One of a
new breed of back-to-basics rock acts to emerge from Detroit,
Michigan, USA, the White Stripes comprises enigmatic bass-free
duo Jack White (b. John White, Detroit, Michigan, USA;
guitar/vocals) and Meg White (b. Detroit, Michigan, USA;
drums). The Whites, variously assumed to be brother and
sister or husband and ex-wife, but both denied, formed
their new band in 1997. Judging from their facial looks
they probably are brother and sister.
Jack had previously played
guitar in garage rock band the Go, but his new project's
musical output is equally informed by folk blues, country
60s Britpop and Broadway show tunes. The Whites' striking
stage presence, dressed in minimalist red and white
outfits, is allied to their thrilling grasp of the rudiments
of timeless rock music. The duo released 1997's debut
7-inch single, "Let's Shake Hands", on the
Italy Records imprint. After one further single ("Lafayette
Blues") for the label, they relocated to the leading
independent Sympathy For The Record Industry, debuting
with the single "The Big Three Killed My Baby".
Their self-titled long-playing debut garnered immediate
praise, mixing astute cover versions (Robert Johnson's
"Stop Breaking Down Blues" and Bob Dylan's
"One More Cup Of Coffee") with some devastating
originals.
By the time of the following
year's De Stijl, named after the Dutch abstract art
movement led by Gerrit Rietveld, the media buzz surrounding
the White Stripes had reached new heights. Of particular
note was the duo's incredible reception in the UK, where
their music was lauded by a wide range of media outlets
including The Daily Telegraph, The Sun and even Radio
4's Today programme, not normally known for its liberal
music policy. The influential John Peel was quoted as
comparing their importance to that of Jimi Hendrix and
the Sex Pistols. The dispute here is that both these
acts were originators, whereas the Whites are very good
interpreters. There are just too many shades of early
Kinks, the Doors, Television and late 60s American garage/punk
bands to warrant a major place in twenty-first century
rock history. At least the Whites went some way to justifying
the media hype surrounding them when they released an
excellent third album, White Blood Cells.
Discography:
>The White Stripes (Sympathy For The Record Industry
1999)
>De Stijl (Sympathy For The Record Industry 2000)
>White Blood Cells (Sympathy For The Record Industry/XL
2001)
