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Led Zeppelin sued for alleged plagiarism of Dazed and Confused (Jake Holmes claims authorship)
Guardian UK ^ | Wednesday 30 June 2010 12.11 BST | Sean Michaels

Posted on 07/01/2010 12:00:52 PM PDT by a fool in paradise

...In documents filed on Monday, Holmes cited a 1967 copyright registration for Dazed and Confused, renewed in 1995. That song... was released in 1967 on the San Francisco-born musician's debut album.

...the path that leads from Holmes to Page is very well known. As documented by Perfect Sound Forever magazine, Holmes opened for Page's then-band, the Yardbirds, at a Greenwich Village gig in August 1967. "That was the infamous moment of my life when Dazed and Confused fell into the loving arms and hands of Jimmy Page," Holmes recalled in an interview with Will Shade. Yardbirds drummer Jim McCarty described going to a record shop the next day to buy a copy of Holmes's album. "We decided to do a version," he said. "We worked it out together with Jimmy contributing the guitar riffs in the middle."

...Page is credited as the track's sole songwriter. In 1990, Musician magazine quizzed Page on the subject, asking if Holmes was the original composer. "I don't know about all that," Page replied. "I'd rather not get into it because I don't know all the circumstances. What's he got – the riff or whatever? ... I haven't heard Jake Holmes so I don't know what it's all about anyway. Usually my riffs are pretty damn original."

It's not clear why Holmes has waited more than 40 years to file a plagiarism suit. Due to a statute of limitations, the 70-year-old can only claim royalties and damages for the past three years; and so he's doing just that, seeking actual damages, three years of song profits and statutory damages of $150,000 (£99,000) per infringement. As the track appears on everything from Led Zeppelin's debut to their BBC Sessions, as well as DVDs and compilations, that's no small sum. Enough, certainly, to fund a late retirement...

(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Music/Entertainment
KEYWORDS: dazedandconfused; jakeholmes; lawsuit; ledzepplin
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To: The Unknown Republican

First, never let it be said he is not due some form of royalty or fee, Zeppelin improved on art, doing it differently, provided a value to society which they prefered, so you really think this matters 40 years later;

…uhm how does your thinking apply to Kelo vs. New London Development Corp


41 posted on 07/01/2010 3:35:40 PM PDT by ntmxx (I am not so sure about this misdirection!)
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To: ntmxx

Buddy...we aren’t talking eminent domain here...we are talking straight up Intellectual Property Theft by private citizens. Not related one bit.

But on the subject of Kelo...yeah, it’s crap.


42 posted on 07/01/2010 6:10:11 PM PDT by The Unknown Republican
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To: a fool in paradise

I’m pretty sure I saw the Yardbirds/Page play this live because Jimmy Page whipped out the ol violin bow and started sawing away on his guitar and the crowd went wild. One feature of the live Dazed and Confused was the violin bow which mightily impressed the stoned hordes. In fact you had to be high to dream up the stunt in the first place

I was always a staunch Yardbirds fan (the local pizzeria jukebox had their singles) but unfortunately only got to see that last corrupted edition with Jimmy Page and no Jeff Beck


43 posted on 07/01/2010 7:41:30 PM PDT by dennisw (History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid - Gen Eisenhower)
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To: The Unknown Republican

Okay, again, I believe he should get some form or royalty or fee for his contribution; if any.

I can appreciate intellectual property, yet when a creator has limitations, this type of issue may be more about ethics than theft. While the words are different, can the same be said of the different instruments regarding notes, tones or other variants? I believe there were no drums in Jake’s version, or does this boil down to copying a 3, 5, 7 cord riff. Such as Jake was that good, as Ritchie Blackmore of Deep Purple doing “Smoke on the Water.”

Now if Jake could argue he was as good as Bonham, Plant, Page or Jones rolled into a whole product; and that he could show he was directly harmed (because I think Jake went toward different creative endeavors) then I might be persuaded on this.


44 posted on 07/01/2010 7:57:10 PM PDT by ntmxx (I am not so sure about this misdirection!)
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To: dennisw
Speaking of which, when WILL the Yardbirds stage a reunion show someplace?


45 posted on 07/02/2010 8:18:53 AM PDT by a fool in paradise (I wish our president loved the US military as much as he loves Paul McCartney.)
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To: a fool in paradise

Good photo of Relf and Beck. A version of the Yardbirds tours lead by Jim McCarty and Chris Dreja. Some of their new versions of old Yardbird tunes are very good.


46 posted on 07/02/2010 10:55:41 AM PDT by dennisw (History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid - Gen Eisenhower)
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To: dennisw

These are all documented, I like zep but they ripped off a ton of music, here are the songs side by side, you’ll be shocked !!

Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JyvLsutfI5M

Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zThdTAWQFAQ

Honestly, they took probably 50% of their songs from other people without giving them credit, give those a listen, you’ll be totally suprised man


47 posted on 07/02/2010 10:58:44 AM PDT by Scythian
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To: dennisw

That shot is from the movie Blow Up. At one point it was proposed that they would use the Velvet Underground but Warhol and the band never did go to England.

The Yardbirds play a knock off of Train Kept A Rollin’ in that clip (I think they changed the lyrics for the film).


48 posted on 07/02/2010 11:00:28 AM PDT by a fool in paradise (I wish our president loved the US military as much as he loves Paul McCartney.)
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To: a fool in paradise

As Martin Mull once sang, “it’s just licks off of records that I’ve learned.”


49 posted on 07/02/2010 11:04:31 AM PDT by Poser (Enjoying tasty animals for 58 years)
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To: Scythian

Oh, and Part 3, even Stairway to heaven was ripped off
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5uMQDlKn8g


50 posted on 07/02/2010 11:04:31 AM PDT by Scythian
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To: a fool in paradise

The Yardbirds play a knock off of Train Kept A Rollin’ in that clip (I think they changed the lyrics for the film).>>>>>>>>>

Yes same music but the title was now “Stroll On” and with new lyrics. That movie was very happening and hip back then. I liked it a lot though it seems lame and dated today. It has some great scenes. How did pretty boy David Hemmings get so bloated later on? Probably drinking with the other actors well known for drinking like Richard Harris and Peter O’Toole

And Jane Birkin was in it. And another babe in a very wide knit top practically half nekkid I must look her up.


51 posted on 07/02/2010 11:07:28 AM PDT by dennisw (History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid - Gen Eisenhower)
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To: a fool in paradise
I can relate. I've had that bastard Stephen Foster in court for years, trying to force him to admit that he plagiarized "Oh! Susannah" from my song "Susannah, you Ho!"

So far my attorneys aren't getting anywhere but we're in this thing for the long haul. Justice will be served.

52 posted on 07/02/2010 11:10:09 AM PDT by RetroSexual
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To: dennisw

http://digilander.libero.it/guido_1953/pics/x-blow-up/blow-up-36.jpg -— Sarah Miles near nekkid in Blowup


53 posted on 07/02/2010 11:28:35 AM PDT by dennisw (History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid - Gen Eisenhower)
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To: Scythian

The other Led Zep ripoffs pale in comparison to Jake Holmes’ “Dazed & Confused”. Holmes should have been after them ages ago.


54 posted on 07/02/2010 11:41:53 AM PDT by dennisw (History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid - Gen Eisenhower)
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To: RedStateRocker

Of course ZZ Top didn’t credit John Lee Hooker for La Grange either. I don’t think you are going to find any band that is clean in this regard.


55 posted on 07/02/2010 11:56:36 AM PDT by Mr. Blonde (You ever thought about being weird for a living?)
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