Happened a while back, but it still strikes me as a fairly absurd thing.

LCD Soundsystem's recently-released-to-CD long track 43:55 was originally put online by Nike as a "running mix," of all things (I think that Aesop Rock has done one of these too ... None Shall Pass ... my furiously in-shape jogger's physique!). As has been reported, though, Murphy wasn't that interested in the jogging part. He just wanted to pay homage to Manuel Göttsching and E2-E4.

Göttsching, though, who seems to be a little prickly for a fifty-five year old, isn't having it. This from the Ashra website:

For the cover of his album "45:33" LCD Soundsystem's James Murphy has imitated the artwork of E2-E4 and thus inappropriately exploits the reputation of the famous original!

Among other things, Göttsching is upset that Murphy won't have a sit-down in Berlin to have it out. Murphy, who hasn't evidenced anything other than wide-eyed fanboy admiration for the cranky bear, getting slapped for trying pay the ol' artistic respects! Could be that Göttsching's still haunted by that '89 Italian remix of E2-E4 which sold more than his entire recorded output? Intellectual property is intellectual property, after all–and Murphy did remove the offending checkerboard pattern from the cover art of the CD release–but just how frequently do popsters tangle with mega-corporations for the sake of someone affiliated with the Cosmic Jokers?

Get off the geezer's gravy train, Murphy! Those nickels aren't yours.