Pitchfork

A long time ago (the year 2000) in the far, far away land of Detroit, Michigan, the White Stripes released an album called De Stijl. It was the duo's second full-length release, and while it earned some praise, it's still probably best known as the album that came before the Stripes' 2001 breakout smash White Blood Cells.

Buried amid the furrows of the De Stijl LP and within the rainbows on the CD is a tune called "Jumble, Jumble", track number 11. And found among the less than two minutes of recorded sound on said track are 10 sampled seconds-- 10 seconds which may end up costing the Stripes $70,000.

According to a Canadian Press report, former Quebec radio host and current university lecturer Dominique Payette alleges the above-mentioned sample is taken from her radio show and was used without permission. She insists her privacy has been violated and is suing the band, Third Man Records, and BMG Music Publishing Canada for the above-mentioned amount. What's more, she's seeking an injunction that, if granted, would force the Stripes to remove De Stijl from stores.

The fuzzy sample in question apparently features Payette exchanging a few words in French with a girl during the call-in portion of Payette's radio show. Listen for yourself here [via Cyberpress.ca].

Payette claims to have become aware of the sample in March 2007, hence this lawsuit some eight years after the fact (to say nothing of the dubious notion of "privacy" on a public radio program). No word yet from the Stripes on the matter, but hopefully all the love they showed Canada last summer will afford them some karma points here.

Many thanks to reader Frédéric Tremblay for the tip.

We'll assume Nigel Godrich got the Stripes' permission when he filmed them for his "From the Basement" web/television show. Americans with high definition satellite TV can catch Meg and Jack, as previously reported, on Rave HD February 22.