Controversy

UPDATE: Led Zeppelin Was Offered HOW MUCH to Reform and Tour? HOW MUCH?

Richard Branson got his start towards being a billionaire by getting in the music industry. He’s not involved in music much anymore, but he still has a massive passion for it–which is why he made an offer to Led Zeppelin to reform one more time.

“Look, chaps, if you get together–use whatever drummer you want–and play at least 35 dates in just three cities, I will guarantee you £500 million. Yes, half a billion quid for 35 nights’ work. What do you say?”

“No.”

No?

Let’s just put that number in perspective.  Half a billion pounds is just a shade under $900,000,000 Canadian. What could a person buy with that?

  • That’s a gross of almost $26,000,000 per show. If they play for 120 minutes, that works out to 12,800,000 an hour.
  • It’s $150,000,000 more than what U2 grossed for playing the 110 shows of the 360 Tour.
  • It’s 2/3 the net worth of Paul McCartney.
  • It’s more than the GDP of countries like St. Kitts, the Solomon Islands and Samoa.
  • Pay for operation of the CBC for one year.
  • You could pay for the 900 Tomahawk missiles fired at ISIS in Syria.
  • You could buy two NHL teams or two fully-kitted Airbus A380s (at list price).
  • You could buy 900 Bugatti Veyrons.

Staggering. But is it true?

It appears that the source of the story is an unnamed publicist who gave the story to the Daily Mirror.  Miffed at being scooped, the Guardian decided to make a few phone calls and reached Robert Plant’s publicist who called the report “rubbish.”

So back to your lives, people. There’s nothing to see here.  The only happy people are over at the Daily Mirror who managed to sell a few more papers.

Alan Cross

is an internationally known broadcaster, interviewer, writer, consultant, blogger and speaker. In his 40+ years in the music business, Alan has interviewed the biggest names in rock, from David Bowie and U2 to Pearl Jam and the Foo Fighters. He’s also known as a musicologist and documentarian through programs like The Ongoing History of New Music.

Alan Cross has 38031 posts and counting. See all posts by Alan Cross

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