Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Cattledog

(6,339 posts)
Sat Sep 29, 2018, 04:21 AM Sep 2018

New trial ordered in 'Stairway to Heaven' copyright lawsuit.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A U.S. appeals court on Friday ordered a new trial in a lawsuit accusing Led Zeppelin of copying an obscure 1960s instrumental for the intro to its classic 1971 rock anthem “Stairway to Heaven.”

A federal court jury in Los Angeles two years ago found Led Zeppelin did not steal the famous riff from the song “Taurus” by the band Spirit.

But a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco ruled unanimously that the lower court judge provided erroneous jury instructions that misled jurors about copyright law central to the suit. It sent the case back to the court for another trial.

A phone message left with an attorney for Led Zeppelin, Peter Anderson, was not immediately returned.

https://apnews.com/4152b88d19c24dceb953aeac7adebc14/New-trial-ordered-in-'Stairway-to-Heaven'-copyright-lawsuit?utm_source=Twitter&utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_medium=APWestRegion

2 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
New trial ordered in 'Stairway to Heaven' copyright lawsuit. (Original Post) Cattledog Sep 2018 OP
Taurus by Spirit is on YouTube, I dont think it's even close. CaptainTruth Sep 2018 #1
I'm With You, Captain ProfessorGAC Oct 2018 #2

CaptainTruth

(7,224 posts)
1. Taurus by Spirit is on YouTube, I dont think it's even close.
Sat Sep 29, 2018, 10:11 AM
Sep 2018

I've been playing guitar 40+ years, one of my past bands did a Zeppelin tribute set for a few years, I played Stairway to Heaven. Taurus isn't even close, especially not in the sense of copyright infringement.

ProfessorGAC

(69,921 posts)
2. I'm With You, Captain
Mon Oct 1, 2018, 02:34 PM
Oct 2018

It's like calling anything with 12 bars and I, IV, V changes an infringement. These are fairly standard inner voice movements over fairly routine chord changes.

IMO, nothing to see here. And, i have doubts that Randy would have supported this suit.

Latest Discussions»Culture Forums»Musicians»New trial ordered in 'Sta...