A judge has ruled that Led Zeppelin's "Stairway To Heaven" deserves closer examination in a trial. It is being alleged that the "Celebration Day" band knowingly copied the opening notes the song "Taurus" by rock band Spirit.
U.S. District Judge R. Gary Klausner ruled Friday that the trustee of late Spirit guitarist Randy Wolfe had presented enough evidence that Led Zeppelin had copied music from Spirit for the case to go to trial.
"Taurus" was written in either 1966 or 1967, a couple years before "Stairway To Heaven" was released in 1971. Led Zeppelin during that period played at some concerts and festivals at the same time, but never on the same stage.
Klausner wrote in his decision to go forward that while the songs do have notable differences, lawyers for Wolfe's trustee Michael Skidmore may be able to prove that they are substantially similar.
"While it is true that a descending chromatic four-chord progression is a common convention that abounds in the music industry, the similarities here transcend this core structure," Judge Klausner ruled via the BBC.
Wolfe claims he should have had been given a writing credit on "Stariway To Heaven," which is widely considered one of the greatest rock compositions of all time.
It is reputed that lead singer Robert Plant and Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page wrote the song in a remote cottage in Wales.
Skidmore was able to get around any statute of limitations rulings because "Stairway To Heaven" was re-released and remastered in 2014.
A trial date is set for May 10 in Los Angeles according to Billboard. Judge Klausner's ruling removed Zeppelin drummer John Paul Jones from the case, while Robert Plant and Jimmy Paige remain defendants.
