( CNN ) -- A lawsuit has been filed claiming that the iconic Led Zeppelin song `` Stairway to Heaven '' was far from original . The suit , filed on May 31 in the United States District Court Eastern District of Pennsylvania , was brought by the estate of the late musician Randy California against the surviving members of Led Zeppelin and their record label . The copyright infringement case alleges that the Zeppelin song was taken from the single `` Taurus '' by the 1960s band Spirit , for whom California served as lead guitarist . `` Late in 1968 , a then new band named Led Zeppelin began touring in the United States , opening for Spirit , '' the suit states . `` It was during this time that Jimmy Page , Led Zeppelin 's guitarist , grew familiar with 'Taurus ' and the rest of Spirit 's catalog . Page stated in interviews that he found Spirit to be 'very good ' and that the band 's performances struck him 'on an emotional level . ' `` One of the causes of action for the suit is listed as `` Falsification of Rock N ' Roll History '' and the typeface in the section headings of the filing resembles that used for Led Zeppelin album covers . According to claims in the suit , `` Parts of 'Stairway to Heaven , ' instantly recognizable to the music fans across the world , sound almost identical to significant portions of 'Taurus . ' `` The estate is seeking court ordered damages and writing credit for California , born Randy Craig Wolfe . Part of the defense includes a printed interview conducted with California prior to his death from drowning in 1997 . In the 1997 interview with Listener Magazine , the guitarist claims that some of the music from `` Stairway to Heaven '' was taken from his group 's song . `` Well , if you listen to the two songs , you can make your own judgment , '' the lawsuit quotes the interview as saying . `` It 's an exact ... I 'd say it was a rip-off . And the guys made millions of bucks on it and never said , 'Thank you , ' never said , 'Can we pay you some money for it ? ' It 's kind of a sore point with me . '' In a May interview with France 's Liberation newspaper , Page said of the claims `` That 's ridiculous . I have no further comment on the subject . '' The attorney representing California 's trust , Francis Malofiy , told CNN before the suit was filed that Zeppelin 's guitarist Page `` looked to Randy California and Spirit as someone who inspired him . '' The attorney also explained why it took so many years for a suit to be filed . `` Justice is available to those who can afford it , '' Malofiy said , `` It 's very very hard for a musician who 's struggling just to keep a roof over his head ... to actually go about and fight some of the biggest giants in the music and entertainment industry . '' One of the plaintiffs of the case , Warner Music Group , is owned by the parent company of CNN . Led Zeppelin reissued their first three albums as both a single remastered album and deluxe editions on Tuesday . Take a listen to the songs : . What do you think ? Plagiarism or just similar chords ?
Suit claims similarities between two songs . Randy California was guitarist for the group Spirit . Jimmy Page has called the accusation `` ridiculous ''