July 22, 2025 The Best Source of News, Culture, Lifestyle for Culver City, Mar Vista, Del Rey, Palms and West Los Angeles

Federal Judge Scheduled Trial For Copyright-Infringement Case Involving “Stairway To Heaven”

(L-R) John Paul Jones, Robert Plant and Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin in 2012 (Thinkstock: Danny Martindale/Getty Images).
(L-R) John Paul Jones, Robert Plant and Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin in 2012 (Thinkstock: Danny Martindale/Getty Images).

A Los Angeles federal judge has scheduled a May trial date in a copyright-infringement case involving Led Zeppelin’s iconic rock anthem “Stairway to Heaven,” according to court papers obtained today.

A lawsuit, filed last year in Philadelphia and transferred to Los Angeles, alleges that the guitar arpeggio opening of “Stairway,” released 45 years ago, was lifted from the 1968 instrumental “Taurus” by the long-defunct Los Angeles band Spirit.

The complaint was lodged on behalf of the estate of Spirit’s guitarist- songwriter Randy California, who drowned in 1997 off the coast of Hawaii.

U.S. District Judge R. Gary Klausner ruled Friday that a jury would decide whether the British rockers appropriated parts of “Taurus.”

Klausner determined that although there was no evidence of “striking similarity,” there was enough evidence offered for a jury to weigh whether there was “substantial similarity.”

In February, the surviving members of Led Zeppelin, along with Warner Music Group Corp., asked Klausner to throw out the lawsuit. He concluded that trial was required.

“Led Zeppelin opened for Spirit when they first came over here,” the estate’s attorney, Francis Malofiy, told City News Service.

“There’s no doubt Jimmy Page appreciated Spirit on an emotional and musical level. And, of course, Led Zeppelin has a unique history of lifting their songs from other sources.”

In the 1970s, the British rock band made settlement agreements and granted writing co-credits to other artists for several songs originally credited to Page, including “Whole Lotta Love,” “The Lemon Song” and “Dazed and Confused.”

“Attribution is the most important thing,” Malofiy said. “What we want is for credit to be given where it’s due. I’m a fan of Led Zeppelin, but in this situation, we want credit for Randy.”

In the liner notes to a 1996 reissue of Spirit’s first album, California stated that “people always ask me why ‘Stairway to Heaven’ sounds exactly like ‘Taurus,’ which was released two years earlier. … They opened up for us on their first American tour.”

Warner Music Group successfully argued last spring that the case should be moved to Los Angeles, where possible witnesses and business records are located.

Related Posts

(Video) Where great minds grow at The Willows Community School

July 22, 2025

July 22, 2025

The Willows, a DK-8 co-educational school, enrolls 474 students from 57+ zip codes annually. As a balanced, progressive educational leader, experiential learning,...

Mayor Bass, Veterans Demand Troop Withdrawal as Marines Exit City

July 22, 2025

July 22, 2025

Bass, alongside California State Senator and Marine Corps veteran Caroline Menjivar, condemned the deployment as “unnecessary, unprecedented, and unconstitutional.” Los...

Investigators Probe Marina del Rey Site in Deadly LA Sheriff’s Facility Explosion

July 22, 2025

July 22, 2025

The explosion, which occurred Friday morning at the training academy, claimed the lives of Detectives Joshua Kelley-Eklund, Victor Lemus, and...

Culver City Votes to Install Digital Kiosks on Sidewalks

July 21, 2025

July 21, 2025

Projected revenues could range from $750,000 to $1.3 million annually for Phase I, with totals potentially reaching $53 million over...

What We Know So Far About the Santa Monica-Linked Explosion That Killed Three Deputies

July 20, 2025

July 20, 2025

The probe traces back to Thursday, when residents of an apartment complex on the 800 block of Bay Street in...

County Offers $58M in Parks Grants, Hosts Info Session Wednesday

July 20, 2025

July 20, 2025

The grants aim to enhance park equity, access, and environmental benefits, with awards ranging from $100,000 to $4 million The...

(Photos) See Inside This $60M Holmby Hills Mansion Inspired by a Madrid Museum

July 20, 2025

July 20, 2025

Soaring 30-foot ceilings, adorned with 400-year-old Moorish columns and 16th-17th century Florentine carvings, greet visitors Nestled on the prestigious 133...

Nine-Unit Apartment Complex in Palms Hits Market for Nearly $3M

July 20, 2025

July 20, 2025

The property, zoned LAR3, presents a potential value-add opportunity for investors, though specific details are outlined in the offering memorandum...

Punk Rock Tribute Night Set for The Venice West

July 18, 2025

July 18, 2025

The lineup includes Doyle Rules honoring The Misfits, Kill the Poor paying tribute to Dead Kennedys, and Rockaways performing Ramones...

Santa Monica College to Perform “Seussical (Theatre for Young Audiences)”

July 18, 2025

July 18, 2025

The 75-minute family-friendly musical, set in the Jungle of Nool, follows Horton the elephant as he protects a speck of...

California Sues Trump Administration Over High-Speed Rail Funding Cut

July 18, 2025

July 18, 2025

Newsom described the move as a “heartless attack on the Central Valley,” threatening jobs and livelihoods Governor Gavin Newsom announced...

Former Hammer Museum Director Receives Getty Prize, Awards $500,000 to NPR

July 18, 2025

July 18, 2025

Philbin’s tenure at the Hammer saw the launch of the Hammer Projects series and the Made in L.A. biennial, alongside...

Salt & Straw Celebrates Ice Cream Week with Strawberry Shortcake Waffle Cone Through the Weekend

July 18, 2025

July 18, 2025

The item launched nationwide, available with any ice cream flavor or as an exclusive sundae featuring Strawberry Honey Balsamic ice...

LAX Metro Transit Center Boosts K Line Ridership, Overall Metro Sees Slight Decline

July 18, 2025

July 18, 2025

The station completes the K Line, allowing continuous service from Expo/Crenshaw Station to Redondo Beach and enhancing regional connectivity through...