Jimmy Page (pictured), Warner Chappell, and others are facing another copyright lawsuit centering on ‘Dazed and Confused.’ Photo Credit: Simon Fernandez
Singer-songwriter Jake Holmes submitted the straightforward complaint to a California federal court. Turning back the clock for a moment, Holmes, now 85 years old, wrote and recorded “Dazed and Confused” nearly six decades ago.
As the story goes, Page then “learned of” and began performing the same effort while a member of the Yardbirds. Subsequently, a reworked version of “Dazed and Confused” made its way onto Led Zeppelin’s 1969 debut album with (among different things) fresh lyrics and Page credited as the sole songwriter.
Evidently, the situation didn’t sit right with Holmes, who in a 2010 complaint accused Page and others of infringing on his “Dazed and Confused” composition with the Led Zeppelin founder’s own version.
(“Page copied Plaintiff’s Dazed and Confused in purporting to author a composition Page also entitled ‘Dazed and Confused,’” the firmly worded 2010 suit alleged.)
That set the stage for a settlement the following year, when, per Holmes’ latest complaint, the parties agreed that he “‘created and had and has complete ownership of’” the initial “Dazed and Confused” composition.
This refers specifically to a variety of Yardbirds live tracks, all of which allegedly “falsely” credited Page instead of Holmes and allegedly failed to direct the appropriate royalties to the latter professional.
Building on these allegations, the action also maintains that the mentioned Becoming Led Zeppelin features an unlicensed Yardbirds rendition of “Dazed and Confused” – with Page, not Holmes, credited as the songwriter. Holmes didn’t provide his “permission or authorization” for the usage, the legal text spells out.
Consequently, the defendants “have willfully infringed” the original “Dazed and Confused,” according to Holmes, who’s said to have fired off cease-and-desist emails in mid-April. Those messages were “ignored,” per the plaintiff.
Now, ahead of a quick-approaching physical release for Becoming Led Zeppelin, Holmes is seeking damages, a share of the defendants’ profits, and, perhaps most notably, an injunction barring “any further false and unauthorized uses” of “Dazed and Confused” in the documentary.
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Jimmy Page, Sony Pictures Face ‘Dazed and Confused’ Copyright Lawsuit From Songwriter Jake Holmes – Digital Music News
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