The White Stripes (band)

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Revision as of 01:25, 23 February 2011

If you're looking for the band's self-titled debut album, tried going here.

The White Stripes are an American minimalist punk blues/garage blues duo from Detroit, Michigan. On February 2nd, 2011. The White Stripes announced that they would not play live again or do any more studio recordings, formally breaking up.

Members

• Jack White - Lead vocals, lead electric and acoustic guitars, slide guitar, Black F-Style mandolin, Rhodes bass keys, piano, electric piano, marimba, tambourine
• Meg White - Drums, lead and backing vocals, timpani, organ (live in concerts only), cardboard box, tambourine, maracas, desk bells

History

The Start of The Stripes (Formation, The White Stripes, De Stijl)

The White Stripes formed in Detroit, Michigan on Bastille Day 1997. They were made up of husband and wife duo (married in 1996, later to divorce in 2000) - John Anthony Gillis (better known as Jack White), guitarist, singer, and pianist, and Megan Martha White, drummer and backing vocalist. Meg was, at the time, a fan of peppermint candies, which gave the duo their name (The White Stripes, after the little white stripes in peppermints). For many years, they were a struggling local band, even though they toured for several years with bands such as Pavement and Sleater-Kinney. Around this time, they started releasing singles on a variety of different independent record labels including Italy Records (the label on which they released their first two singles Let's Shake Hands and Lafayette Blues) and Sympathy for the Record Industry (which released the band's first three albums).

Their first album, The White Stripes, was dedicated to blues legend Son House, who become a huge influence on the White Stripes' music. The band would go on to cover a Son House song on their next album. Jack has described this 1999 eponymous debut as "...really angry...the most raw, the most powerful, and the most Detroit-sounding record we've made".

In 2000, they released their second album, De Stijl, which was named after the De Stijl Dutch art movement which the band cited as a basis for the approach to their music and image. This album featured guest musicians John Szymanski (on harmonica) and Paul Hendry Ossy (on violins).

Rising Fame (White Blood Cells, Elephant)

The White Stripes' first significant success happened in 2001 with the major label release of White Blood Cells. The stripped, raw, garage rock sound drew critical acclaim in the UK, which started spreading in the US, making the White Stripes one of the more hyped bands of 2002. Also in 2002, Q Magazine named The White Stripes one of the "50 Bands to See Before You Die". The Michel Gondry-directed Lego-themed music video for the single "Fell In Love With a Girl" brought them even more attention.

Every album since White Blood Cells is the same in that the first songs have been singles and the last songs have been tongue-in-cheek, inside joke songs between Jack and Meg.

The duo's fourth album, Elephant, was released in 2003, which also achieved even more critical acclaim and success. Elephant became the Stripes' first UK Chart Topper and US Top 10 Album. In 2004, the band's single "Seven Nation Army" won a Grammy for Best Rock Song, and Elephant won for Best Alternative Music Album. During the Grammys, Jack and Meg performed a medley of the songs "Seven Nation Army" and "Death Letter". During their "50 Years of Rock and Roll" celebration, Rolling Stone magazine ranked Elephant as the 390th best album of all time.

In 2003, Jack and Meg White both appeared in Jim Jarmusch's black and white independent film Coffee and Cigarattes, in a segment entitled "Jack Shows Meg His Tesla Coil". In August 2003, Rolling Stone magazine named Jack White the 17th greatest guitarist of all time, between Johnny Ramone and John Frusciante.

In 2004, The White Stripes released their first DVD, Under Blackpool Lights. It was directed by Dick Carruthers, and it features a cover of Dolly Parton's hit song Jolene, which later became a White Stripes single. Also in 2004, Jack White produced and contributed to country star Loretta Lynn's highly acclaimed album Van Lear Rose, even winning him and Loretta Lynn a Grammy for the track "Portland, Oregon".

Today (Get Behind Me Satan and Current Events)

Jack White married model Karen Elson on June 1, 2005 during the White Stripes' tour of South America. The wedding ceremony took place on a canoe on the Amazon River, where the band's manager Ian Montone was best man and Meg was maid of honor. Jack and Karen had their first child, Scarlett Theresa, on Tuesday, May 2, 2006.

On June 7, 2005, The White Stripes released their fifth and most recent album, Get Behind Me Satan. The album garnered some critical acclaim, as well as releasing three singles : "Blue Orchid", "The Denial Twist", and "My Doorbell".

In 2005, Rolling Stone magazine stated : "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."

The band released a cover of indie duo Tegan and Sara's popular hit "Walking with a Ghost" on iTunes on November 14, 2005. On December 7, 2005, the song was released as the Walking with a Ghost EP, featuring four other live songs.

During the Stripes' 2005 UK Tour, Jack began to refer to himself as Three Quid and Meg as Penny Farthing, a reference to British currency.

On December 1, 2005, The White Stripes became the first band to ever perform live on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, performing both The Denial Twist and My Doorbell.

The band won even more Grammys in the 2006 Grammy Awards, where they once again won for Best Alternative Music Album (for Get Behind Me Satan), and they were nominated for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for "My Doorbell".

The Stripes appeared in a September 2006 episode of "The Simpsons" titled "Jazzy and the Pussycats".

Discography

Albums

• Icky Thump (2007)
• Get Behind Me Satan (2005)
• Elephant (2003)
• White Blood Cells (2001)
• De Stijl (2000)
• The White Stripes (1999)

Singles & EPs

• The Denial Twist (2005)
• Walking with a Ghost (2005)
• My Doorbell (2005)
• Blue Orchid (Sweden) (2005)
• Blue Orchid (UK) (2005)
• Blue Orchid (US) (2005)
• Jolene Live Under Blackpool Lights (2004)
• There's No Home For You Here (2004)
• I Just Don't Know What to Do With Myself (UK) (2003)
• The Hardest Button to Button (2003)
• Seven Nation Army (UK) (2003)
• Candy Cane Children (2002)
• Red Death at 6:14 (2002)
• We're Going To Be Friends (2002)
• Dead Leaves and The Dirty Ground (CD)
• Dead Leaves and The Dirty Ground (7")
• Fell In Love With a Girl, Pt.2 (2002)
• Fell In Love With a Girl, Pt.1 (2002)
• Hotel Yorba (2001)
• Party of Special Things to Do (2000)
• Lord, Send Me an Angel (2000)
• Hello Operator (2000)
• Handsprings (1999)
• The Big Three Killed My Baby (1999)
• Let's Shake Hands (1998)
• Lafayette Blues (1998)

DVD & Video

• Under Blackpool Lights (2004)

See Also

• Jack and Meg's On Tour Survival Guide