Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin, testifying in a closely watched copyright trial on Wednesday, said that until recently he had never heard the song he has been accused of plagiarizing in the band’s 1971 hit “Stairway to Heaven.”
A couple of years ago, Mr. Page said, his son-in-law told him that people online were comparing “Stairway” to “Taurus,” a 1968 song by the lesser-known group Spirit. But when Mr. Page finally heard the other song, it sounded “totally alien” to him.
“I know that I had never heard it before,” he said.
Mr. Page, 72, and his bandmate Robert Plant, 67, are defending themselves in the music industry’s latest copyright trial, a year after Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams were ordered to pay $5.3 million to the family of Marvin Gaye over their song “Blurred Lines.”
The suit over “Stairway to Heaven” was filed by Michael Skidmore, a trustee for the songs of Randy Wolfe, a member of Spirit, who died in 1997. The suit says that Mr. Page and Mr. Plant copied “Taurus” for the distinctive acoustic guitar part that opens “Stairway,” and that the men had heard Spirit’s song when the two bands crossed paths on the road.
At the trial, which began Tuesday, lawyers for Led Zeppelin are expected to argue that any similarities between “Stairway to Heaven” and “Taurus” are because of generic musical patterns that cannot be copyrighted, like a descending chord progression that is common to both pieces.
Mr. Page, who appeared in a black three-piece suit with his long white hair tied back, was asked by Mr. Skidmore’s lawyer whether he remembered a concert in December 1968 when Led Zeppelin opened for Spirit.
“I didn’t hear Spirit at the Denver show,” Mr. Page said, adding that he believed the headliner was Vanilla Fudge.
Mr. Page admitted that he owned a copy of Spirit’s 1968 debut album, which contains the song “Taurus,” although he said he did not know how he got it. His record collection contains 4,329 vinyl albums and 5,882 CDs, he said.
Earlier in the day, Mark Andes, the bassist in Spirit, testified that “Taurus” had been a regular part of the band’s set in its early days. He said he remembered drinking beer and playing snooker with Mr. Plant after Spirit played a club in Birmingham, England, in 1970.
“We had a blast,” Mr. Andes said.
With its accusation of plagiarism in one of the most famous and lucrative songs in rock history — according to one estimate, the song has generated more than $562 million in royalties — the case has riveted the music industry, and the courtroom was packed with reporters and fans.
The day had moments of levity, as when Mr. Page told the plaintiff’s lawyer, Francis Malofiy, that he had begun playing guitar at age 12 and was in professional recording sessions by 17.
“You had a gift, you played the guitar,” Mr. Malofiy said.
“Well, yeah,” Mr. Page said, to laughter in the courtroom.
His testimony is expected to continue on Thursday.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/16/b...t-trial.html&eventName=Watching-article-click
A couple of years ago, Mr. Page said, his son-in-law told him that people online were comparing “Stairway” to “Taurus,” a 1968 song by the lesser-known group Spirit. But when Mr. Page finally heard the other song, it sounded “totally alien” to him.
“I know that I had never heard it before,” he said.
Mr. Page, 72, and his bandmate Robert Plant, 67, are defending themselves in the music industry’s latest copyright trial, a year after Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams were ordered to pay $5.3 million to the family of Marvin Gaye over their song “Blurred Lines.”
The suit over “Stairway to Heaven” was filed by Michael Skidmore, a trustee for the songs of Randy Wolfe, a member of Spirit, who died in 1997. The suit says that Mr. Page and Mr. Plant copied “Taurus” for the distinctive acoustic guitar part that opens “Stairway,” and that the men had heard Spirit’s song when the two bands crossed paths on the road.
At the trial, which began Tuesday, lawyers for Led Zeppelin are expected to argue that any similarities between “Stairway to Heaven” and “Taurus” are because of generic musical patterns that cannot be copyrighted, like a descending chord progression that is common to both pieces.
Mr. Page, who appeared in a black three-piece suit with his long white hair tied back, was asked by Mr. Skidmore’s lawyer whether he remembered a concert in December 1968 when Led Zeppelin opened for Spirit.
“I didn’t hear Spirit at the Denver show,” Mr. Page said, adding that he believed the headliner was Vanilla Fudge.
Mr. Page admitted that he owned a copy of Spirit’s 1968 debut album, which contains the song “Taurus,” although he said he did not know how he got it. His record collection contains 4,329 vinyl albums and 5,882 CDs, he said.
Earlier in the day, Mark Andes, the bassist in Spirit, testified that “Taurus” had been a regular part of the band’s set in its early days. He said he remembered drinking beer and playing snooker with Mr. Plant after Spirit played a club in Birmingham, England, in 1970.
“We had a blast,” Mr. Andes said.
With its accusation of plagiarism in one of the most famous and lucrative songs in rock history — according to one estimate, the song has generated more than $562 million in royalties — the case has riveted the music industry, and the courtroom was packed with reporters and fans.
The day had moments of levity, as when Mr. Page told the plaintiff’s lawyer, Francis Malofiy, that he had begun playing guitar at age 12 and was in professional recording sessions by 17.
“You had a gift, you played the guitar,” Mr. Malofiy said.
“Well, yeah,” Mr. Page said, to laughter in the courtroom.
His testimony is expected to continue on Thursday.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/16/b...t-trial.html&eventName=Watching-article-click
