The Led Zeppelin renuion its more than a one night stand

Led Zeppelin's Return Is More Than 1970s Nostalgia (Update1)

By Mark Beech

Nov. 28 (Bloomberg) -- Led Zeppelin's singer Robert Plant has joked that the group's comeback means their trademark song ``Stairway to Heaven'' should be renamed ``Stairlift to Heaven.''

Fans of the U.K. rock band, who have been hoping for a reunion for three decades, are indeed in ecstasy. For Plant, 59, and his band mates, who have already sold more than 300 million albums, it could also signify a golden pension plan.

Led Zeppelin fell apart after the death of drummer John Bonham in 1980. Thanks to bone-crunching songs such as ``Whole Lotta Love,'' the group's influence was once viewed as equal to that of Elvis Presley, the Beatles and Bob Dylan.

The group has new CDs, a DVD and a Web site. It put its back catalog online and joined a charity concert, featuring pals Jimmy Page on guitar and singer Robert Plant, with Bonham's son Jason on drums and the estranged bassist, John Paul Jones.

More than a million fans entered an Internet ballot for the Dec. 10 gig at London's 20,000-capacity O2. Tickets have been offered on EBay for as much as $10,000 each for ``buy it now'' sales. The demand may tempt Led Zeppelin to tour in 2008.

The group is ``concentrating on the concert,'' said its U.K. spokesman Chris Goodman of public-relations company the Outside Organisation. Still, the reunion is stirring speculation among Internet bloggers that the band is lining up venues for a tour.