Ben Harper

Background information
Birth name	Benjamin Chase Harper
Born	October 28, 1969
Born place	Claremont, California, United States
Genre(s)	Folk-Rock Blues Rock Reggae
Years active	1992—present
Label(s)	Virgin Records EMI Group
Associated acts	Ringo Starr Fistful of Mercy The Blind Boys of Alabama Relentless7 Vanessa da Mata
Website	Website

Music World → Lyrics → B → Ben Harper → News

Vampire Weekend 'Contra' Cover Star Has 'No Idea' How Photo Appeared On Album

July 22, 2010

Ann Kirsten Kennis has “no idea” how she came to be the cover star of Vampire Weekend's second album 'Contra', her lawyer has said.

The former model filed a lawsuit against the band earlier this month, claiming that she never authorised them to use the image.

Her lawyer Alan Neigher told EW his client discovered she had been used on the cover when her daughter told her.

“Her daughter came home one day and said, ‘Hi, Mom, see your picture?’” Neigher said.

The photograph is credited to photographer Tod Brody, but Kennis claims the polaroid was taken by her mother.

“She has no idea how that photograph got into the photographer’s hands,” he lawyer added.

But Brody has maintained that he took the picture when Kennis posed for him in 1983.

In a statement, Vampire Weekend said: “As is standard practice, Vampire Weekend and XL Recordings licensed the rights to use the photo on the cover of Contra pursuant to a license agreement that contains representations and warranties authorizing this use of the photo.

“Now that a lawsuit has been filed, we look forward to having the matter resolved in court.”

'Contra' debuted at number three on the UK album chart in January.

(by Jason Gregory)

Vampire Weekend 'Contra' Cover Star Has 'No Idea' How Photo Appeared On Album

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