Led Zep: we didn't pinch Stairway to Heaven, but we were exceptionally talented

The term "hater" oughta be outlawed. It doesn't fit the majority of board discussions.

 

That's quite presumptuous. Plus, just because others were doing it, doesn't make it ok. Plus there's a big difference between being influenced by someone and ripping someone off. We seem to be blurring the lines here.

 

I have this wonderful DVD. The Doors Classic Albums

Go to 14:30 with Ray and watch him and later Robby detail on how they lift both a Ray Charles piano lick and a Paul Butterfield band riff to make Break on Through to the Other Side. Ray even jokes, "We steal from anybody!". Robby shows the original riff and then plays the Break on Through version saying "We just changed the beat around"

Watch Videos Online | Classic Albums | The Doors | DocumentalesHD.es V.O.S. Esp | Veoh.com »

 

So are you suggesting to just do away with the whole songwriting credit thing? Everyone does it. It's meaningless. You, or another musician could just take Stairway to Heaven and say you wrote it and, hey, no big deal. Page shouldn't get upset. Odds are he'll just laugh and watch your Doors DVD with you. Maybe crack a beer while he's at it?

 

Come on now that is not at all what I am suggesting. As I've stated before music, as well as any art form, is fascinating to study the history of cross pollination. It's a great topic to discuss and research. I am merely offering up a few counter points to the usual musical plagiarism begins and ends with Led Zeppelin crowd. I always find it amusing how they never have any interest in borrowing outside of Led Zeppelin. As an example. The Small Faces You Need Love borrows both the lyrics and music from whoever was in the studio the day Willie Dixon put his name on the publishing rights, but you never hear any outrage over the Small Faces who still haven't changed the credits from Marriott/Lane. Nope, the only complaints you hear are about Page the thief. Odd, since the borrowing is the lyrics. The music is original.

 

Because how many people today even know who the Small Faces are let alone care about anything having to do with them? Seriously..

 

Right on. It would be refreshing if someone stepped up and said, "I'm not arguing from logic or reason or consistency, I'm just piling on."

 

Led Zeppelin's production quality alone made everything so fresh and original. Even when the group had issues with credits, the music was always head and shoulders above the original inspiration to me. That's no excuse for not getting proper credits, but people making it seem like Zeppelin didn't bring something new and incredible to the table are 100% incorrect in my opinion.

 

Interesting. But, at the end of the video, Immigrant Song credit says '1970 Swan Song Inc.' That can't be right.

 

Well, I sure don't think it begins and ends with Zeppelin. This particular thread is focused on Led Zeppelin, so it seems pretty straightforward to have them as the focus.

And I follow and agree with your point about cross pollination. I've quoted,many times , the Steppenwolf song: Tighten Up Your Wig


"Just before we go, I'd like to mention Junior Wells
We stole his thing from him, and he from someone else
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, he plays the blues like few before
May he play forevermore"

 

True Zeki, but there is one hater on this discussion that is trolling big time!

 

It fits some.

 

Yeah, there's always a few. Personally, I think those individuals should be addressed directly, not the general sweeping statement which divides discussion participants as " you agree with me or you're a hater".

 

Seriously dodgy band...

 

The key word there is 'ripping someone off.' Stealing. Theft. If there is a blurry line - its there. The problem is there are simpletons who live life seeing things in black & white. Good & bad. Moral & immoral. The world isn't so simple.

 

I saw Led Zeppelin quite a few times in the late 60s and early 70s. Two particular shows will always stand out. 5/3/1969 Rose Palace Pasadena Ca. They were so heavy I never seen anything like them! You had too be there too appreciate a young hungry Zeppelin ready too conquer America.
6/27/1972 Long Beach Arena where most of the show I saw became " How the West Was Won." Killer shows " Dodgy " hell just in you're face heavy rock!

 

Forty-five years or whatever it's been later, even if we found a photograph of Jimmy Page, grinning at the camera, with loose-leaf of "Taurus" ...with crossed out notes and filled in new notation.....he wouldn't admit it.

Besides...it's different enough

 

But using someone else's melody, riff, etc isn't being influenced by them. That's stealing from them. Being influenced by someone doesn't mean copy and steal. It's simple if we want it to be. It becomes not simple when we're trying to defend the actions of a band we love rather than accept they did wrong.

 

I went to see Michael Jackson in the 90's and was blown away.
Doesnt make any less dodgy.

 

I take back what I said about haters. I guess it's an epidemic!

 

You don't even have a clue!

 

Why don't we let the courts decide whether or not it's stealing?

 

Another personal attack when you lose the argument.
Why you haven't been banned by now is seriously beyond my comprehension.

 

I have not lost anything! What I said was true. You never saw Zeppelin you don't Have a clue. But you want too ruin my memories? Everybody knows you're a trouble maker and a pompous person! You're the one who should be banned by you're attitude!