Led Zeppelin being sued for plagiary uh-gain

Bob-Dubery · 2014-05-20T10:22:11+00:00

The similarities between "Stairway to Heaven" and the earlier tune "Taurus" by Spirit have been talked about for some years now, but AFAIK this is the fist time that legal action has looked likely. Read the report and listen to the allegedly plagiarised work at http://www.tonedeaf.com.au/405009/led-zeppelin-sued-for-ripping-off-stairway-to-heaven.htm If the claim succeeds it will not be the first time that authorship of a Zep piece is called into question and author credits changed retrospectively.

[deleted]

I can see the confusion Wizard, and yes, I think you could say that within simpler music, there is more likelihood of "plagiarism". If you write a children's book, with the words "that cat sat on the mat" you are not going to be sued for plagiarism, nor can you copyright it.

There is a lot of chocolate box music, and lots of them do sound all the same. If you write music like that you can't complain about your work being stolen. I wouldn't get wound up about Mozart or Bach though. They are without a doubt well defined, unique and full of their own character. That's the difference. They wrote because they loved music, and had something to say, and in return we can recognize them. Both continued writing on their deathbed by the way.

selbydoodl

Well well well,
Am I not surprised!

Another victory for the lawyers who are the ones most likely to benefit from these lawsuits.

Get Gerry Nel to defend Led Zep and then they might stand a chance!

By the way - what do you call 50 lawyers in a cage at the bottom of the sea???

A GOOD START!

IceCreamMan

X-rated Bob wrote
evolucian wrote SNIP//

. By some counts the only inconstestably clean album they produced was Houses of the Holy.
snip some more

In through the out door, that was so bad no one would ever admit to having an idea stolen... ?

[deleted]

On a side note, it's an old practice, taking a theme from music you admire and developing it. To show respect to Mozart, Chopin, Beethoven, Sor and numerous others wrote pieces based on themes from Mozart's "Magic Flute", but then they'd call it exactly that..."Variations on a Theme from the Magic Flute, by Mozart". No ambiguity.

Wizard

Viccy wrote On a side note, it's an old practice, taking a theme from music you admire and developing it. To show respect to Mozart, Chopin, Beethoven, Sor and numerous others wrote pieces based on themes from Mozart's "Magic Flute", but then they'd call it exactly that..."Variations on a Theme from the Magic Flute, by Mozart". No ambiguity.

Good point.
A lot of the undertone is not so much about the reuse itself; but about recognition & respect.
Whether by credits or royalties.

doc-phil

http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/general_music_news/judge_calls_led_zeppelin_lawsuit_lawyer_unprofessional_and_offensive.html

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