Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin settles lawsuit over ‘Dazed and Confused’ credit dispute from decades ago

The agreement will bring an end to Jake Holmes’ latest lawsuit, in which he claims he was refused proper credit or paid for the renowned Zeppelin track for decades.

Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page and a songwriter have settled their case over the disputed credits of the band’s popular song “Dazed and Confused,” according to recent court records.

The agreement, entered in court on Friday (Aug. 1), will rapidly terminate a copyright case initiated this spring by Jake Holmes, a songwriter who has alleged for years that he actually wrote “Dazed and Confused” and that Page simply played it without acknowledgement or payment.

Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin poses for a photograph during the 78th Venice International Film Festival at Ausonia Hungaria hotel on September 05, 2021 in Venice, Italy.Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images

The terms of the arrangement were not disclosed in public documents, except to indicate that it “resolves the entire case” and will be formalised in the coming weeks. Attorneys for Holmes submitted notice of the settlement, which was not signed by counsel for Page or the other defendants. Reps for Page did not respond to a request for comment. An counsel for Holmes declined to comment.

Holmes penned and recorded “Dazed and Confused” in 1967, which Page later transformed into a song for his band The Yardbirds, and ultimately became the famous 1969 Zeppelin hit. Years later, in 2010, Holmes filed a copyright claim against Page. That case was quickly resolved, and the credits for Zeppelin’s track now read “written Jimmy Page, inspired by Jake Holmes.”

However, in May, Holmes sued Page again, accusing the iconic musician of breaking the original agreement and abusing his rights. The case focused on new recordings of Yardbirds performances and the documentary Becoming Led Zeppelin.

“By falsely claiming that the Holmes composition is the Page composition, … Page [and others] have wilfully infringed the Holmes composition,” according to Holmes’ lawyers. “Defendants…have ignored plaintiff’s cease and desist demand and continue to infringe.”

The prosecution against Page was still in its early stages, and he and the other defendants (including music publisher Warner Chappell and film studio Sony Pictures) had yet to reply to the claims in court.

Led Zeppelin’s Final U.S. Performance: Glory, Violence, and the End of an Era

On July 23 and 24, 1977, at the Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, California, Led Zeppelin gave what would be their final performance in the United States. Though no one knew it at the time, these two shows would mark the end of an era—one filled with rock god mythos, thunderous music, unimaginable excess, and the beginning of a long unraveling. Led Zeppelin had ruled the world for nearly a decade by that point. From the release of their earth-shattering debut in 1969 to the massive stadium tours of the mid-’70s, the band had become not just the sound but the image of rock power, chaos, and mystery. By 1977, the band was physically and emotionally exhausted, yet still determined to mount one of their most ambitious tours. The U.S. dates were meant to be a triumphant return. Instead, they became a farewell forged in fire, both literal and symbolic.

The Oakland concerts were monumental for fans—tens of thousands packed the open-air stadium, standing under the California sun to witness rock royalty in action. The lineup alone was legendary. Judas Priest opened both nights, marking their first appearance on American soil. It was a baptism by fire: the British metal band, still largely unknown in the States, delivered aggressive, polished performances that offered a glimpse into the future of hard rock and heavy metal. But for all of Judas Priest’s promise and energy, everyone was there for Zeppelin.

On stage, the band delivered explosive versions of their classics—“Kashmir,” “No Quarter,” “Nobody’s Fault but Mine,” and “Stairway to Heaven” all made the setlist. Jimmy Page, despite battling a hand injury and mounting drug issues, still pulled off complex solos with signature elegance and fury. John Paul Jones anchored every note with quiet precision, and John Bonham’s drumming was, as always, earth-shattering. But it was Robert Plant who drew the most attention—not just for his still-commanding voice or his golden curls, but for his wardrobe. On stage that weekend, Plant wore a simple white shirt that read: “Nurses Do It Better.” To most of the audience, it looked like a cheeky, sexually charged slogan, in keeping with Zeppelin’s notorious excesses. But in truth, the shirt was a deeply personal tribute to Plant’s wife, Maureen, who had trained as a certified nurse. Two years earlier, in 1975, the couple had been involved in a terrifying car crash on the Greek island of Rhodes, leaving Plant with a severely broken ankle and elbow. Maureen, who was also injured, helped nurse him back to health over a long and painful recovery. In the chaos of the 1977 tour—with its violence, tension, and pressure—the shirt was Plant’s quiet, visual expression of gratitude to the woman who had literally helped him stand again.

However, any grace that Plant brought to the moment was soon drowned out by the darkness that erupted backstage. Before the show on July 23, a violent incident unfolded behind the scenes that would lead to arrests, lawsuits, and one of the most infamous moments in Led Zeppelin’s troubled touring history. According to multiple reports, a member of Bill Graham’s security staff, Jim Matzorkis, was beaten severely by John Bonham, Peter Grant (Zeppelin’s iron-fisted manager), and their security coordinator, John Bindon. The catalyst? A minor altercation involving Grant’s young son, who had allegedly been reprimanded by the venue staff for tampering with equipment. What should have been a small misunderstanding quickly escalated into a brutal assault. Matzorkis was allegedly punched and kicked repeatedly inside one of the Coliseum’s trailers.

Bill Graham, a man not known for backing down from a fight, immediately pressed charges. Bonham, Grant, and Bindon were arrested and later indicted for assault. Though the legal team surrounding Zeppelin would eventually negotiate a settlement out of court, the incident sent a chilling signal: the world’s biggest band was on the brink. Behind the mystique and the riffs were real fractures—legal, personal, and emotional—that could no longer be contained by fame or security muscle.

What’s even more tragic is that, just days after the Oakland shows, Robert Plant would receive devastating news that would end the tour for good. His five-year-old son, Karac, had suddenly died of a stomach infection while Plant was still in the U.S. The loss was shattering. Plant immediately flew home to England, and the remaining dates of the tour were canceled. He later described the death of his son as a turning point—not just in his personal life, but in his relationship with the band. For all the stadiums and screaming fans, Plant admitted he no longer had the heart to continue in the same way.

So, the Oakland shows became more than just the end of a tour. They were, in many ways, the end of Led Zeppelin as the world had come to know them. The band would reunite sporadically for studio work and a handful of live shows in Europe—including the two famous Knebworth concerts in 1979—but the explosive, continent-conquering version of Led Zeppelin died on American soil that July weekend in 1977.

The irony of it all is that, musically, the band still had it. Bootlegs from the Oakland shows reveal powerful performances. The chemistry between the members was still undeniable, even as their bodies and relationships were beginning to betray them. Bonham, in particular, was playing with a sense of urgency—his fills explosive, his timing razor sharp. In hindsight, it’s haunting. Just over three years later, he would be dead, and Led Zeppelin would disband permanently.

To this day, the Oakland concerts remain a study in contradiction. They were triumphant yet tragic. Musically masterful, yet marred by violence. They captured the very essence of Led Zeppelin—beautiful and brutal, magical and menacing, godlike yet fatally human. When Robert Plant walked off the stage that night, with his “Nurses Do It Better” shirt soaked in sweat and California sun, he may not have known it was his final American bow with Zeppelin. But somehow, the moment feels sealed in time. A final blaze of glory before the storm that would break them. And in that mix of power and pain, the legend only grows.

Led Zeppelin Signs Monumental Deal with Sony Music: A New Dawn for Rock’s Most Mythic Band

In an age where legends often fade quietly into the pages of music history, Led Zeppelin has just reminded the world that their flame still burns—loud, fierce, and impossibly bright.

In a landmark move that’s already being hailed as one of the most significant music industry deals of the decade, the surviving members of Led Zeppelin have inked an expansive, multi-million-dollar agreement with Sony Music Entertainment. This isn’t just another reissue cash-grab or a retrospective box set—it’s a full-throttle, multi-tiered commitment to reintroducing and reimagining the Zeppelin legacy for a new era.

The deal, confirmed earlier this week by both Sony Music and the band’s representatives, includes exclusive rights to digitally remaster and re-release the band’s legendary catalog, encompassing every album from their earth-shattering 1969 debut to In Through the Out Door. But perhaps even more intriguing, and certainly more unexpected, is the announcement that a biopic—the first ever officially backed by all surviving band members—is officially in pre-production.

For die-hard fans, industry veterans, and rock historians alike, the message is clear: Led Zeppelin is not just preserving history—they’re rewriting how legacy is curated in the modern age.

The Zeppelin Catalog Reborn

It’s hard to overstate the significance of Led Zeppelin’s catalog. Songs like “Stairway to Heaven,” “Kashmir,” “Whole Lotta Love,” and “When the Levee Breaks” are more than staples of classic rock—they are cornerstones of modern music, sampled, studied, and idolized across genres and generations.

But with this new deal, Sony isn’t just looking to repackage these classics. According to insiders, the label has greenlit an ambitious remastering process that will utilize cutting-edge audio technology to offer fans the most pristine listening experience to date. From vinyl pressings that promise authentic warmth to spatial audio mixes designed for high-end digital platforms, Zeppelin’s music will soon be available in formats that Jimmy Page himself once said he “never thought possible.”

“The recordings were always powerful,” said a Sony executive close to the project. “But what’s coming next will allow listeners to hear them with a clarity and dimensionality that even the band couldn’t access back in the day.”

Already, rumors are swirling about unreleased material from the vaults, including alternate takes, live sessions, and even long-lost acoustic demos. If even half of those whispers prove true, we could be on the cusp of a Zeppelin renaissance unlike anything the rock world has seen since their legendary reunion show in 2007.

The Long-Awaited Biopic

Then there’s the film.

It’s something fans have begged for over decades: a cinematic chronicle worthy of the band’s mythic status. Unlike many of their contemporaries—Queen, Elton John, even Elvis—Led Zeppelin has always been notoriously protective of their narrative, unwilling to license their music or participate in dramatized retellings.

Until now.

According to sources, the biopic—currently untitled but being developed under Sony Pictures’ prestige division—is being crafted with full input and approval from Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, and John Paul Jones. Even the estate of the late John Bonham is involved, ensuring the film captures not only the larger-than-life music, but also the brotherhood, friction, loss, and mystery that defined the band.

Though the casting process is still under wraps, the creative team already boasts some heavyweight names. Oscar-nominated director David Mackenzie (Hell or High Water) is reportedly in talks to helm the project, while several screenwriters known for their work in music-based storytelling have submitted early treatments. One insider noted that the film aims to blend “documentary realism with the psychedelic, surreal nature of Zeppelin’s journey”—a fitting tribute to a band that always existed slightly outside the bounds of reality.

A Strategic Play by Sony

This deal is more than just a win for Zeppelin fans—it’s a power move by Sony Music in an industry currently dominated by catalog acquisitions, legacy artist streaming wars, and nostalgia-driven content.

With streaming revenues overtaking physical sales, major labels have been racing to secure exclusive rights to the most influential catalogs in music history. Bob Dylan’s sale to Universal. Bruce Springsteen’s historic deal with Sony. And now, Zeppelin.

But where other legacy deals have focused solely on streaming or licensing, this Zeppelin partnership is clearly more dynamic and long-term in scope. From immersive concert experiences to educational programs for young musicians inspired by Zeppelin’s artistry, Sony appears intent on turning the band’s legend into a living, evolving brand.

“This isn’t about squeezing money from old albums,” said one industry analyst. “This is about recontextualizing Zeppelin’s place in culture for the 21st century. It’s about making sure the next generation feels the same jolt we all did the first time we heard that riff from ‘Black Dog.’”

Band Members React

In a rare joint statement, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, and John Paul Jones offered a brief but heartfelt message about the partnership:

“Our music has stood the test of time not by design, but by spirit. With this new chapter, we’re grateful to bring that spirit into fresh light, with care, respect, and a desire to keep the fire alive.”

That sentiment seems to ring especially true for Page, the band’s sonic architect and guardian of the archives. Page, who has painstakingly overseen past remastering efforts, is expected to play a hands-on role in the new audio reworks, a sign that this project won’t be a sterile corporate effort but a true artist-driven endeavor.

A Legacy Reimagined

It’s fitting that this deal lands just as a new generation begins discovering Zeppelin—not through FM radio, but through TikTok remixes, Netflix documentaries, and vinyl unboxings on YouTube. Their music, somehow, remains both a relic of a bygone era and a universal constant, cutting across time with the same raw power it did in smoky clubs and festival stages half a century ago.

Led Zeppelin isn’t just being remembered—they’re moving forward. And for a band that has always done things their way—from their refusal to release singles in the early days to their disdain for nostalgia tours—this bold, forward-facing reinvention feels not only welcome, but right.

So what does the future hold?

A remastered box set that’ll shake your speakers. A film that might finally let the world inside the dragon. Maybe even a few surprises we’re not yet meant to know.

But one thing is certain: in an industry often obsessed with the next big thing, Led Zeppelin just reminded everyone that sometimes, the biggest thing is still the loudest echo from the past.

And that echo is about to get a whole lot louder.

Correction: An earlier version of this story misattributed production credits for the upcoming film project. We regret the error.
Stay with Rolling Stone for exclusive updates on the Zeppelin/Sony partnership and behind-the-scenes coverage of the upcoming biopic.