The article discusses the legal battle between the family of Randy California, guitarist for the band Spirit, and the band Led Zeppelin over the song “Stairway to Heaven.” The estate of Randy California alleges that “Stairway to Heaven” infringes on the copyright of Spirit’s instrumental song “Taurus.” The lawsuit argues that Led Zeppelin had access to “Taurus” prior to writing “Stairway to Heaven,” pointing to instances where the two bands performed on the same bill.
The case centers on the similarity between the opening guitar riff of “Taurus” and the introduction of “Stairway to Heaven.” The lawsuit was initially unsuccessful, with a jury finding in favor of Led Zeppelin. However, that verdict was overturned on appeal due to errors in jury instructions regarding the originality of “Taurus” and the “inverse ratio rule,” which considers the degree of access the defendant had to the plaintiff’s work.
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals then ruled in favor of Led Zeppelin, finding that the judge had not erred by playing the sheet music of “Taurus” for the jury, instead of the recording. The court also ruled that the trust for Randy Craig Wolfe aka Randy California was unable to show any evidence that Led Zeppelin had heard Taurus before creating Stairway to Heaven. The Supreme Court declined to hear the case, effectively ending the legal challenge and upholding the ruling that Led Zeppelin did not infringe on the copyright of “Taurus.” The case highlights the complexities of copyright law and the challenges in proving infringement, especially in music.
find the original article here: https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/articles/theres-no-way-legal-25-144617309.html