Songwriter involved in a long-standing legal dispute over "Dazed and Confused" with Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page reaches a settlement.
Jimmy Page and Jake Holmes, the musicians behind the iconic song "Dazed and Confused," have reached a settlement in their latest lawsuit regarding the song's origins. The dispute centred around the use of archival Yardbirds live versions of the song in the 2025 documentary Becoming Led Zeppelin.
According to reports from Reuters, the two parties notified a California court that the issues have been resolved. The settlement comes after Holmes sued Page and Sony Pictures, alleging that the documentary used his composition without proper credit or compensation, violating their 2011 settlement.
Holmes claimed that Page willfully infringed upon his original composition by using early live versions of "Dazed and Confused" in the documentary and archival releases without crediting him. He also asserted that he was not compensated for the documentary use, and that Page continued to claim sole songwriting credit improperly for Yardbirds performances predating Led Zeppelin's reworking of the song.
This latest lawsuit is the culmination of a decades-long dispute that began when Holmes wrote and performed the original song in 1967. Page was drawn to the song after hearing it when opening for the Yardbirds at a Greenwich Village gig in New York. The guitar used by Page during Led Zeppelin's early days, a 1957 Gretsch Chet Atkins 6120, was a part of these performances.
In 2010, a lawsuit was settled between Page and Holmes, resulting in Led Zeppelin's credits being updated to "Jimmy Page, inspired by Jake Holmes." However, in 2025, Holmes alleged that Page violated that agreement with the documentary and archival releases.
This is not the first time Led Zeppelin has faced copyright allegations. In 2014, they were sued over claims of lifting guitar parts from Spirit's Taurus in Stairway to Heaven. The dispute over the copyright allegations was put to bed by the US Supreme Court's decision.
The guitar that Page gave away as part of a magazine competition in the past is expected to fetch over $67,000 at auction next month. The Yardbirds began adding "Dazed and Confused" to their live set after Page showed interest, and the guitar was described as "mental" for being given away so willingly.
Both parties are now working on a final written settlement. The details of the settlement have not been disclosed.
- Jimmy Page, famed for his use of the 1957 Gretsch Chet Atkins 6120 during Led Zeppelin's early days, is now embroiled in a new copyright dispute over the song "Dazed and Confused."
- The latest lawsuit, which involves the documentary Becoming Led Zeppelin, alleges that Page violated a previous settlement agreement by using archival live versions of "Dazed and Confused" without crediting Jake Holmes.
- In a surprising turn, the bass guitar that Page once gave away in a magazine competition is set to be auctioned next month for over $67,000.
- The entertainment world and pop-culture, often influenced by celebrities and their music, closely follow the ongoing dispute between Page and Holmes, which began in 1967 when Holmes penned and performed the original song.
- Guitars, a crucial part of music and pop-culture, continue to play a significant role in both the litigious drama surrounding "Dazed and Confused" and the immense appeal of legendary musicians like Jimmy Page.
