Led Zeppelin On Hook For $800,000 In Legal Fees For ‘Stairway’ Case
Led Zeppelin may have won their court case with the estate of Spirit's Randy California over the origin of the iconic "Stairway to Heaven," but it is proving to be a rather expensive victory, Still, it's nothing compared to the many millions that a loss would have cost…
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Members of Led Zeppelin and their music publisher have lost a bid to recoup almost $800,000 in legal fees, following their victory in a much-publicized plagiarism trial earlier this year.
According to the BBC, R Gary Klausner, the judge overseeing the case, said that Jimmie Page and Robert Plant, along with their publishing company Warner/Chappell were responsible for almost $800,000 in legal fees after ruling that the lawsuit was not frivolous.
Zep had been sued over their iconic hit "Stairway To Heaven" which the estate of Spirit Singer Randy Wolfe alleged had been borrowed from Spirit's song "Taurus." However, a jury earlier this year found that Taurus "was not intrinsically similar" to Stairway's opening.
Following the verdict, Page, Plant and Warner/Chappell had sought to recoup $793,000, with their lawyer alleging that the lawsuit amounted to a 'shakedown' of the group by Wolfe's estate, but Judge Klausner ruled that there was no evidence that the state estate of Spirit guitarist Randy Wolfe "harbored nefarious motives" the BBC said.
via Celebrity Access
