Robert Plant and Jimmy Page will be able to settle their legal dispute over ‘Stairway To Heaven‘ for $1 – if they add a songwriting credit to the classic rock track.
The Led Zeppelin pair are facing a copyright infringement trial on May 10th in Los Angeles due to a lawsuit being brought by Michael Skidmore, a trustee for the late Randy Wolfe whose opening chords for the 1967 instrumental ‘Taurus‘ it is alleged were stolen for ‘Stairway To Heaven’.
Ahead of the court appearance, Bloomberg News (via The Guardian) has quoted attorney Francis Alexander Malofiy as saying: “It’s always been about credit where credit is due.”
The added credit would however open up a much more lucrative deal for the estate – it’s reported Plant and Page have a 2008 agreement with Warner/Chappell Music which sees them both receive $60m over ten years for the use of ‘Stairway To Heaven’ and other songs. Attorney Malofiy is said to be requesting ‘at least two thirds of that amount’.