This fall, Interpol is embarking on a tour to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their sophomore album, Antics, by performing the record in its entirety. However, as reported by Stereogum, the announcement has been overshadowed by controversy surrounding the tour’s promotional artwork.

The promotional poster for the tour closely resembled a painting by New York-based mural and studio artist Tony Sjöman. Although not a one to one copy, the similarities were striking enough to be noticeable. The issue came to light when a friend of Sjöman highlighted the resemblance on Instagram, expressing anger over the apparent theft of the artist’s work.

In response, Interpol has issued a statement apologizing for the oversight and explaining that they were unaware of the artwork’s origins:

“We were under the impression that the designer we were working with was presenting us with original work. We were wrong. Ultimately the responsibility lies with us to ensure we do not disseminate an artist’s work without their permission in our promotions, and so for that reason we apologize and pledge to do better moving forward to ensure the protection of the artist’s creative property.”

Despite the mishap, it appears that there is no ill will between Interpol and Sjöman. The band included a link to Sjöman’s Instagram in their apology, and Sjöman, who himself is a fan of Interpol, shared their statement. He praised the band’s swift response, calling it “both rare and admirable.”

Sjömman’s comment also touched on a broader and recurring issue in today’s media landscape: “It is very weird how some people feel OK about running someone else’s work through an AI filter and then passing it off as their own. Trust me, I know.”

As Interpol prepares for their Antics anniversary tour, they do so with a renewed commitment to respecting and protecting artistic integrity in a world where it is becoming increasingly difficult to do so.