However, under cross examination by Led Zeppelin’s lawyer, he acknowledged he could not recall a particular show at which Spirit definitely played Taurus and Zeppelin were watching.
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“I don’t do the internet, so he played it for me”, Page said, referring to his son-in-law, according to Rolling Stone.
The lawsuit, which alleges the British band stole the opening chords for Stairway to Heaven from the 1967 instrumental Taurus by the American band Spirit, was brought by Michael Skidmore, a trustee for the late Randy Wolfe, Spirit’s guitarist and the composer of Taurus.
He said Spirit also played at music festivals in Texas, Atlanta, North California and Seattle where Led Zeppelin were on the bill.
Page did admit to owning several Spirit albums, but only remembered acquiring two of them – neither containing the song in question.
Page testified Thursday in federal court in Los Angeles that he couldn’t identify the musical elements of the sheet music for the Spirit song “Taurus” that he is accused of lifting.
Page sharply disagreed, testifying, “No, I didn’t say that”. Carter Evans reports from outside the studio where that song was recorded. Starting Tuesday, June 14, 2016, a Los Angeles court will try to decide whether the members of Led Zeppelin themselves ripped off that riff.
Klausner refused to allow the discussion because that contract fell outside the statute of limitations for this case, which allows Wolfe’s estate to reach back only three years before the 2014 reissue of Led Zeppelin’s untitled fourth album, commonly known as “Led Zeppelin IV”.
They have become influential within the music industry, with Stairway To Heaven arguably their most famous and iconic track.
Focusing on the issues Spirit side is facing, the source noted: “While musical experts not involved in the case have said the two [compositions] are similar, they have also said the sequence is common and has appeared in other pieces from decades and even centuries ago”.
But expert witness Kevin Hanson said the opening chords of “Taurus” and the picked arpeggio intro to “Stairway” are a departure from the norm because the sequence resolves in the same unexpected way in both cases. Page told the court he began playing guitar at age 12. “I said they have similar descending chromatic lines”. The questioning of Page drew laughs several times, like when Malofiy asked him if he was a session musician. The gallery on both sides in the courtroom erupted in laughter.
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Page claimed that his band left that gig shortly after their set, and anyway he was always under the impression he was supporting Vanilla Fudge, and wasn’t really aware Spirit were co-headlining the show.
