Neither charity nor former President Bill Clinton could persuade Led Zeppelin to reform for last year’s Hurricane Sandy benefit concert, it’s been revealed by the Robin Hood Foundation’s executive director David Saltzman.

As you’ll all probably recall, Saltzman – with the help of entertainment mogul Harvey Weinstein – put together a high profile benefit concert in New York on the December 12, 2012 in aid of those who’d had their homes and lives devastated by the natural disaster. Paul McCartney and Bruce Springsteen were among the legends to play while all manner of celebs manned the telephone lines during the course of the telethon. However, as Saltzman told CBS, one band refused to get involved.

“There were two bands we were trying to recruit, one was The Rolling Stones and the other was Led Zeppelin,” Saltzman explained to CBS. “Harvey Weinstein had this great idea that he could enlist Bill Clinton to convince Led Zepplin to reunite to perform at the 12/12/12 concert. Harvey and I got on a plane to fly down to Washington to meet Bill Clinton who was going to meet Led Zeppelin, who were being honored at the Kennedy Center.” Continuing he added “Bill Clinton himself asked Led Zeppelin to reunite and they wouldn’t do it.” Thankfully there was one band who would – eventually. “At the airport I literally bumped into Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones and he said ‘you tell Harvey Weinstein to f**k off!’” Saltzman said, before adding “And his publicist came up behind him and said ‘they’re going to do it. He’s just joking.’”

Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton couldn't even get Led Zep to reform