Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page Settles ‘Dazed and Confused’ Lawsuit

Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page and singer-songwriter Jake Holmes have settled their latest copyright dispute over the British outfit’s 1969 song, “Dazed and Confused.”

Backstory:

• Holmes wrote and recorded “Dazed and Confused” for his 1967 debut album, The Above Ground Sound of Jake Holmes.

• Page, then playing with his pre-Zeppelin band The Yardbirds, began performing the song after Holmes opened for them in 1967.

• Led Zeppelin recorded a reworked version for their 1969 debut album, for which Holmes was not credited.

The first lawsuit:

• Holmes launched a copyright lawsuit in 2010, which was settled in 2011, with credits for the song updated to “written by Jimmy Page, inspired by Jake Holmes.”

The second lawsuit:

• In May, Holmes once again sued Page, filing a lawsuit in California alleging he had violated the terms of that 2011 agreement.

• The issue stems from the recent release of archival Yardbirds recordings, and The Yardbirds’ performance of the song in the Sony Pictures documentary Becoming Led Zeppelin, without proper credit or compensation for Holmes.

• Holmes sought $150,000 for every alleged instance of copyright infringement, and named Page, Warner Chappell Music, Sony Pictures and the Becoming Led Zeppelin filmmakers as defendants.

Resolution:

• Holmes’ attorneys have filed a settlement notification advising that the parties are “in the process of finalizing a written settlement agreement.”

• A stipulated dismissal is expected to be filed within 30 days.

• Terms have not been disclosed, but the agreement “resolves the entire case.”

• None of the defendants have commented publicly on the resolution.