Kevin Mazur/Getty ImagesThe copyright-infringement trial involving Led Zeppelin‘s “Stairway to Heaven” began today in Los Angeles. The lawsuit, which was launched by the estate of late Spirit frontman Randy California, alleges that the beginning of Led Zeppelin’s classic song copied the opening of the 1968 Spirit tune “Taurus.”
Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page and Robert Plant attended the proceedings, dressed in dark suits. Jury selection happened fairly quickly, although a number of potential jurors who admitted to being fans of Led Zeppelin were dismissed.
The defense said that they planned to call Page and Plant, who co-wrote “Stairway to Heaven,” to testify during the trial, as well as Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones. Rolling Stone reports that among the other people who will be called to testify are Spirit members Jay Ferguson and Mark Andes — who both also were in court today — famed producer Lou Adler and rock writer and Guitar World editoer Brad Tolinski.
The trial is expected to last four-to-five days.
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