Led Zeppelin Sued Over 'Stairway To Heaven' Guitar Line

[Swift]

Did a band from Los Angeles get ripped off by Led Zeppelin? That's the claim in a new lawsuit by representatives of the band Spirit, which played some dates with the British rock legends in their early days in America.

The story is a familiar one: A band plays a bit of music that sounds a lot like another song; a debate ensues. But in this case, the band is Led Zeppelin, and the song is "Stairway to Heaven," a megahit so popular it's been ubiquitous in bars and on the radio for decades.

The similarity of the meditative guitar-picking in both 1971's "Stairway to Heaven" and 1968's "Taurus," an instrumental track on Spirit's self-titled album, has been discussed by music fans for years. Now a lawsuit over the songs' similarities has sent the debate toward a court date.

You can listen to the Spirit song and see for yourself what you think.


Rest of the article here - http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way...elin-sued-over-stairway-to-heaven-guitar-line

Thoughts? I know it's not the first time Zep has been accused of plagiarism.

 

[Swift]

 

[Just Kevin]

I find it funny that 40+ years later they all of a sudden sue.... would have been more appropriate to sue some time during the 70's.. this will either be thrown out or settled out of court for an undisclosed amount of cash.

 

[The GOAT]

Any reaction from the judge other than laughing this one out of court would be an inappropriate reaction.

 

[Swift]

Yeah, this is an obvious attempt for a cash grab.

 

[ShaRpY HaRdY]

Pretty sure Spirit's guitarist literally the only person who should really care about someone "ripping off" his riff (not saying they did) is dead if I'm not mistaken. This band is old as shit not sure what they need the money for; who exactly is suing the family or like a lawyer/representative for the band?

 

[Senhor Perfect]

Zeppelin made it much more entertaining. That's all I care about.

 

[Cloud]

Bands rip each other of constantly. Christ look at Oasis and many quite obvious rips from T-Rex. Its not just how you play it its how you structure it and turn it into a song that makes it an anthem or just a song. As stated by Senhor Zepp created an anthem Spirit a song.

 

[Farooq]

Imma wait 40 years and sue GnR for Welcome to the Jungle. I created sexual moaning, so they stole it.

 

[Solid Snake]

This isn't just a big part of the music industry, but the business industry as well. People get scammed and ripped off all the time. It is nothing new. Cases like this have and will continue to happen from bands/artists all the time. All it takes is one song "sounding" like someone else and "I MUST SUE!" Most bands/artists that have been asked if they have ever been sued for plagiarism, say yes. So a band this popular, does not surprise me.

 

[Senhor Perfect]

Imma wait 40 years and sue GnR for Welcome to the Jungle. I created sexual moaning, so they stole it.

Isn't that more Rocket Queen then WTTJ?

 

[Farooq]

Isn't that more Rocket Queen then WTTJ?

Didn't think anybody else here would know that :yay: And WTTJ is their more popular song like Stairway To Heaven with Zeppelin.

 

[Senhor Perfect]

Didn't think anybody else here would know that :yay: And WTTJ is their more popular song like Stairway To Heaven with Zeppelin.

Dude appetite was the first ever album I bought. I saved up some Christmas money and bought the cassette, that's right cassette in January 1990, I was six. I wore that sucker out :happy:

 

[Farooq]

:mog: I still have the vinyl of it.