The White Stripes

Members: Jack White, Meg White

Active: 1997-present

HISTORY

The White Stripes are a minimalist rock and roll duo from Detroit, formed on Bastille Day, 1997, composed of Jack White and Meg White, who rose to prominence with their albums White Blood Cells and Elephant.

Billing themselves as brother and sister, guitarist and singer Jack White and drummer Meg White released their self-titled debut album in 1999. In reality, they are ex-husband-and-wife. Meg is seven months older than Jack; their divorce papers were revealed online. They were a struggling local band in Detroit for a long time, even after touring with Pavement and Sleater-Kinney.

The second release from the White Stripes, De Stijl (2000), was named after the minimalist Dutch art movement which they cited as a source for the approach to their music and image. Jack White studied fine arts for a brief period at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit before De Stijl was released, although he never graduated. The De Stijl album cover pictures a sample art piece from this movement, made in 3 colors - red, white and black - characteristic of the duo's distinctive uniforms, created exclusively for them by one of LA's hippest tailors. It is somewhat unclear where exactly the colors came from, with some interviews stating that the colors red and white came from the peppermint (Meg's favorite candy), and the color black for equilibrium of the number three. Another thing Jack has said is that the colors are also based on toys for infants. Jack states that the colors red, white, and black are used in toys for newborns (because they are a bit colorblind when born). Jack has also focused with a color scheme consisting of three colors before the band. Jack worked as an upholester and all his tools, his van, and his uniform were all the colors white, black, and yellow. The number 3 also has significance for this band, not only for their tri-colored uniforms but their 3 instruments: vocals, guitar and drums, although Jack occasionally plays organ, piano and marimba. For live shows, the band does not rehearse or have a setlist, Jack improvises frequently and often cuts a song short to jump into another.

Their stripped-down, garage rock sound made them a much-hyped band in 2002, as a result of the critical raves given to the major label release of White Blood Cells in 2001. The White Stripes enjoyed their first significant success in the UK in 2001, with the critical acclaim, especially for the band's energetic stage performances, spreading to the US in the following months. They have no bass player, and unofficial bass-added remixes have appeared, notably Steve McDonald's Redd Blood Cells. In 2002, Q magazine named The White Stripes as one of the "50 Bands To See Before You Die". The Lego-themed video, directed by Michel Gondry for the single "Fell in Love with a Girl" off White Blood Cells, brought them attention outside music circles.

Their follow-up, entitled Elephant, was released on April 1, 2003, again to widespread critical acclaim, and even more commercial success. Elephant became The White Stripes' first UK chart-topper and US Top 10 album. On February 8, 2004 the song "Seven Nation Army" won a Grammy for best Rock Song, and the album Elephant won for best Alternative Album. It was recorded with Liam Watson at Toe Rag Studios, London. Every instruement used to record the album was older than both band members. In 2003, Jack and Meg White appeared in Jim Jarmusch's film, Coffee and Cigarettes in a segment entitled "Jack Shows Meg His Tesla Coil".

Released in 2004, the Under Blackpool Lights DVD has a special treat for fans who collect their bootlegs; it contains every major live cover that the band played during the 2003-2004 tours, approximately a dozen songs. Jack White alerted fans to secrets within the film on his site postings, one of which was sure to be the writing on his arm. Recorded over two nights shows, this writing says NOXIOUS which changes to OBNOXIOUS at certain points when film from a different night is used.

A fifth album, Get Behind Me Satan, was released in North America on June 7, 2005 and has already garnered critical acclaim. Its first single, titled "Blue Orchid", is currently a popular song on satellite radio and occasionally FM stations. Their second single, "My Doorbell", was released on the 22nd of August 2005 in the United Kingdom. The third single "The Denial Twist" is soon to be released and features a video by fan favourite Michel Gondry. The video documents the band's week long appearance on Late Night with Conan O?Brien in a typically bizzare White Stripes fashion. They will also be releasing a cover of Tegan and Sara's song Walking with a Ghost, which comes out on iTunes Novemeber 14, and then in stores December 6. It will first be packed with their album Get Behind Me Satan, and then as a single with four live songs.

On June 1, 2005 Jack White and model Karen Elson were married during the band's tour of South America, in the Amazon River in an indian celebration. The band's manager Ian Montone was the best man and Meg White was the Maid of Honor. Jack White's new spouse also appears in the video for "Blue Orchid." The White Stripes website claimed "this was the first marriage for both newlyweds", despite documentation showing that Jack and Meg were once married.

Jack has also enjoyed some success as a producer, helping launch the careers of fellow Detroit rock bands The Von Bondies and The Soledad Brothers. Jack also produced and contributed to Loretta Lynn's highly acclaimed 2004 album Van Lear Rose.

The song "We're Going to Be Friends" was featured in the movie "Napoleon Dynamite"" in 2004.

Of The White Stripes, in 2005 Rolling Stone magazine said: "If you happen to be a rock band, and you don't happen to be either of the White Stripes, it so sucks to be you right now."

On October 12, 2006, it was announced on the White Stripes official website that there would be an album of avant-garde orchestral recordings consisting of past music written by Jack White called Aluminium. The album was made available for pre-order on November 6, 2006 to great demand from the band's fans, the LP version of the project sold out in a little under a day. The project was conceived by Richard Russell, who is the founder of XL Recordings. Richard Russell co-produced the album with Joby Talbot. It was recorded between August 2005 and February 2006 at Intimate Studios in Wapping, London using an orchestra. The album is available exclusively through the Aluminium website as a numbered limited edition of 3,333 CDs with 999 LP's also produced but now sold out. The download format will not be limited, and will come with an electronic booklet.

On January 12, 2007 it was announced that in the process of reconstruction, V2 Records will no longer release new White Stripes material, leaving the band currently without a label. However, the band's contract with V2 had already expired, and on February 12, 2007, it was confirmed that the band had signed a single album deal with Warner Brothers.

On February 14, it was confirmed that the band would be playing the 2007 Bonnaroo Music Festival.

Icky Thump

The White Stripes official web site announced on February 28, 2007 that Icky Thump will be the name of the sixth studio album.The band's website announced that the album was recorded at Nashville's Blackbird Studio and took almost three weeks to record - the longest of any White Stripes album to date.

A statement on the band's official website (spuriously attributed to "Kitayna Ireyna Tatanya Kerenska Alisof" of the "Moscow Bugle", a reference to Batman: The Movie, 1966.) claims that:

"The White Stripes have completed the recording and mixing of their sixth album. It is entitled Icky Thump, and is their first album to include a title track, which curiously (and not ironically) has the same words in it's [sic] name. Though some residents of northern England might almost recognize the title, the Stripes stress they are spelling it wrong intentionally just for "kicks" and "metaphors", and to avoid a possible lawsuit from the estate of Billy Eckstine."

Three tracks were previewed to NME, "Icky Thump", "What Love Is" and "Conquest." NME described the tracks as "an experimental, heavy sounding 70s riff", "a strong, melodic love song" and "an unexpected mix of big guitars and a bold horn section", respectively. NME also confirmed the appearance of bagpipes in a video of the band recording the songs but stated that none of the songs previewed featured the instrument.

The song "I'm Slowly Turning Into You" was featured in a video on the band's official website. The video depicts Jack White in the studio recording the vocals for the song while a skeletal figure dances in the background.

The album is due to come out June 2007, shortly before the American tour begins in Tennessee.

STUDIO ALBUMS:

1999 - The White Stripes

2000 - De Stijl

2001 - White Blood Cells

2003 - Elephant

2005 - Get Behind Me Satan

SINGLES:

1997 - Lets Shake Hands

1998 - Lafayette Blues

1999 - The Big Three Killed My Baby

1999 - Hand Springs

1999 - Hello Operator

2000 - Party of Special Things to Do

2000 - Lord, Send Me an Angel

2001 - Hotel Yorba

2002 - Fell in Love with a Girl

2002 - Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground

2002 - We're Going to Be Friends

2002 - Red Death at 6:14

2002 - Candy Cane Children

2003 - Seven Nation Army

2003 - I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself

2003 - The Hardest Button to Button

2003 - There's No Home For You Here

2004 - Jolene (Live)

2005 - Blue Orchid

2005 - My Doorbell

2005 - The Denial Twist

2006 - Walking With a Ghost

DVD'S:

2003 - Candy Coloured Blues

2004 - Under Blackpool Lights