Odds & Ends: The Postal Service, James Murphy, Lenny Kravitz, Jeff Tweedy

Jeff Tweedy is auctioning off a recording session, The Postal Service and Funny Or Die have teamed up on a new video, the Marvin Gaye biopic has reportedly replaced Lenny Kravitz, and LCD Soundsystem frontman James Murphy has filed a nearly $100,000 lawsuit against his DFA Records co-founder.

British producer Tim Goldsworthy, who formed DFA Productions and DFA Records with James Murphy in 2001, is accused of “breach of contract” and “unjust enrichment” in the lawsuit filed in Manhattan Civil Supreme Court March 1, according to DNAinfo.com. DFA says Goldsworthy owes $93,899 and that “attempts to amicably resolve this matter were rebuffed.” The independent label also wants to collect punitive damages and legal fees.

According to DNAinfo.com, accusations against the promoter include “failing to perform services he was paid for, owing outstanding loans, improperly using the company credit card and making unauthorized withdrawals from its bank accounts.”

In addition to putting out music by LCD Soundsystem, DFA Records has released albums for acts including The Rapture, Hot Chip and Holy Ghost!

Jesse L. Martin is taking over for Lenny Kravitz as the lead on the Marvin Gaye biopic “Sexual Healing.” This news comes to us from Deadline Hollywood, which reports that Martin was previously set to play Gaye five years ago in the version of the biopic produced by James Gandolfini.

The entertainment site reminds us that in November Gaye’s son, Marvin Gaye III, asked Kravitz to drop out of role, threatening legal action against the film directed by Julian Temple.

Photo: AP Photo
NAACP Image Awards, Shrine Auditorium & Expo Center, Los Angeles, Calif.

“Sexual Healing,” which reportedly starts filming later this month, will tell the story of Gaye’s attempt to work on his addictions and career while in Europe in the early 1980s.

Wilco fans have about a week left to bid on a recording session at Chicago’s Wilco Loft, tracked by a staff engineer and overseen by Jeff Tweedy. The item description on the auction item says the frontman “will also help you produce and arrange your song … and maybe even play on it if you need him to!”

The auction closes March 12 at 10:59 p.m. Central Time. The next minimum bid is $22,500. The estimated value is, of course, priceless.

The recording session is just one of many items up for auction to benefit programs at Northside College Preparatory High School in Chicago. Following the online auction, the school will hold its fifth annual Reach for the Stars Gala.

Lastly, Funny Or Die has put together a special video to give fans a look at The Postal Service’s 2002 auditions. The comedy website says this is the first time the Sub Pop Records auditions have ever been seen by the public. Look out for appearances by Blink-182’s Tom DeLonge, Duff McKagan, “Weird Al” Yankovic and Aimee Mann.