I've heard it argued that James Murphy is the P. Diddy of the independent music world. He does it all, and with the kind of style you've only read about. After playing in bands such as Pony and Speedking, Murphy moved on to production, paired up with Tim Goldsworthy, and created DFA records, which is responsible for producing and remixing gems by UNKLE, Le Tigre, Metro Area, Radio 4, Pixeltan, and N.E.R.D. Not to mention the Rapture's Echoes. Maybe you've heard of it. Now LCD Soundsystem's new album is set to be released and there is only one thing left for Murphy to do: Make you shake your waist.

How do you decide who gets involved with DFA?

We sign bands that we become friends with, and who we think we can do some good for, production-wise or as a label. It's very simple and very personal, really. It's why we have such a small roster. The art and design [for the label] is the same--we do it ourselves, or with our friends. It's always been that way with us. We have good friends, and everything extends out from that.

Is the slow demise of the club scene a major concern for DFA and LCD Soundsystem?

Not at all. It sucked when we started, and that was fine. We don't live or die by scenes. Sometimes we'll sell more records because of a scene, and sometimes we sell shit because a scene has decided they like something else, but that's pretty irrelevant to us. We never wanted to be too attached to anything, because then you get addicted to the sales, or the press, or the love, and start repeating yourselves. You cheapen what you do to serve fickle communities who would rather you-- to their own detriment-- make the same shit over and over. So in the end, i'm not crying about the death of any club scene, or indie scene or whatever. The way I see it, it's like a culling of the herd. Hopefully superstar dj's will sink into the earth.

Is the ultimate goal to make music that can move seamlessly from a club to a hipster's lonely bedroom?

In some ways, definitely. From one thing to another, rather than sacrificing things and making music that's no good as a song, or no good on a dance floor. In the end it's always trying to make music that you're proud ofÑin every way. Proud of how you made it, and what it sounds like, proud of you conduct yourself in relation to it. I think Tim and I just want the records we make to feel comfortable sitting on the shelf with the records we love.

Does music that is also funny have lasting power, or does it become too kitschy too fast? Are you sick of people talking about "Losing My Edge"?

I'm not sick of people talking about the single. I rarely talk to people about things, so it's fine for me. In the end, we'll see if it has any lasting power, won't we? Maybe it'll be some stupid record that some kid in college plays for his or her new friends while they order food or something.

Are Americans too conservative to embrace dance music as much as they do overseas?

Dance music didn't have the same mass impact here as it did overseas for the simple reason that E didn't take off the same way here in the late 80s/early 90s as it did over there. That's your number one. I mean imagine the psych movement without acid? The other reason is the fact that our hip hop was/is so strong, and indie rock in the states was so prevalent. It's more that, than conservatism, really.

Will LCD play some U.S. dates?

I don't really know--for one of the first times in my life, I'm completely dumbfounded. I'm not sure what I can do. It's a giant country, and different everywhere. I don't know where to go. I want to play, but I don't want to drive around annoying people, and myself, playing places we don't belong, to people who don't want anything to do with us. Actually, come to think of it, that sounds fucking great.

For Further Information:
www.lcdsoundsystem.com
www.dfarecords.com