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PEOPLE & ARTS Tuesday 10 March 2020
Zeppelin wins latest battle of the bands in `Stairway' fight

By ANDREW DALTON the plaintiffs could prove
AP Entertainment Writer that an alleged song thief
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A fed- had access to the origi-
eral appeals court on Mon- nal material, the lower the
day restored a jury verdict standard became for find-
that found Led Zeppelin ing the two works similar.
did not steal "Stairway to The judge in the trial court
Heaven." did not instruct the jury on
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of the rule. Monday's decision
Appeals in San Francisco found that he did not need
handed the major win to to.
guitarist Jimmy Page and Emails seeking comment
singer Robert Plant and from attorneys for both
dealt a blow to the estate sides were not immediately
of Randy Wolfe of the band returned.
Spirit. The estate claimed At issue is the classic acous-
that the 1971 mega-hit tic introductory lick to "Stair-
"Stairway to Heaven" vio- way to Heaven," constantly
lated the copyright of the played by amateurs in gui-
1968 song "Taurus." tar shops for nearly 50 years,
A majority of an 11-judge and the riff at the center of
panel overturned a previ- the Spirit instrumental "Tau-
ous ruling that the jury in rus," which follows a similar
the 2016 trial should have This Oct. 9, 2012 file photo shows Led Zeppelin members, from left, Jason Bonham, Robert Plant, musical line.
heard the recording of John Paul Jones and Jimmy Page at the "Led Zeppelin: Celebration Day" premiere in New York. The ruling, which can be
Associated Press
"Taurus" and was given appealed to the U.S. Su-
poor instructions before ju- that Page did have access "Stairway to Heaven" was "You've got to get your preme Court, is a poten-
rors found in favor of Page to the song that the issue created, it said. sound recording in to win, tially precedent-setting win
and Plant. was irrelevant, and play- "Once the jury made that don't you?" Judge Andrew for musical acts accused
The composition of the two ing the recording might finding, the remaining D. Hurwitz said as he ques- of plagiarism, and comes
songs, not their recordings, have prejudiced the jury to questions on the jury verdict tioned Wolfe estate attor- in a period when many star
were at issue in the case, consider more than just the form related to substantial ney Francis Malofiy. "You songwriters have lost high-
but the plaintiffs had sought compositions. similarity of the works." lose the case unless you profile cases.
to play the two recordings "When Page testified, he Many of the judges were do. A hundred times out of Jurors decided in a 2015
for jurors as part of their ar- candidly admitted to own- skeptical at the case's a hundred." trial that Robin Thicke's
gument that Page had ac- ing 'a copy of the album hearing in September over The 9th Circuit also broke "Blurred Lines" copied Mar-
cess to the song "Taurus" as that contains 'Taurus,' " the the playing of the record- with its own precedent on vin Gaye's "Got to Give
required to prove a copy- ruling states. The jury found ing, suggesting that it was the question of jury instruc- It Up," and a jury last year
right violation. that both Page and Plant a backdoor way for the tions and rejected the so- year found that Katy Per-
Monday's ruling found that 'had access to the musical plaintiffs to get the jury to called "inverse ratio" rule, ry's hit "Dark Horse" copied
because the jury found composition Taurus before hear the record. which held that the more from a Christian rap song.q

Despite drama, Megan Thee Stallion happy to release music

By MESFIN FEKADU nine-track album, “Suga,” on Fri- and her associates regarded as
Associated Press day. It comes after the release threatening and intimidating.
NEW YORK (AP) — Megan Thee of the projects “Fever” and “Tina Stallion accused the label of not
Stallion says she works extremely Snow” that helped establish Stal- sharing data on her music sales
hard in the studio writing music, lion’s name in hip-hop, and even with her management. She said
and so became more than a little on the pop charts. Last year she that when they sought to renego-
worried when she almost couldn’t made the 2019 TIME 100 Next tiate terms of her record contract
release her new album because List, was named one of the AP’s as a result, the threats and at-
of a dispute with her record label. Breakthrough Entertainers of the tempts at intimidation increased.
“I was super nervous,” she said in Year, won prizes at the MTV Video Representatives for 1501 didn’t
an interview with The Associated Music Awards and BET Hip-Hop immediately reply to an email
Press this week after a Houston Awards, and was honored by Va- from The Associated Press seeking
judge ordered the Friday release riety and Billboard magazines. comment.
of her album as her bitter court But not everything has been go- Stallion got a small win in court
battle with her label continues. ing smoothly. Monday when State District
“I’m super passionate about mu- Megan Thee Stallion. Judge Robert Schaffer issued the
sic. I love the fact that music is The performer posted on social initial temporary restraining order
what connects me to my hotties, media that she and her manage- that barred 1501 from withholding In this Dec. 7, 2019 file photo, Megan
so not being able to put out mu- ment team at Jay-Z’s Roc Na- release of her music on schedule. Thee Stallion attends the 2019
sic, that would hurt my relation- tion company tried to renegoti- State District Judge Beau Miller Variety's Hitmakers Brunch at Soho
ship with my listeners,” she con- ate a bad contract she signed reaffirmed the order Wednesday House in West Hollywood, Calif.
tinued. “I’m like, ‘Oh thank you years ago with Houston-based while denying 1501′s appeal, and Associated Press
Lord’ when I found out I could record label 1501 Certified En- a March 13 hearing has been Stallion said she’s happy she de-
drop new music.” tertainment. It’s become a bat- scheduled for her request for a cided to sign with Roc Nation
Megan Thee Stallion. tle marked by rancorous social temporary injunction against the to help manage her growing
The 25-year-old released the media exchanges that Stallion label. career.q