Robert Plant and Jimmy Page are set to go to court over copyright infringement charges. Led Zeppelin’s song “Stairway to Heaven” was allegedly a rip-off of an instrumental piece called “Taurus” by the band Spirit. A federal judge in Los Angeles said the songs are similar enough that a jury needs to weigh in on them. The trial begins on May 10.
Michael Skidmore, a trustee of the late “Taurus” composer Randy Wolfe, first brought the lawsuit up. The two bands toured together in 1968. Skidmore claims that Jimmy Page was inspired by the song “Taurus” while writing “Stairway to Heaven.”
The defendants in the suit claim that Wolfe was a songwriter-for-hire and he did not have a copyright claim. They also said that the riff was too clichéd to be copyrighted.
The judge, Gary Klausner said:
“While it is true that a descending chromatic four-chord progression is a common convention that abounds in the music industry, the similarities here transcend this core structure. What remains is a subjective assessment of the ‘concept and feel’ of two works … a task no more suitable for a judge than for a jury.”
This is not the first time the band has been accused of ripping off songs. Sixteen of Led Zepplin’s songs have been pointed at for being rip-offs including “Dazed and Confused” and “Whole Lotta Love.”
If they win, the Robert Wolfe Trust would receive thousands, maybe millions of dollars. Skidmore would get half of that per a contract Wolfe signed.
Skidmore’s lawyer said:
“This case, from our perspective, has always been about giving credit where credit was due, and now we get to right that wrong.”
Here are the videos for both songs. You can definitely hear the similarities.
https://youtu.be/oW_7XBrDBAA
Featured image: Getty/Hulton Archive
