With music rooted in the ’80s rock, it is no surprise that Vampire Weekend found an image they call “striking” from 1983. Yet for former high fashion model Ann Kirsten Kennis, who dons a yellow polo shirt against a blank wall in the Contra cover, it was a shock to find her image covering Billboard’s bestselling album. Now Kennis is suing the band and photographer Tod Brody for $2 million, claiming she was unaware about photo distribution. “It was taken by her family,” Cialis Professional Kennis’ lawyer Alan Neigher told EW.com. “It was a Polaroid, not a modeling picture.” Kennis actually learned about her cover through her teenage daughter, who picked up the album and showed her mom.

Meanwhile, Vampire Weekend claims that their record label, XL Recordings, was given rights to use the image. An email from XL Recordings spokeswoman Sonya Kolowrat said, “We look forward to having the matter resolved in court.” Members of the group were asked about the cover by MTV in October 2009 when the disc was released. “We haven’t met her, we don’t know her,” bassist Chris Baio said. “When we saw this image, we just found it very striking,” singer Ezra Koenig said. While Kennis is claiming that her signature was forged on a “photographic release” from Brody, he claims the image was from a shoot in the ’80s. Though the controversy is a first for the group, chances are Vampire Weekend tickets aren’t going to stop selling online.

The group has said little since the lawsuit was announced, though it’s likely because they’re out on tour supporting the album. Contra promotions will continue through the end of the year, with dates around the world. The group recently announced expanded UK tour dates, with shows at the Blackpool Empress Ballroom Arena, Wolverhampton Civic Hall, Edinburgh Corn Exchange and others through December. The only news came from frontman Koenig, who said to NME.com, “I think I can speak for all of us and say this is the first time any of us have ever been sued, so we’re still learning how it works.”

Though the controversy is time consuming, it hasn’t stopped the group from looking ahead. Already the New York outfit has confirmed plans that they are working on Contra’s follow up. Koenig said to 6 Music that “we don’t want to wait forever…and are thinking where we could record.” With unprecedented success from their current set, expect a little switch for their third album. Contra debuted at the top of the Billboard 200, Modern Rock Albums, Indie Albums and Digital Albums charts when it was released in January, and chances are the next album will do the same.

The New York based group has been around for just a few years, meeting at Columbia University and recording only after graduation. They built a name for themselves around New York before appearing at the CMJ Music Marathon in 2007. The group’s EP and debut album was an American Top 20 hit that year, which allowed the group to tour for nearly two years.

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Category: Music
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