The White Stripes have officially split after 13 years as a band...
More info here The White Stripes
More info here The White Stripes
The White Stripes call it a day
- Thread starter redwhiteblack
- Start date
Love the White Stripes. Never got to see them live 
They'd not played together for a while had they? I figured they had unofficially broken up anyway.
Love the White Stripes. Never got to see them live
They were a great band, and I mean 'great' in the big picture sense. They were a real shot in the arm when music was slumping after the awful 'Nu Metal' and post Britpop years of the late '90's.
The first 4 records were outstanding and Jack White's deep, obsessive love of the Blues brought back a sense of historical reference into rock music as we turned into a new millennium. I thought that was awesome.
And onstage, the contrast between Jack's manic, wired intensity, and Meg's serene, almost submissive role was utterly fascinating to watch - particularly around the time of 'White Blood Cells'.
Great band who played their part in the history of rock n roll - what an honour!
She went a bit mental in the face, didn't she?
Excellent, now Meg can come drum for me...... being together is our destiny!
Does she know that?
No, I'll tell her once I untie her.
Agree with everything you say I love the dirty blues tone he always got from his guitar. Genuinely gutted I'll never get to see them live. I am actually going to a gig tomorrow to see a band who remind me a lot of them, check them out.
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Alright then. As you were.
What a load of hyperbolic bollocks!
What a load of hyperbolic bollocks!
Ahh no. That's what's makes the great bands great - they're not afraid to self mythologize, and have a little fun with their interaction with the public.
Ridicule is nothing to be scared of.
The White Stripes belong to us now?
Does this mean I can now rampantly pirate their music, because it already belongs to me?
Does this mean I can now rampantly pirate their music, because it already belongs to me?
First couple of recoreds were good - the rest was shite. The 'Get Behind Me Satan' album was utter bilge
Viz Tops Tips
MISSING The White Stripes already? Simply throw pots and pans at your cat to recreate that 'unique sound'.
MISSING The White Stripes already? Simply throw pots and pans at your cat to recreate that 'unique sound'.
Great summary and while obviously Meg played her role in the band, it's Jack that was the real driving force and talent. She's just a below average drummer knocking out some really simple tribal beats.
I know that sounds massively harsh and I don't really mean it to be because like you said she added a dimension to the band through her persona which maybe built up an image that people bought into but musically Jack is a fecking genius and he's shown it outside of The Stripes with The Dead Weather and the Raconteurs.
I'm sad that they've finished as a band though because their somewhat simplistic signature style is so different to the multilayered and harmony driven stuff he does with his other bands.
Jack White for me though is up there with the great rock stars of the modern age like Dylan, Hendrix, Plant, Springsteen, Jagger to name a few oh and Orbison because I love him.
Uh, no. He's good sure, but Dylan? Hendrix?
Those guys are legends that transcend eras and genres.It'd be like saying Rooney is up there with Best and Edwards.
Uh, no. He's good sure, but Dylan? Hendrix?
Sorry, sorta misrepresented what I'm trying to say there...
I'm not saying he is as good as them, I'm just saying that he is a rock icon in the same sort of way they were in their days.
As was said earlier, he was a breath of fresh air at the turn of the millenia when rock was all about "nu-metal".
Of course Jack White wrote the drum parts for pretty much the band's entirety. My friend toured with The White Stripes a few times is close to them both and apparently Meg was well capable of playing "good drummer" drum parts but she didn't actually write the drum parts so it was utterly out of her hands.
Anyway the drums are perfect, I wouldn't change them.
And you're right, Jack White is a genius. I, however, don't rate his work outside of TWS particularly highly. But who cares, the songs he wrote in TWS are fecking amazing, and he's a beast with a broken toy guitar from the 60's.
Uh, no. He's good sure, but Dylan? Hendrix?
It'd be like saying Rooney is up there with Best and Edwards.
Except music/art/entertainment is all ENTIRELY subjective, so there is no 'best', only 'favourite'.
I don't think Pex was saying that Jack White was "as good" as Dylan or Jimmi, but even if he did it's not a laughable notion, as it's purely subjective.
Its nothing like comparing footballers, as they are in a results orientated paradigm with rules and a well structured competitive league/cup to perform in.
The closest thing to that in the world of music is the charts, and we all know that they mean feck all to the quality of music.
For what it's worth, Mike, I agree with your opinion that Jack isn't quite up there with your "all time greats", but he's closer than anyone else of his generation IMO.
I'd rate John Frusciante higher than Jack White but again as you say it's mainly subjective. I love them both but for me Frusciante is one of the best I've ever heard, he manages to pack so much emotion into his guitar playing. I'm also biased though as I've been listening to the Chili's for as long as I can remember mainly because of my sister's influence.
Good call there. But first off I'm not sure I'd consider Frusciante to be of the same generation as Jack White. I mean, he kind of is in terms of age (he's 5 years older), but his most recognizable work is pretty much a different generation to White's most recognizable work.
Frusciante is one of the most expressive guitarists to ever come out of the 'alternative' guitar scene, but for me he isn't as iconic as Jack White. And I guess that's because iconography is largely about leaving a picture in people's minds that doesn't change, and due to TWS unique, simple and immediately recognizable sound and look I think their level of "icon" will definitely last.
Viz Tops Tips
MISSING The White Stripes already? Simply throw pots and pans at your cat to recreate that 'unique sound'.
sounds about right to me!Yea I guess I was coming more from the age perspective rather than when they did their "best" volume of work. TWS were pretty smart when it came to creating their whole image and they appeared on the scene at exactly the right time. To be honest it'd be pretty nice if the music scene could have another shot in the arm, it feels quite stale at the moment. Out of interest what do you think of John's solo work? It always seems to be a love/hate thing for most people when it comes to his own work.
I also apologise for slightly derailing this thread
Really loved them, they provided the soundtrack to much of my early teens.
Yea I guess I was coming more from the age perspective rather than when they did their "best" volume of work. TWS were pretty smart when it came to creating their whole image and they appeared on the scene at exactly the right time. To be honest it'd be pretty nice if the music scene could have another shot in the arm, it feels quite stale at the moment. Out of interest what do you think of John's solo work? It always seems to be a love/hate thing for most people when it comes to his own work.
I also apologise for slightly derailing this thread
I agree that on the surface level it's grown stale at the moment - the British indie boom of the early to mid 00's was impressive and spawned some good bands. But it feels like the most successful of those bands - The Libertines, Franz Ferdinand, Arctic Monkeys, Bloc Party, Kaiser Chiefs etc - have probably recorded the best records they're going to.
But I think it's a actually a great time right now for underground music, and conversely, an awful time right now for overground music.
My main/most consistent musical landscape has always been guitar orientated stuff - particularly more alternative and underground leaning bands/writers throughout history - and there are so many great little, lofi punk bands springing up right now, more so than in any other point in my lifetime. Also there's a burgeoning trend throughout the punk underground (both guitar and electro) to look toward 'occult' and esoteric imagery which I love. Traditionally punk bands have always written social commentary, and left it to the 'big boys' like Led Zep, or Sabbath, or Hendrix, or The Doors to write about the weird, surreal, 'heavy shit' subjects, whereas now those topics are being approached by a new slew of lofi punk/electro bands. I like that a lot, it's very refreshing.
So what I'm saying is that I think that 'shot in the arm' is just around the corner. A handful of the best underground bands of this moment will inevitably start to bleed through to the mainstream quite soon and it'll start to feel fresh again.
Of those bands I think...
The Libertines are the sort of band that never had a huge shelf life, they remind me, although obviously not musically, of The Pixies. They have a cult following and influenced alot of bands and might do various collaberations over the years but even if they knocked out album after album they wouldn't achieve alot (other than commercially) by it.
Franz Ferdinand are a good band and have their own image but I don't think they'll really achieve alot by bringing out new albums. They are very much expected to do the same stuff again and while, again, commercially that would be a success it's not taking the scene forward.
Bloc Party, same as above lthough Kele seems set on his solo career which is very different to the band's sound and image.
Kaiser Chief's are a very limited band. Pop-rock at it's purist, the British Nickleback. Each song has to be radio friendly and "anthemic". Probably had their time and the Radio 1 generation with it's short memory has probably moved on.
The Arctic Monkeys I'd liken to The White Stripes. Unique in sound, lyrically brilliant and a front man that's got a real feel for music, Turner's friendship with Miles Kane is similar to White's friendship with Brendan Benson. I don't know if The Arctic Monkeys will record again but it's a natural progression for Alex Turner and it might turn out the same way as the White Stripes.
For me the most exciting band in Britian right now is The xx who are very refreshing but don't have that punch in their music to make an instant impression to the scene although the hype and mythology being created around the band is slowly building. They've been awesome each time I have seen them live and I wouldn't be surprised to see them headlining a few festivals when it comes to festival season this year which will definatly put them into the public eye a little more.
ah well jack will go on ripping up the guitar regardless
Decent post. Totally agree with your summations of Bloc Party, Kaisers and Franz Ferdinand.
Pixies were and are so much more important and influential than The Libertines could ever dream of being though.
And although I do like Arctic Monkeys, don't get me wrong, I don't think you could compare them to the Stripes. I mean, what you said isn't exactly ludicrous or anything like that, it's just when you look at the Stripes history - no critical acclaim or media attention AT ALL until their 3rd record, coming up through the Detroit garage rock underground, always leaning strongly to the roots of their influences (blues and folk) - it's just such a different story and whole approach to music than that of Arctic Monkeys, who's debut album was a press hype phenomenon almost akin to that of Beatlemania, and who's music (although very good, particularly lyrically) is always revolving around contemporary influences.
Jack White was 26 before his face was ever on TV, Arctics had a number 1 single before any of them were even in their 20's, and I think that makes a big difference, it gives you time to mature as a writer and work out a real identity in your writing. I think Arctic Monkeys are a good band, who made a great debut record that captured the sound of it's time, but I think The White Stripes are/were more important than that (and Jack White owns Turner on guitar imo).
and p.s yes The xx are bloody brilliant.
So, Jack White is releasing his debut solo album in April. He's released the first single, Love Interruption. Mostly acouctic, but really liking it so far;
....whereas in reality Popps will end up with some long haired, hairy bastard from bleedin Mullah land who likes Cannibal Corpse
I'm currently "acquiring" his new album and already got tickets to one of his shows in the summer. Can't wait.
....whereas in reality Popps will end up with some long haired, hairy bastard from bleedin Mullah land who likes Cannibal Corpse
Whats wrong with Cannibal Corpse
?Sixteen Saltines is good too.
Ball and Biscuit is one of the greatest songs of all time.
Jack White's album, Blunderbuss, has leaked online at the usual places. Not had a chance to give it much of a listen yet, just one run-through, but it sounds good from what I have heard. Here's the 3 singles he's released for it;
Really liking "I'm Shakin'" and "On and On and On". Whole album is good though, very bluesy.
Really liking "I'm Shakin'" and "On and On and On". Whole album is good though, very bluesy.
Just listening to the album at the moment.
Loving it on first impressions.
Loving it on first impressions.
This is seriously my favourite album in a long long time. Even the songs I don't like I still sort of like...apart from Blunderbuss.