Led Zeppelin to Face Retrial Over ‘Stairway’

Well, Scott, there you go again. Citing facts to morons and expecting them to come around
What I "love" the most is 99.9 percent of these Clueless Ernies have never heard the original song anyway.

 

money grab - an undignified or unprincipled acquisition of a large sum of money with little effort.

 

What song are you talking about?

 

Re: the bolded bit - no, they're not definitely lifted from Taurus, or anything else. Where'd you get that idea?

 

That's hilarious. How everything still turns to gold, for the estate of Randy California. I'd actually like to see them win, just because of the underdog factor. It still amazes me that a truly creative guy like Page, still needed to lift riffs from other songs.

 

Oh I don’t know, maybe the ongoing trial about it, or YouTube? Jeez man, I like Zep as much as anyone but it’s pretty clear Page “borrowed” that bit. That doesn’t diminish Stairway at all, obviously that little section accounts for a just a tiny percentage of the song as a whole (which obviously goes in a totally different direction than Taurus.)

 

Prove it. That's basically the premise of the whole case.

Just how is it "pretty clear" that Jimmy borrowed it? Based on what? That he, a professional studio musician, had never played a descending arpeggio in A minor before he heard Taurus? C'mon.

 

All you fan boys should pull out your dogeared copies of Hammer of the Gods, make a nice cup of hot chocolate and put on Moby Dick, while we let the trial run its course. We will soon know how the jury decides. Better still, pull out your records by the Firm and chill. Zeplin! Rock and roll!

 

If California's estate wins, I would like to see the estate of Davy Graham sue them and win. You know, since Graham's estate is more of an underdog than California's estate.

 

Why do you put the word borrowed in quotes? Is it because you don't truy believe Jimmy borrowed from 'Taurus' because there were so many other songs that came before 'Taurus' that used the same traditional pattern?

 

Yes, there are several songs that use that arpeggio with a descending bass line, and here is just one from 1959.

 

You were a communications lawyer!!!?

 

And now I'm absolutely sure the collie in your avatar is actually posting on your behalf. Bye.

 

You’re right...prove it.

But, you know, Spirit did open for Jimmy. He heard that riff every night before he went on stage.

Just sayin’...

 

Really, Jimmy and the boys were in the audience or side stage hearing Spirit performance night after night?

 

Ok...had the opportunity to hear it every night.

 

It sounds the same? It’s not my job to “prove” it. It’s in the courts now so we’ll see what they decide. But I suspect even if California’s lawyers win, you will find a way to defend almighty Zep.

Look, it’s possible to like Zeppelin AND admit they borrowed something. It certainly wouldn’t be the first time. That particular progression, played in the same style, by a band that previously toured with the other band seems pretty suspicious to me.

 

Do we know that "Taurus" was a regular part of Spirit's set list at that point? It's a little low key for a rock concert. . .

 

Page owned the Spirit album. Zep played Fresh Garbage from it in its early sets.

 

Except it's not played in the same style. I could play it for my wife and she'd be able to tell the difference. And I'm sure she knows Spirit from Green Eyed Lady and a couple other songs. Spirit was a very good band, after all.

Just because they shared a bill several times, Jimmy stole a riff from - let's admit it - a fairly inconsequential Spirit tune, and turned it into a top five all-time rock 'n' roll anthem. 'Cos, y'know, Jimmy Page is gonna Jimmy Page.

 

Actually more likely that Plant hipped Page to it, Plant being the big West Coast/psych freak. Not that facts matter in this discussion.

 

Prove that Jimmy listened to the 'Taurus'.

 

'Every night'? How many? How do you know he heard it each night?