# Am I the only one who thinks the White Stripes are disgustingly awful? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 3, 2003, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-thinks-the-white-stripes-are-disgustingly-awful/192697 "2003-08-03T07:16:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DaPearl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5e925/32.png) [@DaPearl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaPearl)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-thinks-the-white-stripes-are-disgustingly-awful/192697/1 "2003-08-03T07:16:31Z")
I remember hearing them on Conan a little while back and just thinking how awful they were. Yet, everywhere people seem to think they’re great. Am I the only one who hears reason in the world? ---
**Author:** ![Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c68b51/32.png) [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-thinks-the-white-stripes-are-disgustingly-awful/192697/2 "2003-08-03T07:17:22Z")
Never heard of them? I assume they’re a musical group. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-thinks-the-white-stripes-are-disgustingly-awful/192697/3 "2003-08-03T07:20:58Z")
Yes, they are a musical group. I think they’re decent, I guess I see the appeal (though I’ve only heard them a little). The barrage of critical hype gets on my nerves, it’s like people are calling you an idiot unless you love the band. But that’s not the band’s fault, I guess. As far as Conan goes, I REALLY didn’t get what was up with the tough black guy standing around behind them. 😛 So my vote would be “overrated, but not disgustingly awful.” ---
**Author:** ![Mudshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Mudshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mudshark)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-thinks-the-white-stripes-are-disgustingly-awful/192697/4 "2003-08-03T07:27:03Z")
I like them. But not everyone has to. ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-thinks-the-white-stripes-are-disgustingly-awful/192697/5 "2003-08-03T07:56:55Z")
I’d agree they’re overrated. I think it’s a case of a band with a lot of good ideas that just hasn’t got the songwriting skills to match - yet. Good potential though. ---
**Author:** ![Orange\_Skinner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3be4f8/32.png) [@Orange\_Skinner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orange_Skinner)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-thinks-the-white-stripes-are-disgustingly-awful/192697/6 "2003-08-03T08:04:06Z")
I like them as well. They’re certainly not my favorite band, but I think they’ve got some talent. I have a friend who sides with you, though, **DaPearl** ; I have an art class with him, and he did some project a while back, a collage, and it included Meg and Jack White with the Fish Face…that is, a picture of them from _Rolling Stone_ drawn over with pen, which was what he did to a couple photographs of people he didn’t like. When asked about it, he said he’d like to buy a copy of _Elephant_ if only to set it on fire. So you’re not the _only_ one, **DaPearl**. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Kyomara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8edcca/32.png) [@Kyomara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyomara)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-thinks-the-white-stripes-are-disgustingly-awful/192697/7 "2003-08-03T08:29:16Z")
The White Stripes are really great. They’re catchy and they’ve got a lot of soul. But liking any music has a lot to do with what kind of music you listen to normally. What kind of music are you into, **DaPearl**? ---
**Author:** ![soulsearcher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e5b9ba/32.png) [@soulsearcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/soulsearcher)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-thinks-the-white-stripes-are-disgustingly-awful/192697/8 "2003-08-03T12:06:29Z")
wouldn’t be the first decent band that sucked in a live performance. I have stayed up a few times after hearing one of my favorite bands was going to be on late night tv, and sat there cringing hearing them. The sound never seems to be balanced, and some bands have so many production effects that they can’t pull off a live performance ---
**Author:** ![Dragon\_Phoenix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@Dragon\_Phoenix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragon_Phoenix)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-thinks-the-white-stripes-are-disgustingly-awful/192697/9 "2003-08-03T12:20:03Z")
Knowing that I love groups like Radiohead, Coldplay, Placebo, Travis and Evanescence, a few friends recommended them to this old fart (46). I think they suck. ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-thinks-the-white-stripes-are-disgustingly-awful/192697/10 "2003-08-03T14:26:18Z")
I think disgustingly awful is a bit strong. And as **soulsearcher** pointed out, live performances on television tend to sound really bad. That said, I agree that the White Stripes are highly overrated. But they’re part of a genre that is highly overrated, as well, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![Harli](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c0e974/32.png) [@Harli](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harli)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-thinks-the-white-stripes-are-disgustingly-awful/192697/11 "2003-08-03T14:45:50Z")
I rather enjoy the White Stripes. I’m not a huge fan…yet, but everything I’ve heard, I’ve enjoyed. (And my main music tastes lean towards punk/ska.) As for being overrated, I think that after 6 albums it’s about time they got some recognition. These guys have been around a long time, and they’re finally getting the exposure that a lot of newer, and shittier, bands get. ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-thinks-the-white-stripes-are-disgustingly-awful/192697/12 "2003-08-03T14:49:17Z")
I didn’t realise they’d been around that long. In that case, I retract my earlier statement about their potential. If they don’t have it now, I doubt they ever will. All MHO, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Splanky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b2d939/32.png) [@Splanky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Splanky)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-thinks-the-white-stripes-are-disgustingly-awful/192697/13 "2003-08-03T15:30:28Z")
I’m not a big fan of mainstream music (Radiohead et al being exceptions). Given that, I _despise_ the White Stripes. UGH. They’re noisy, whiny, they don’t even have a damn bassist. And they’ve blown up this damn genre of “garage noise”. I’d go on a limb and say that I hate them more than any pop musician out today. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-thinks-the-white-stripes-are-disgustingly-awful/192697/14 "2003-08-03T15:37:49Z")
Hmmm, backlash. Certainly not the best band ever, but, based on one concert and the album _Elephant_, I think they are pretty damn good within their self-imposed limitations. And I’m an even older fart than **Dragon Phoenix**. Jack’s a very clever songwriter, both music and lyrics, IMO. Also, judging from the reaction of females in the audience at their Houston show, this may be a case of “the men don’t know but the little girls understand”. ---
**Author:** ![Harli](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c0e974/32.png) [@Harli](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harli)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-thinks-the-white-stripes-are-disgustingly-awful/192697/15 "2003-08-03T16:02:42Z")
SIZE=1]Ooh, sorry, 4 albums, not 6.[/SIZE] ---
**Author:** ![Darwins\_Finch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darwins_finch/32/20304_2.png) [@Darwins\_Finch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darwins_Finch)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-thinks-the-white-stripes-are-disgustingly-awful/192697/16 "2003-08-03T17:04:46Z")
I’ve yet to hear a song by _The White Stripes_ which didn’t grate on my nerves. The guy’s voice just ought not be used to try to sing; it doesn’t work. There may well be some talent between the two of them, and there may even be some good ideas in their songs, but that _voice_… ::shudder:: ---
**Author:** ![Ender\_Will](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Ender\_Will](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ender_Will)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-thinks-the-white-stripes-are-disgustingly-awful/192697/17 "2003-08-03T18:13:13Z")
I hated them for a while, then realised that my problem was simply that I’ve never taken acid, and as such, am in a completely inapropriate state of mind to make any sense of the lyrics. I stopped caring after that. I’m with the crowd that thinks they’re way, way overrated. Every time any DJ or magazine (at least every time I’ve seen or heard) mentions them, they try to top James Lipton’s heaping of praise. ---
**Author:** ![Trigonal\_Planar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/0ea827/32.png) [@Trigonal\_Planar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trigonal_Planar)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-thinks-the-white-stripes-are-disgustingly-awful/192697/18 "2003-08-03T18:45:45Z")
Uggh. I don’t like them either. Then again, I pretty much hate EVERY The- Band. Then again, I pretty much hate all this loud, grating, over-hyped “garage band” genre to begin with. Give me slick-sounding, well-produced keyboards over loud, distorted, badly produced guitars any day. ---
**Author:** ![DaPearl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5e925/32.png) [@DaPearl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaPearl)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-thinks-the-white-stripes-are-disgustingly-awful/192697/19 "2003-08-03T19:02:28Z")
I listen to mostly old stuff. My favorite band is The Who, followed by the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Pink Floyd and some others. I think most music today isn’t very good but White Strpies represents some of the worst. The exception with today’s music of course being some rap which I’ve started listening too, particularly Outkast. ---
**Author:** ![CaptBushido](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e4f/32.png) [@CaptBushido](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptBushido)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-thinks-the-white-stripes-are-disgustingly-awful/192697/20 "2003-08-03T19:54:06Z")
Geez, from the reasons you people give for hating the White Stripes and the amount of hate displayed, I hope you never hear anything by Pavement! For the record, though, from the second I first heard of them I was strongly repelled due to their stupid “trendy” image. Its the whole “look at us! we’re soo different and cool” image which is always IMO fake as hell. But after listening to some of their music, I was shocked to find it some of the best I’ve heard in a long time. I guess it just won’t sound right if you were never into BOTH early punk and classic blues, either of which is a pretty small niche. It sounds ugly just like those two whole genres I just mentioned. Hendrix sounds ugly, but to some people (including me) that kind of stuff just sounds more “real” or “soulful” than the sparkly clean artificial music that most people prefer [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-one-who-thinks-the-white-stripes-are-disgustingly-awful/192697.md?page=2)