Kory Grow of Rolling Stone reports:
As Led Zeppelin promote the extravagant reissues of their first three albums for an early June release, a lawyer representing deceased Spirit guitarist Randy California is claiming the hard-rock legends stole the intro for their 1971 single Stairway to Heaven from Spirit’s 1968 song Taurus. Attorney Francis Alexander Molofiy wants to prevent the release of the Led Zeppelin IV reissue when the time comes, Bloomberg Businessweek reports. “The idea behind this is to make sure that Randy California is given a writing credit on Stairway to Heaven,” Malofiy said. “It’s been a long time coming.”
Led Zeppelin and Spirit, who had a hit with I Got a Line on You, played four shows together in 1968 and 1969, shows at which Businessweek claims Spirit played Taurus. It also alleges that Led Zeppelin played a medley of songs that included Spirit’s Fresh-Garbage – a song that appeared on the same LP side as Taurus – on their first U.S. tour.
In an interview with Listener magazine published the year of his death, California said he felt Stairway to Heaven was a “rip-off.” “The guys made millions of bucks on it and never said ‘Thank you,’ never said, ‘Can we pay you some money for it?'” he said. “It’s kind of a sore point with me. Maybe someday their conscience will make them do something about it.”
Spirit and California’s family have waited until now to challenge the song’s authorship because they did not have the means to pay attorneys. At the end of California’s life, he would play sitar at an Indian restaurant in exchange for food.
A rep for Led Zeppelin declined to comment for Businessweek‘s story, but Page discussed the band’s history with crediting songwriters after the fact in a recent interview with The New York Times. When asked why the group waited to credit Willie Dixon for bits of lyrics and melody that made their way into Whole Lotta Love, he acknowledged, “Within the lyrics of it, there’s [Dixons’s] You Need Love, and there are similarities within the lyrics. Now I’m not pointing a finger at anybody, but I’m just saying that’s what happened, and Willie Dixon got credit. Fair enough.”
Reissues of Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin II and Led Zeppelin III are due in stores on June 3rd. Each is available in a deluxe edition that contains a full disc of never-before-released studio takes and live tracks.
source: rollingstone.com
42 Responses
Absurd. Besides the descending chord progression in parts, there are no similarities. There are only 12 notes in a scale to use, so eventually you get songs that sound the same.
Every artist is inspired by other artists and songs. Every blues song made is a rip off of every other blues song.
Nah, what’s absurd is your slavish defense of what is obviously musical thievery…something the mighty Zep is all too familiar with.
Jimmy Page and Robert Plant ripped off a LOT of people. They stole pieces of songs and entire songs. They didn’t write ‘Dazed and Confused’ but took full credit for it on the original album release. Jimmy Page is a thieving piece of shit.
Ok. I play guitar. The main riff is very similar to what Page plays. And I can tell u it’s not a basic normal note progression that’s played in a lot of songs. It’s not blues or rock cords. It’s classical music. In my opinion they have a case. The rest if the song is nothing like Stairway. Is say the beginning classical guitar riff inspired Page and he took it from there. Now I don’t think he took enuff to be sue.
Common knowledge they stole this for decades. Rumour has it the buy-off for decades has been laughable each time offered.
After 43 years I’d say this is nothing more than a frivolous attempt at a cash grab for the family of Randy California. Then again, remastering and releasing the Led Zeppelin albums for the umpteenth time can be considered a cash grab as well.
It’s similar, and Page could’ve very well gotten his idea from this song. But it’s not plagiarism really. Randy’s chord progression is a medieval thing that I’m sure was around before he did it. In science people use each other’s theories all the time to develop new ones, no one says “hey, you stole my idea.” It should be noted that Randy California was a phenomenal talent, he was one guy who made Ritchie Blackmore nervous, as in “I don’t want to follow that guy.”
So it is Randy’s fault and not the mighty Jimmy Page. I have a scientific theory that you’re an asshole.
Surprised the statute of limitations hasn’t expired on this. Over 40 years??