Thursday, June 23, 2016

STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN!!!!

BREAKING: Stairway To Heaven found not to have infringed! Verdict is in!!! Unanimous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"I survived the Led Zeppelin trial"

Journalist Pamela Chelin attended the trial and provided timely updates. After the verdict someone at the courthouse handed her this "I survived the Led Zeppelin trial" pass (right). 


Chelin reported:  While the jury found that Jimmy Page & Robert Plant had access to Taurus before writing Stairway To Heaven, they found that the songs were not substantially similar.

Plaintiff Michael Skidmore's attorney, Francis Malofiy, said "We are sad and disappointed but obviously we have to respect the jury's decision." Malofiy told Chelin, "There are many appealable issues. Obviously I will have to discuss them with my client." 

Malofiy seemed frustrated by the decision.  He said that while the jury found that Page & Plant had access to Taurus, only the sheet music and not the audio of the song was admissible at the trial.

Jimmy Page & Robert Plant post-trial statement:
"We are grateful for the jury's conscientious service and are pleased that it has ruled in our favor, putting to rest questions about the origins of Stairway to Heaven and confirming what we have known for 45 years.  We appreciate our fans' support, and look forward to putting this legal matter behind us."

Warner Music Group post-trial statement:
At Warner Music Group, supporting our artists and protecting their creative freedom is paramount.  We are pleased that the jury found in favor of Led Zeppelin, reaffirming the true origins of Stairway to Heaven.  Led Zeppelin is one of the greatest bands in historyt, and Jimmy Page and Robert Plant are peerless songwriters who created many of rock's most influential and enduring songs."

More at The Wrap

Friday, June 17, 2016

Stairway to Heaven trial

The trial we've all been waiting for and dreading at the same time. I'm posting running updates over on Facebook, which also show up on Twitter. Judge Gary Klausner has banned electronic devices in the courtroom, so there are no as-it-happens reports and no photos. Spectators - including reporters - cannot reserve seating. Meaning if they leave their seats for any reason, the next person in the long line to get into the courtroom can take any seat that a butt has risen from for any reason except standing when the judge enters the courtroom.

A tough way to get timely info on this trial that we all are intensely interested in.

Jimmy Page has provided his testimony.  It is said - but not yet confirmed - that Robert Plant (who is attending the trial) and John Paul Jones (who has not been seen there) may yet take the hot seat on the witness stand.

It is also speculated that there are grounds for a mistrial. Makes you wonder.

I am prejudiced as you know, but I don't care what the jury's decision ends up being. A loss for Led Zeppelin would be a hit on their bank accounts but it would not impact my feelings about Stairway To Heaven. Even a win wouldn't matter much to me. I already know that the Led Zeppelin song is fully theirs, always and forever.

Jimmy Page on the stand being grilled by Spirit attorney Francis Malofiy
Mona Shafer Edwards sketch
Sketch artist Mona Shafer Edwards has been working hard at capturing images from the trial - many of them are posted on the Mage Music Facebook page. Los Angeles based journalist Pamela Chelin (@PamelaChelin) has been providing updates as she can Twitter. Pamela writes for  LA Weekly, LA Times, Spin, Rolling Stone, Village Voice, Forbes, TheWrap, and more. Many thanks for her dedication.  Hollywood Reporter's Ashley Cullins (@AshleyCullins) has also provided great observations that I've reposted on Facebook.


♪ Stairway to Heaven (Led Zeppelin, Sunset Sound Mix/Remaster 2014) YouTube

Wednesday, June 8, 2016

One last test

Final test post for today.  Jimmy Page instrumentals from Outrider as a reward for your patience.




e♪  Writes of Winter (Outrider, 1988) YouTube
♪ Mage Music 1 playlist at YouTube
♪ Mage Music 2 playlist at YouTube
♪ Page & Plant playlist at YouTube


On This Day 08 June

This is actually just a test to see if I can get Facebook to display the images from this blog correctly.  The actual 08 June On This Day post is HERE.

http://jimmypagemusic.blogspot.com/2016/06/on-this-day-08-june.html
1977 08 June Led Zeppelin at MSG

Hot out there

It's hot out there.  Hot in here, too.


Portrait of Jimmy Page based on a Ross Halfin photo
Mage Music artwork based on a Ross Halfin photo

Saturday, June 4, 2016

On This Day INDEX for June

Index of Jimmy Page's On This Day posts for June archived here at Mage Music.  Note that most of the On This Days were archived in 2015.  Mage Music will attempt to share anything new on Jimmy Page's website.  If you see something Mage Music hasn't caught, please comment so we can fix it!







♪ Mage Music 1 playlist at YouTube
♪ Mage Music 2 playlist at YouTube
♪ Page & Plant playlist at YouTube