Posted on 04/12/2016 1:54:06 AM PDT by nickcarraway
Substantial similarities are enough to warrant a trial over whether Robert Plant and Jimmy Page lifted opening chords from Taurus by the band Spirit
Led Zeppelins lead singer Robert Plant and guitarist Jimmy Page must face a US jury trial over whether they stole opening chords for their 1971 classic Stairway to Heaven.
In a decision on Friday, US district judge Gary Klausner in Los Angeles said the song and the 1967 instrumental Taurus by the band Spirit were similar enough to let a jury decide whether Plant and Page were liable for copyright infringement.
A trial is scheduled for 10 May.
The lawsuit was brought by Michael Skidmore, a trustee for the late Randy Wolfe, also known as Randy California, who was Spirits guitarist and the composer of Taurus.
(Excerpt) Read more at theguardian.com ...
Spirit’s “12 Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus” was brilliant. I saw Spirit back in the mid 80s in a very small venue outside of Chicago. They were very, very good.
L
American courts are corrupt.
From what I recall of copyright law regarding music, lyrics can be copyrighted, but a melody or chord cannot because there are far too many possibilities of similar melodies and chords. (this is what a friend that has copyrighted a few songs has told me.)
This is silly, there are a finite number of chords and notes, so there are always going to be similarities here and there, there is no way around it.
I’m surprised Anheuser-Busch never sued them over “Fool in the Rain”.
...when you say Budweiser...when you say Budweiser...when you say Budweiser...
Robert Plant's solo song "Big Log" is an indication of the direction LZ was taking at that point. We missed out on some good music when that drummer had too much to drink one night.
Led Zep Whole Lotta Love based on
Muddy Waters You Need Love.
Songwriter Willie Dixon sued
and won.
This happens all the time.
The Rolling Stones wrote a song called, “The Last Time” in 1965, which was based upon the song, “This May Be the Last Time”, which was written in 1958 by the Staple Singers. Then, The Verve wrote a song in 1997 called, “Bittersweet Symphony” which a court ruled was basically a rip-off of the Stone’s song, “The Last Time”.
So yeah, these things happen.
Of course it is until lawyers get involved.
The worst rip-off was the Beach Boys “Surfin’ USA” from Chuck Berry’s “Sweet Little Sixteen” (and other, Berry copied himself all the time). Even the theme of listing different parts of the country was included.
Or, how about the lyrics of “See Ya Later, Alligator” and any number of songs with verses discussing “seeing their baby walkin’ down the street”? One could tie the courts up for years...lol.
Then why aren’t you Dr Sardonicus instead of Dr Ursus?
Just teasing
We knew the two hits as kids ......Line and Natures Way
But we sorta discovered them in totality later after they had disbanded for five years
In college we played Spirit a lot at parties mid 70s since we were a Disco Sucks bunch
No question a little of Taurus is tweaked and used as STH intro but that’s about it
And like folks said none of the Spirit band sued over it so why now
Make Jimmy and Plant or whoever owns songwriting credits pay over a bit
Pretty effed up 45 years later....
Not to demean Spirit
Definitely an underrated band
This should be a great teaser thread for that GenX freeper who once told me Led Zepplin were crap and Journey so much better
God loves Free Republic...a gathering home for worlds greatest rock Gods
Spirit got a lot of airplay out here in SoCal, but then they were an LA based band.
‘Love’ was another LA band of the same era that doesn’t get a lot of recognition.
I guess The Doors and Buffalo Springfield sucked up all the oxygen.
Amen to that I confess I’m not much of a Love fan
Sly Stone meets Jefferson Airplane but less melodic
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