I don't think he wants to do it. He already has more money than he knows what to do with (doesn't he own an f'n castle?) and he now has enough money to not tour and play songs he wrote (or stole) 40 years ago. None of them need the money.

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They have a legacy and reputation that this can not possibly enhance. It is the smart decision if protecting the legacy is of any importance to him. While he may have turned down 35 shows, he might be more amenable to a single performance in controlled circumstances that do not try to re-create 40 year old performances. New arrangements and changed intensity for the vocals taking into account the deterioration of their skills might be more appropriate.

I'd be interested in experiencing such a performance. I'm not sure I'd be interested in experiencing them try to be Led Zeppelin of the 1960's and 1070's.

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What an incredible waste of money that would have been.

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I can't even wrap my head around it - $800 million - even at an average ticket price of $1300 (which is high) - they would need to sell 615000 at that price to pay the members of the band - before paying any of the other expenses or making a profit.

35 shows with almost 18,000 in attendance, paying $1300 a seat (average) just to pay the band. That would be about capacity for MSG - so, they'd have to go $1500, $2000 - or more just to get close to green.

Could they sell 615,000 tickets for $2,000? I mean Streisand tickets are in the ballpark for the high retail - and scalpers get even more because they sell out, but I don't think that's close to the average price.

That's what I'm wondering. What the frick would the tickets prices for these shows be?

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his voice is shot -

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Actually, not in any way is his voice shot. He's still an amazing singer. I'd ever go so far as to say he has more nuance and character in his voice than he ever did.

There are a number of reasons that have led Plant to be the one holding out on a reunion tour.

First of all, he was closer to Bonzo than any other member of the band. They had a real good relationship outside Zeppelin, and he took Bonzo's death harder than the other two did.

Second of all, he's stayed vital musically. He's never stopped performing and putting out new music. He still loves new music and is very happy with the state of his career now.

And lastly, at the end of Zeppelin's run he really got completely fed up with all the bullshite that goes with being in Zeppelin. Jimmy Page is a manipulative son of a bitch, and and lot of the machinations he continually tried and the way that Zeppelin was divided into separate camps without out a lot of interaction and common interest amongst the members of the band had begun to weigh heavily on Plant. When they got together for the show in 07, Plant's said that he saw the same old bullshite starting to happen, and he wanted no part that kind of life anymore. He doesn't need it. Between the continued massive yearly sales of their back catalog and merchandise, the live albums and DVDS they released over the last decade or so, and his own income from his own albums and tours, he's got more money than he could spend in ten lifetimes.

I cannot blame the man one bit for his decision, and I quite admire him for it in all honsetly.

Goog god how much would tickets cost?

I would love to see it happen. But these are 70 year old men. Their greatness limits them. They could only do arenas/stadiums where they may want to scale back and do acoustic.

They all sound so "over" being awesome. John Paul Jones never appears interested. 70 year old rich men can't possibly want a 40 show world tour. Maybe a handful of shows but a Zepplin world tour like in the 70's? Might kill one of them.

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First of all, he was closer to Bonzo than any other member of the band.

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Now this is true - they were the same age and just broke into the business with New Yardbirds/Led Zeppelin. JPJ had been on the circuit doing session work for years - so much session work, in fact, that he will take the word of someone who claims he played on session work from 1964 to 1968 if it was plausible, because he was working 6 or 7 days per week, multiple sessions per day, plus arranging 50 or 60 songs per month and doesn't remember 3/4 of it - and Page - who was the oldest had already been on world tours and been in bands, as well as extensive session music himself.

Plant and Bonham were still teenagers playing in a blues outfit when Page invited Plant to join The Yardbirds.

It's Richard Branson though. Dude is crazy and loaded and could very well just want to be the guy that put on a LZ tour and fly around with them on his jet and not be too worried about making a lot of money

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the Stones have never stopped touring on a grand scale.

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And that's why Keith can't be killed by conventional weapons