Jimmy Page has been sued by the estate of Randy California for copy infringement on Spirit’s song TAURUS. The opening guitar bars are similar to that of Led Zeppelin’s STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN. Zep’s guitarist adamantly claimed the originality of his fingerings, even though Led Zeppelin’s first album was plagued by plagiarism. DAZED AND CONFUSED was directly lifted from Jakes Holme, who had opened for the Yardbirds in 1967.
Jake Holmes later said, “That was the infamous moment of my life when Dazed and Confused fell into the loving arms and hands of Jimmy Page.”
The Yardbirds added the song to their playlist and Led Zeppelin scored a hit with it on their first album without any credit to Jake Holmes.
Yesterday a member of Spongehead, a late-20th Century noise band from Brooklyn, defended Jimmy Page, until I pointed out the bass and guitar from DOG DAY had been used in Led Zeppelin’s WHOLE LOTTA LOVE.
When asked how he felt about this, Dave Henderson told me, “This argument is just stupid. You got to get off your high horse.”
“Why? Led Zeppelin is a cover band, which makes Dread Zeppelin a cover band of a cover band.”
Dave Henderson shook his head and said, “I am very disappointed in you.”
“I am too.”
But I stand by what I said, because a man of misplaced convictions.
Please go to this URL to hear Spongehead’s DOG DAY
Dave was a wicked Robert Plant on stage.