An article for Far Out Magazine recounts how drummer Mac Poole was offered the chance to join what would become Led Zeppelin, but turned it down and reportedly spent the rest of his life regretting the decision. The story matters as a footnote to rock history, illustrating how close the band's now-iconic line-up came to looking entirely different, and how a single career choice can haunt a musician for decades once a group goes on to sell hundreds of millions of records.

The piece traces Jimmy Page's path from in-demand session guitarist to the last man standing in the Yardbirds by mid-1968, after which he assembled a new band to fulfil outstanding US tour dates. Having failed to recruit singer Terry Reid, who preferred to pursue solo work, Page turned to Robert Plant, who in turn was asked to recommend a drummer, leading to Mac Poole. Poole declined the opportunity, a decision that preceded Led Zeppelin becoming one of the best-selling acts in history, with sales estimated around 300 million records, behind only The Beatles.