Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Led Zeppelin 'Stairway to Heaven' copyright trial: Appeal launched after rockers cleared of plagiarism

A jury found Jimmy Page and Robert Plant did not steal their song's iconic riff from Spirit

Jess Denham
Tuesday 26 July 2016 09:58 BST
Comments
Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page and frontman Robert Plant won their copyright case in June
Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page and frontman Robert Plant won their copyright case in June (Rex Features)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven” case is going back to court after the claimants filed an appeal against the verdict.

Last month, a jury found that bandmates Jimmy Page and Robert Plant did not plagiarise their iconic rock song from Spirit’s 1969 instrumental track “Taurus”, but the copyright trial is not over yet.

Michael Skidmore, the trustee for late Spirit composer Randy Wolfe who originally brought the case, has appealed the decision through his attorney, Francis Malofiy.

“Please take notice that Plaintiff Michael Skidmore, Trustee for the Randy Craig Wolfe Trust, hereby appeals to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit from the final judgment entered on June 23 2016, as well as any and all interlocutory rulings, decisions, and orders that gave rise to the judgment and are merged therein,” the appeal reads, according to The Wrap.

Page and Plant issued a joint statement following the ruling that the two songs were not “substantially similar”, thanking fans for their support. “We are grateful for the jury’s conscientious service and pleased that it has ruled in our favour, putting to rest questions about the origins of ‘Stairway to Heaven’ and confirming what we have known for 45 years,” they said.

In court, Page said in his testimony that he first heard “Taurus” two years ago when his son-in-law alerted him to the comparisons with “Stairway to Heaven” that were emerging online, while Plant claimed to have “no memory” of watching Spirit play at a 1970 Birmingham gig as he was involved in a serious car crash that same night. Plant also argued that it was not a “problem” that Led Zeppelin covered other bands, including Spirit, at their early gigs. “In the nest of rock and rhythm and blues, there has always been cross-pollination,” he said.

Led Zeppelin’s record label, Warner Music group, also spoke out on the verdict, stating that “supporting our artists and protecting their creative freedom is paramount”.

Malofiy said at the time that there were “many appealable issues”. He has since but suspended from practising the law in Pennsylvania for three months after reportedly violating “various rules of conduct” during a copyright trial over “Bad Girls” by Usher.

Page and Plant are yet to comment on the latest developments in their trial.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in