Led Zeppelin are being sued for plagiarism

Thu, 01 Jul 2010

American fold-singer Jake Holmes is currently suing Led Zeppelin over claims that he wrote their classic song, 'Dazed and Confused'.

Jake Holmes, the 70 year old San Francisco born musician claims the song - available here on YouTube, was written by him.  It was released in 1967 on his debut album.  Documents filed on Monday have reported that Jake Holmes cited a 197 copyright for Dazed and Confused, and it was renewed in 1995.

In August 1967 Jake Holmes opened for the Yardbirds at a gig in Greenwich Village, he says in an interview "That was the infamous moment of my life when Dazed and Confused fell into the loving arms and hands of Jimmy Page,". 

Yardbirds drummer Jim McCarty reportedly has said the band decided to do a version of the song,  "We worked it out together with Jimmy contributing the guitar riffs in the middle."  However, when the Yardbirds broke up in 1968, Jimmy Page took the song to his new band, Led Zeppelin and it was released on the Self Titled debut album.  Jake Holmes' contribution to the hit Led Zeppelin track has been commented upon many times, but Jimmy Page is credited as the sole song writer.

When asked if Jake Holmes was the original composer of the song by Musician Magazine, Jimmy Page said "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."
So far its unknown as to why Jake Holmes has waited over 40 years to file the plagiarism suit, and due to a statute of limitations he is only allowed to claim for royalties and damages from the past three years.  He's claiming for three years of song profits and statutory damages of $150,000 per infridgement.  

You can learn to play Dazed and Confused on the Jam With Led Zeppelin DVD & CD set by Jamie Humphries.