In a déjà vu moment for classic rock legal battles, Jake Holmes has reignited his long-standing dispute with Jimmy Page over the origins of the Led Zeppelin classic “Dazed and Confused.” The new lawsuit, filed in California federal court, accuses Page and multiple co-defendants—including Sony Pictures—of copyright infringement and breach of contract for the use of Holmes’ original composition in the documentary Becoming Led Zeppelin.
Holmes claims the film contains two early live versions of “Dazed and Confused” that were licensed as if Page was the sole songwriter—ignoring Holmes’ alleged authorship and right to compensation. The lawsuit contends that Page and others “willfully infringed the Holmes composition by falsely claiming that the Holmes composition is the Page composition” and collecting licensing fees without proper credit or payment.
This isn’t the first time Holmes has taken legal action over the disputed song. He filed a similar lawsuit back in 2011, asserting that Page lifted the song—originally performed by Holmes in the late ’60s and heard by The Yardbirds when Holmes opened for them in New York. Yardbirds drummer Jim McCarty later confirmed that the band adopted the song after being inspired by Holmes’ haunting folk rendition, and reworked it with Page before it morphed into the psychedelic epic Led Zeppelin fans know today.
Despite a cease-and-desist order, Holmes claims Page has continued to release live recordings of “Dazed and Confused” without acknowledgement. This includes material on albums like Yardbirds ’68, Live at the BBC Revisited, and The Yardbirds: The Ultimate Live at the BBC. Holmes is seeking damages of at least $150,000 for each alleged instance of infringement.
The case has once again sparked debate among rock purists and music rights advocates about the blurred lines between inspiration and appropriation in the golden era of rock. Whether this lawsuit will rewrite Zeppelin history—or simply add another twist to its storied legacy—remains to be seen.
