Read the bizarre claim here
Andrew Trendell

10:08 4th June 2014

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After decades in the making, a copyright claim against Led Zeppelin from the band Spirit for copying the song 'Taurus' has finally been lodged. Compare the two tracks and read segments from the unusual claim below. 

According to Business Insider, the claim bizarrely uses the typeface from the Led Zeppelin IV album, and is called  'The Falsification of Rock N' Roll History'.

After 43 years of trying, the heirs of songwriter Randy Craig Wolfe from Spirit have finally lodged a copyright infringement lawsuit against Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and other Led Zeppelin parties over the 1971 classic 'Stairway to Heaven'.

The claim argues that Page stole the guitar part from Wolfe - a teen guitar sensation discovered by Jimi Hendrix at the age of 15. In 1968, he and the band Spirit released an album featuring the instrumental track 'Spirit - the same year they toured with Led Zeppelin. 

"Little did anyone know at the time, 17-year old Randy had created what would become some of the most famous guitar work in the history of music," reads the claim. "Jimmy Page’s use of the Etherwave-Theremin and other psychedelic-type audio effects which helped give Led Zeppelin its distinctive sound - especially prominent in 'Whole Lotta Love' - was inspired by seeing California effectively use these types of audio-enhancing effects on tour." 

The claim continues: "Any reasonable observer, when comparing 'Taurus' and 'Stairway to Heaven,' must conclude that — at the very least — significant portions of the songs are nearly identical."

Adding that "Led Zeppelin is undeniably one of the greatest bands in history, and their musical talent is boundless," they also jibe "this is hardly the first time Zeppelin has been accused of lifting their most famous songs."

They go on to add a list of 17 tracks that they also believed Led Zep plagarised, including 'Dazed and Confused', 'Whole Lotta Love' and 'Since I’ve Been Loving You'.

Listen to 'Taurus' by Spirit below

Listen to 'Stairway To Heaven' by Led Zeppelin below

Wolfe's heirs are seeking statutory damages, defendants' profits, punitive damages and that Wolfe be credited as a songwriterwriter of 'Stairway to Heaven' - addin that funds from the lawsuit will go into a trust to buy musical instruments for needy children.

Guitarist Jimmy Page has slammed the claims as 'ridiculous'. 

Below: You stole my song! Stars accused of music theft

  • will.i.am: The founding Black Eyed Peas member got into hot water over allegedly stealing his new track 'Let's Go' from house producers Mat Zo and Arty. The song sounds almost identical in parts to the pair's song 'Rebound'. In fact, Will apparently approached the two about using it, but they declined. Still, Mat Zo was polite about it, saying, "To conclude, perhaps it is better to invest your energy into supporting 'Rebound' instead of spewing s**t at will.i.am and Chris Brown."

  • Frank Ocean: Earlier this year, Micah Otano brought a lawsuit against Frank Ocean, claiming that he stole his hit 'Lost'. Otano says that the track was originally called 'Daylight', and that he wrote it - not Ocean. Otano went on to claim that he co-wrote it with Ocean's producer Malay, who copied the track and renamed it before giving it to Ocean.

  • Lady Gaga: Rebecca Francescatti brought a lawsuit against Gaga accusing her of stealing elements of Franscatti's 1999 song 'Juda' to use in her hit, 'Judas'. Both artists worked with producer Brian Gaynor who is also being sued, according to Francescatti's lawyers. The lawsuit also uncovered text messages between Lady Gaga and producer RedOne, that show Gaga had also stolen another sample loop used in 'Judas' and later in Jennifer Lopez's 'Invading My Mind' without credit.

  • Taylor Swift: Swifty was accused of stealing lyrics from US star Matt Nathanson. The lyrics "And I forget about you long enough to forget why I needed to" from Swift's song 'All Too Well' were apparently just too similar to Nathanson's "And I'll forget about you long enough to forget why I need to." Swift was well known as a fan of Nathanson's, having previously written lyrics of his on her arm at concerts.

  • Pete Doherty: Poet Nick Toczek claimed that a line from his poem 'Stiff With A Quiff', written in 1983, was exactly the same as one which features in Babyshambles 'Baddie's Boogie', taken from their second album 'Shotter's Nation'. Doherty ended up paying Toczek £10,000 over the claims.

  • Leona Lewis: After Leona released her single 'Collide', UK label Ministry of Sound claimed that the song had stolen the beat of Avicii's track 'Penguin'. Despite Leona saying that Avicii was 'aware' of the use, Tim Bergling of Avicii tweeted afterwards, 'I didn't produce it and neither me or my manager could approve it.'

  • Alicia Keys: Songwriter Earl Shuman claimed the singer used parts of his track without his permission, and filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against her. According to him, Keys' 'Girl On Fire' sounded too similar to his own song 'Hey There Lonely Girl', including parts where she actually sings a few couplets of the song, and uses an uncredited sample.

  • Owl City & Carly Rae Jepsen: Owl City wrote 'Good Time', which featured Carly Rae Jepsen, back in 2012... Or did they? Alabama singer-songwriter Allyson Nichole Burnett filed a lawsuit against them, alleging that her track 'Ah, It's a Love Song' shares "a catchy pop vibe that both draws people in and sticks in people's heads." She also insisted that they share the same "unique vocal motif".

  • Usher: The star was accused of plagiarism by Ernest Lee Straughter, who said that Usher's 2004 hit 'Burn' is ripping off Straughter's 1998 song 'Reasons'. Straughter went on to say that Usher would have had access to the song through Warren G, who had collaborated with both Straughter and Usher. However, Usher's camp denied all knowledge of the song.

  • Katy Perry: Katy Perry came under fire from US producer Dillon Francis, who claims she stole his video idea for her single 'Roar'. "Legitimately this is so dope that @katyperry's director thought my video was good enough to rip off," Dillon posted on Twitter, furious that Perry's video, featuring lyrics in text messages, was near identical his his track, 'Messages'.

  • Muse: Songwriter Charles Bolfrass filed a $3.5million lawsuit against Muse, claiming that he had contacted the band in 2005 with the idea to write a futuristic rock type opera concerning space travel - and pitched ideas titled 'Exogenesis'. When Muse released their 2009 album The Resistance, there were tracks named 'Exogenesis I', 'Exogenesis II' and 'Exogenesis III', which Bolfrass believed to be his work.

  • Hozier: This accusation came not from Feist herself, but from her friend and musical big brother Chilly Gonzalez, who took pains to point out the similarity between 'Take Me To Church' and Feist's 'How Come You Never Go There'. "Feist's version came out well over a year before Hozier's", said Gonzalez. "'Take Me To Church'? Maybe Feist should take him to court." Ouch.

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Photo: WENN