Jake Holmes has filed a lawsuit accusing Jimmy Page, Warner Chappell Music, Sony Pictures and the filmmakers behind “Becoming Led Zeppelin” of failing to properly credit him for “Dazed and Confused”, copyright infringement and for allegedly using the song in “Becoming Led Zeppelin” without his permission.
A lawyer representing Holmes filed the lawsuit on May 5 in California. The complaint, a copy of which LedZepNews has published in full at the bottom of this article, accuses Page and others of failing to comply with a 2011 settlement reached following an earlier lawsuit Holmes filed in 2010.
The origins of ‘Dazed and Confused’
After Holmes released the original version of “Dazed and Confused” in 1967, he opened for The Yardbirds in New York on August 25, 1967. The band then began performing their own version of Holmes’ song.
“That was the infamous moment of my life when ‘Dazed And Confused’ fell into the loving arms and hands of Jimmy Page,” Holmes said in a 2001 interview with Shindig!.
A 1968 live performance of “Dazed and Confused” featuring Page was released on the 1971 live album Live Yardbirds: Featuring Jimmy Page. In 2017, Page released that recording again as part of Yardbirds ’68.
According to Holmes’ complaint, the version of “Dazed and Confused” performed live by The Yardbirds was a cover of his original song. “Every performance of ‘Dazed and Confused’ by the Yardbirds is a performance of the Holmes Composition”, Holmes’ lawsuit claims.
Led Zeppelin’s 1969 debut album includes the band’s own version of “Dazed and Confused” that was originally solely credited to Page. Holmes sued over this in 2010, accusing Page of copyright infringement.
Subsequent releases of the Led Zeppelin version of “Dazed and Confused” include a credit noting that the song was “inspired by” Holmes. Led Zeppelin’s version of the song is referred to in Holmes’ lawsuit as the Page Composition.
According to Holmes’ lawsuit, his 2011 settlement included an agreement that “Holmes created and had and has complete ownership of the Holmes Composition and the unrestricted right in perpetuity, throughout the World, to use, license, and exploit the Holmes Composition in any manner he sees fit.”
Why Holmes is going back to court
Holmes accuses Page and others of breaking this 2011 agreement by releasing more live Yardbirds recordings of “Dazed and Confused” on albums such as Page’s 2017 release Yardbirds ’68 that was sold through his website.
In his complaint, Holmes accuses the record labels of “falsely claiming” that Page wrote the original version of the song, not Holmes.
Holmes also takes issue with the use of “Dazed and Confused” in “Becoming Led Zeppelin”. The film contains two uses of the song: One where The Yardbirds perform it and another where Led Zeppelin perform it. Holmes said he never gave permission for his original version of the song to be used in the film.
According to the complaint, the credits fail to credit Holmes for writing the Yardbirds version of the song. Instead, Holmes alleges, the film’s credits state the song was “written by Jimmy Page. Published by WC Music Corp. on behalf of Succubus Music Ltd.”
A review of the film’s credits shows the following version, however, that includes a mention that the song was “inspired by Jake Holmes”.
LedZepNews understands that the original credits for the film shown during its theatrical release did not include the “inspired by Jake Holmes” section, however.
The filmmakers “knew or should have known before releasing the Film for national and international distribution that their use of the Holmes Composition without Plaintiff’s authorization would constitute copyright infringement,” the complaint alleges.
A cease and desist letter was sent to the company behind “Becoming Led Zeppelin” on April 14, the complaint states, demanding they stop the alleged copyright infringement. This letter was ignored, the lawsuit alleges, and so a lawsuit is being filed ahead of the film’s physical release.
Holmes is seeking $150,000 in damages per infringement.
Who is being sued?
Holmes’ lawsuit has been filed against Page personally as well as a lengthy list of companies. Along with Page, Holmes is also suing Page’s music publishing company Succubus Music and his e-commerce business Jimmy Page.com. He’s also suing music publishing firm Warner Chappell Music.
Holmes is also suing Paradise Pictures, one of the companies used by the filmmakers behind “Becoming Led Zeppelin”, as well as the film’s US distributor Sony Pictures Classics, the film’s sales company Altitude Films and producer Big Beach.
How did this happen?
The lawsuit seems to have been caused by a dispute over the specific wording of the credits for recordings of The Yardbirds performing “Dazed and Confused”, not Led Zeppelin’s version of the song.
Holmes appears to be alleging that a music publishing firm hasn’t been properly crediting him for writing the song. The precise songwriting credits for songs are typically handled by these companies, making it extremely unlikely that Page or the filmmakers behind “Becoming Led Zeppelin” personally had any knowledge or input into any alleged errors in crediting Holmes.
Page and Paradise Pictures declined to comment, as did Holmes’ lawyer Daniel A. Johnson. LedZepNews has contacted Warner Chappell Music, Sony Pictures, Altitude Films and Big Beach for comment.
Here’s the full legal filing made by Holmes’ lawyer today:
Jake Holmes 2025 lawsuit over 'Dazed and Confused' by James Cook