The White Stripes

Jack White- Guitars/ Piano/ Vocals
Meg White-Drums

For several years The White Stripes were a struggling local band, despite touring with Pavement and Sleater-Kinney. During this time, they released singles on various independent record labels including Sympathy for the Record Industry, the label for their first three albums.

Their second release, De Stijl (2000), was named after the De Still Dutch art movement which they cited as a source for the approach to their music and to their image. For a brief period before De Stijl was released, Jack studied fine arts at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, although he never graduated.

The album cover features a sample of De Stijl art in the band's signature colors - red, white and black, according to Jack, "the most powerful color combination of all time, from a Coca-Cola can to a Nazi banner". Those colors are also found in the duo's distinctive wardrobe and on every cover of their first five records. It is somewhat unclear why they chose those colors. In some interviews, the group has said that the colors red and white are from peppermint candy (representing childhood innocence) and the color black represents the equilibrium of the number three. Jack has also said that the colors are based on toys for infants, claiming that the colors red, white, and black are used in toys for. Even before forming the band, Jack was focused on a three color scheme. When he worked as an upholsterer, all his tools, his van, and his uniform were white, black, and yellow.

The White Stripes enjoyed their first significant success during 2001 with the release of their first major label album White Blood Cells. The stripped-down, garage rock sound drew critical acclaim in the UK, soon spreading to the United States and becoming one of the more hyped bands of 2002. The Lego-themed video, directed by Michel Gondry for the single "Fell in Love with a Girl" off White Blood Cells, brought them wider attention.

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. In 2004 the song "Seven Nation Army" won a Grammy for Best Rock Song, and the album Elephant won for Best Alternative Music Album. It was recorded with Liam Watson at Toe Rag Studios, London. Every instrument used to record the album was older than both band members. "The Hardest Button to Button" proved to be another popular single off of the album, as was the cover of "I Just Don't Know What to Do With Myself", originally by Burt Bacharach
The bands fifth album ‘Get Behind Me Satan’ is a much more experimental album with Jack White using the marimba amongst other instruments. Whilst the album is off the beaten track in places it also houses some of The White Stripes finest work to date. ‘My Dorbell’ is the sound of Jack White doing Motown sould whilst Blue Orchid is rough and visceral. It’s a testament to the bands success and following that they can diversify so wildly yet still retain massive critical and commercial success.

The White Stripes are a modern day marvel, ruthlessley old fashioned yet still popular. They sound like nobody else around and are all the better for it. Jack White is a stunning musician, from lyrics to guitar, vocal delivery to stage presence he has it all in abundance. Meg White may be criticised for her drumming ability but at the same time she is one half of one of the most successful bands in the world so she can’t be doing much wrong. If you have one of the more recent albums then delve into their back catalogue as it is perhaps even better than their recent work, particularly ‘De Stijl’. Superlatives and words cannot come close to describing how important and special this band are.

Discography
1999- The White Stripes
2000- De Stijl
2001- White Blood Cells
2003- Elephant
2005- Get Behind Me Satan

Photo by: Shirlaine Forrest