A judge rejected Led Zeppelin’s request to dismiss a lawsuit accusing the iconic British band of ripping off “Stairway to Heaven.”
U.S. District Court Judge Juan Sanchez in Philadelphia denied the motion to dismiss without prejudice, meaning the band can ask for dismissal again, according to Time.com.
Since we’re here, someone should get an injunction to stop radio stations from playing it.
The suit was filed by the heirs of Randy Craig Wolfe — aka Randy California — of the band Spirit. They’re asking for credit and back royalties.
“What happened to Randy California and Spirit is wrong,” says the plaintiffs in their complaint. “Led Zeppelin needs to do the right thing and give credit where credit is due. Randy California deserves writing credit for ‘Stairway to Heaven’ and to take his place as an author of rock’s greatest song.
“Greatest” song? I get that lawyers are writing this stuff, but let’s not go overboard.
Led Zeppelin’s lawyers moved to dismiss or move the suit, arguing Pennsylvania courts shouldn’t have jurisdiction.
“The individual defendants are British citizens residing in England, own no property in Pennsylvania and have no contacts with Pennsylvania, let alone ties sufficient to render them essentially at home here,” they wrote in their petition to dismiss. The lawyers apparently would accept a trial in Los Angeles
Wolfe’s family says Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page ripped off parts of the rock classic from Spirit’s 1968 song “Taurus.” Funny enough, the bands toured together and were familiar with each other’s music.
Contact Tony Hicks at Facebook.com/BayAreaNewsGroup.TonyHicks or Twitter.com/tonyhicks67.
