Apparently some band that no one has ever heard of is suing Led Zeppelin today, claiming the opening of a song, Stairway To Heaven, was ripped off from them. It's no secret that LZ is perhaps one of the best cover bands in the history of music, but how did this group who originally wrote the opening not hear Stairway to Heaven anywhere in the last 100 years it has been released? Don't get me wrong, it's criminal to steal music and take credit for it. But I'm not sure if LZ actually took credit for it, since they didn't design the track listings on their albums, as far as I know.
Think about it though. You're an aged musician who made very little money in your entire life. You have a right to be pissed when someone takes your song and turns it into a hit without crediting it to you. However, I personally see Led Zeppelin as the world's greatest retirement plan. Let's wait until I'm calling it quits so I can sue them for back royalties on my song that no one ever heard or cared about until another band got famous. As an end note, pretty much every artist that got big ripped off music. There aren't a lot of the top acts that haven't been accused of it. It's wrong, but it happens. It's crappy when someone isn't credited. It's also just as crappy to hold off on a lawsuit until you're out of money.