Back in May 2015 surviving members of Led Zeppelin filed a response to a lawsuit that claims that the song “Stairway to Heaven” was taken from an obscure Spirit song called “Fresh Garbage.” “In the paperwork, Page, Plant and Jones admit to having played a concert with Spirit, and to using part of the Spirit song “Fresh Garbage” in a medley they performed during some concerts in 1968 and 1969.” The person launching the lawsuit for copyright infringement is Michael Skidmore, who is a trustee of a trust for Spirit frontman Randy Craig Wolfe. Attorneys for the plaintiff have recently filed paperwork blasting Led Zeppelin for questioning the validity of the trust. “Led Zeppelin’s camp contends that the Wolfe trust is only valid if it is a qualified charitable foundation or other qualified entity, and claims that Skidmore’s legal team hasn’t provided evidence to that effect.”
See Led Zeppelin- “Stairway to Heaven” Copyright Infringement Lawsuit Moves To Next Round; Band Calls Late Spirit Frontman Randy Craig’s Trust Into Heaven, Brave Words, January 14, 2016.
Special thanks to Brian Cohan (Attorney at Law, Law Offices of Brian J. Cohan, P.C.) for bringing this article to my attention.
