# The White Stripes: Tell me about them please **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 12, 2013, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-white-stripes-tell-me-about-them-please/646938 "2013-01-12T04:50:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![jack\_tardiff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/43a26b/32.png) [@jack\_tardiff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jack_tardiff)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2013, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-white-stripes-tell-me-about-them-please/646938/41 "2013-01-12T21:33:26Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > If Ronnie likes it, I like it! Rockin Ronnie Wood! See? They like you! Awesome reference. People who don’t dig Ronnie don’t dig music IOW! Winkie smiley whatever. ---
**Author:** ![Oogly\_Woogly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ee7513/32.png) [@Oogly\_Woogly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oogly_Woogly)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2013, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-white-stripes-tell-me-about-them-please/646938/42 "2013-01-12T21:38:00Z")
Yeah, we’re listening to a lot of CFRA these days. Live 88.5 plays a fair amount of White Stripes. I find myself listening to that station quite a bit as well. It’s nice hearing something different. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2013, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-white-stripes-tell-me-about-them-please/646938/43 "2013-01-12T21:41:05Z")
They both have distinctive sounds because Jack’s a pretty good guitarist and Meg is the absolutely worst drummer on the face of the Earth. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2013, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-white-stripes-tell-me-about-them-please/646938/44 "2013-01-12T21:49:28Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > He does a good job of keeping things _just_ on the edge of blowing up, tone-wise. A skill that puts him in the Rock Guitarist continuum between boring and annoying. Only the best are there with him. The Kinks’ “You Really Got Me” and Link Wray’s “Rumble” are the archetypes in the way the amps are just this\>\ **Author:** ![Beastly\_Rotter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/45deac/32.png) [@Beastly\_Rotter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beastly_Rotter)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2013, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-white-stripes-tell-me-about-them-please/646938/45 "2013-01-12T21:59:13Z") > [@Leaffan](#): > > Never heard of them until maybe a year or two ago. I don’t really keep my fingers on the pulse any more. All I hear about is Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber and One Direction and the like from my kids. > > I must say, I am very impressed with The White Stripes thus far. Jack is truly a guitar virtuoso and Meg can keep the beat with the best of them. I’m wowed. I didn’t know people were making real music anymore. There’s a lot of good stuff out there, you just have to dig a little to find it. If you like the White Stripes, if you aren’t already familiar the Black Keys have been mentioned. Or try the Civil Wars, who go down more of a folk than a blues path, doing stuff like [Poison and Wine](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfzRlcnq_c0), or knocking spots off the Jackson Five with their cover of [I Want You Back.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOwWJJijgnk) ---
**Author:** ![Ibanez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a4c791/32.png) [@Ibanez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibanez)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2013, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-white-stripes-tell-me-about-them-please/646938/46 "2013-01-12T22:09:49Z")
They played Bluesfest a couple of years ago in Ottawa. They we’re the loudest act that year, I could clearly hear them from Lebretton Flats right across the river from my appt. ---
**Author:** ![Fridgemagnet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/22d042/32.png) [@Fridgemagnet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fridgemagnet)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2013, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-white-stripes-tell-me-about-them-please/646938/47 "2013-01-12T22:18:07Z")
Love 'em, me. They were championed by British DJ [John Peel](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Peel) while they were still an underground garage band on Detroit’s Italy Records, and did several sessions for his BBC Radio 1 show (which are awesome - do track them down by googling “White Stripes” “Peel Session”). They became hugely popular in the UK because of Peel, and when he died Jack and Meg flew over to the UK for his funeral to pay their respects. They impressed Peel no end at one session when they played a cover of Gene Vincent’s Baby Blue after Peel mentioned in conversation the night before that he saw Vincent and Eddie Cochran in concert just before the car crash that killed Cochran and injured Vincent. Jack and Meg learned _Baby Blue_ and finished off their session recording with it the next day. Peel famously had a [record box](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Peel%27s_Record_Box) in which he kept about 140 of his favourite singles, to be grabbed and rescued in the event that a fire broke out at his house. The White Stripes were represented by 11 singles, more than any other band. Jack White is a smart cookie when it comes to image, and some of the statements he makes in interviews aren’t to be taken literally (for example, IIRC he once claimed to never listen to anything recorded after 1930 or somesuch). He had an obsession with the number 3 that he claims came from pondering the legs on a stool from his days as an upholsterer, and the White Stripes livery and album art were always red, white and black. Jack and Meg claimed to be brother and sister, though by the time they were famous they were actually divorced ex-husband and ex-wife. They felt this wouldn’t fit in with the squeaky clean image they were trying to project. His guitar was famously a shitty old [Airline](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airline_%28guitar%29); I have no idea how he managed to crank such sounds out of it, yet alone keep it in tune. Fond of vintage kit, they recorded the album Elephant in [Toe Rag Studios](http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/oct03/articles/toeragstudios.htm) in London, where all the gear was wonderfully retro. If you’re wondering what a Ball and Biscuit is, there’s a picture of one on the previous link. I’ve been fortunate enough to see them live a number of times, first in Amsterdam’s legendary Melkweg, then in the Netherlands again in Utrecht, and later a couple of times in London, and at some point at the Reading Festival. And I caught them when they played with Jeff Beck when he did a Yardbirds show in London - many of the audience came to see Jack and Meg rather than the main attraction. They blew away the capacity crowd on each occasion. I remember seeing them at one London gig a few days after Elephant went straight to number one in the UK album charts. They were incendiary, on a real high from their album success. I recall feeling sorry for one young kid in the crowd who had been taken there by his parents. It was probably his first gig, and I doubt that he’ll ever be able to experience anything quite like that ever again. It was a sad day when the White Stripes broke up, though probably better to bow out gracefully on a high than to rumble on for decades. Jack is a busy chap these days, running a record company, producing, and having two ongoing bands and a solo career. And acting in the film Cold Mountain. Meg appears to have gone to ground, and Jack says in a recent interview that he doubts she’ll ever play in another band. I liked her drumming, though not everyone did. One thing is for sure though - the audiences absolutely loved her, there was a genuine affection there. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2013, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-white-stripes-tell-me-about-them-please/646938/48 "2013-01-12T22:57:40Z")
Is White Stripes the band thats pyro burned down that club in Rhode Island? Their guitarist was killed along with about a 100 fans? That was such a tragedy. ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2013, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-white-stripes-tell-me-about-them-please/646938/49 "2013-01-12T23:00:49Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Is White Stripes the band thats pyro burned down that club in Rhode Island? Their guitarist was killed along with about a 100 fans? That was such a tragedy. That was Great White. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2013, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-white-stripes-tell-me-about-them-please/646938/50 "2013-01-12T23:46:28Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Is White Stripes the band thats pyro burned down that club in Rhode Island? Their guitarist was killed along with about a 100 fans? That was such a tragedy. Wow. Really? Sorry, I don’t mean to be snarky, but this is a basic music thing. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2013, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-white-stripes-tell-me-about-them-please/646938/51 "2013-01-12T23:51:47Z")
Great White, White Stripe sounds pretty similar to me. Especially for a tragedy that happened at least 10 years ago. The name struck a note in my memory and wasn’t sure if it was the same group. That fire was a huge news story that everyone talked about for weeks. It’ll probably never be forgotten. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-white-stripes-tell-me-about-them-please/646938/52 "2013-01-13T01:01:10Z")
> [@Oogly\_Woogly](#): > > Yeah, we’re listening to a lot of CFRA these days. Live 88.5 plays a fair amount of White Stripes. I find myself listening to that station quite a bit as well. It’s nice hearing something different. Just got back from grocery shopping and listening to parts of Ronnie Wood’s show on CHEZ 106 from 6:00 till 7:00. As usual he played an eclectic mix from the 50s onwards. The very first song that was played after his show? Stairway to fucking goddamned motherfucking Heaven. Unbe-fucking-leavable. ETA: There’s that new blues station that is good. 109? I forget the frequency, Kenneth, but it’s pretty good. ---
**Author:** ![Glazer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a88e57/32.png) [@Glazer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glazer)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-white-stripes-tell-me-about-them-please/646938/53 "2013-01-13T01:39:40Z")
> [@Beastly\_Rotter](#): > > This is Jack White producing the Black Belles on [Wishing Well](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfIyIMnACMQ). Viva dirty R’n’B garage punk! Just to note that the bassist for the Black Belles is the daughter of our very own **NintyWt**. With whom I got to see the Belles play when they last came here to Atlanta. ---
**Author:** ![Beastly\_Rotter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/45deac/32.png) [@Beastly\_Rotter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beastly_Rotter)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-white-stripes-tell-me-about-them-please/646938/54 "2013-01-13T01:54:27Z")
> [@Glazer](#): > > Just to note that the bassist for the Black Belles is the daughter of our very own **NintyWt**. With whom I got to see the Belles play when they last came here to Atlanta. That’s awesome, and they look like they would kick it live. ---
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-white-stripes-tell-me-about-them-please/646938/55 "2013-01-13T01:57:09Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Great White, White Stripe sounds pretty similar to me. Especially for a tragedy that happened at least 10 years ago. The name struck a note in my memory and wasn’t sure if it was the same group. That fire was a huge news story that everyone talked about for weeks. It’ll probably never be forgotten. Please tell me you’re joking. ---
**Author:** ![EMCEE\_98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b5ac83/32.png) [@EMCEE\_98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EMCEE_98)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-white-stripes-tell-me-about-them-please/646938/56 "2013-01-13T02:13:41Z")
> [@ISiddiqui](#): > > One of things I really love about the White Stripes is how they took old blues songs and added just the right amount of rock to them. One of my favorite songs is Death Letter Blues: > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqP2TcCR9NM](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqP2TcCR9NM) > > And this is a performance at the Grammy’s - Seven Nation Army into Death Letter - the transition is incredible (around 2:06): > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xi8KdTk0u0g](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xi8KdTk0u0g) Fucking LOVE Death Letter. My favorite White Stripes songs tend to be the bluesy ones. Jack rocks that slide, man. Little Bird is another one. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syDgyjECYZA](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syDgyjECYZA) Basically, De Stijl has gotta be my favorite album by them. ---
**Author:** ![Glazer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a88e57/32.png) [@Glazer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glazer)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-white-stripes-tell-me-about-them-please/646938/57 "2013-01-13T02:37:03Z")
> [@Beastly\_Rotter](#): > > That’s awesome, and they look like they would kick it live. It was. They rock harder live than they do on record. **jali** , **NintyWt** , her husband, a couple of their friends and myself were right up front. A bunch of old geezers rocking out in the middle of a crowd of youngsters. ---
**Author:** ![Oogly\_Woogly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ee7513/32.png) [@Oogly\_Woogly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oogly_Woogly)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-white-stripes-tell-me-about-them-please/646938/58 "2013-01-13T03:00:10Z")
Dawg FM 101.9 is the blues station. It’s pretty good but I haven’t listened in a while. I keep forgetting about it. Ex Chez morning guy Geoff Winter is on in the afternoons. I always liked him. Personally I think Chez started to go downhill when they got rid of him and Jim Hurcomb. That was quite a long time ago. My age is showing. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-white-stripes-tell-me-about-them-please/646938/59 "2013-01-13T03:08:52Z")
> [@Oogly\_Woogly](#): > > Dawg FM 101.9 is the blues station. It’s pretty good but I haven’t listened in a while. I keep forgetting about it. Ex Chez morning guy Geoff Winter is on in the afternoons. I always liked him. Personally I think Chez started to go downhill when they got rid of him and Jim Hurcomb. That was quite a long time ago. My age is showing. **Oogly** , you’ve been here over two years and only have 19 posts? Agreed about Jeff and Jim and the decline of CHEZ, but I hated those two guys in the morning. Then again I hate all morning shows on music radio; they’re always filled with giggling idiots laughing for no apparent reason. I’m too old to listen to prank phone calls, give-away contests, and cackling idiots. Glittering prizes and endless compromises shatters the illusion of integrity. Yeah. ---
**Author:** ![Oogly\_Woogly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ee7513/32.png) [@Oogly\_Woogly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oogly_Woogly)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-white-stripes-tell-me-about-them-please/646938/60 "2013-01-13T03:25:41Z")
Ha ha. Yeah, I guess I’m more of an observer than a participant. I always feel kind of like I’m intruding in someone’s conversation. I think I liked Geoff and Jim because they were the least annoying of the morning show guys. I don’t recall them doing too much of the fake laughter crap. I hate that stuff. Of course I could be remembering wrong. I did like the prize giveaways. We won season tickets to the Rough Riders twice and tickets to a Blue Jay game complete with a flight to Toronto. That was pretty cool. Back to your original post. I’ve been spending the last couple of hours listening to Jack White stuff. I just finished watching him on Austin City Limits. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-white-stripes-tell-me-about-them-please/646938.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-white-stripes-tell-me-about-them-please/646938.md?page=4)