# White Stripes call it quits



## Hamstrung (Sep 21, 2007)

... as of today.

The White Stripes


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## snacker (Jun 26, 2008)

that's a shame for the fans, but i won't miss 'em - i much prefer the raconteurs anyway


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## Stratin2traynor (Sep 27, 2006)

That's too bad...but The Raconteurs will continue! Hopefully.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

I'm just not a fan. I've heard enough of Jack to know it's not my cup of tea, regardless of what band he's playing in. As for Meg, she's really not much of a drummer. 

Not a great loss from my perspective.


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## zurn (Oct 21, 2009)

I love them, better to call it quits now before they start releasing crap though


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## Hamstrung (Sep 21, 2007)

I like them in general. I feel they provided a counterbalance to the overproduced, autotune enhanced stuff that commercial radio likes to push. Maybe not a huge loss going forward but they served their purpose. Probably why they ended it.


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

...i'm really not qualified to say whether either of them are good/great/mediocre musicians. i just found them entertaining, compelling, exciting and a lot of other adjectives. at times they made my hair stand on end. hopefully that's not a bad thing.


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## washburned (Oct 13, 2006)

Milkman said:


> I'm just not a fan. I've heard enough of Jack to know it's not my cup of tea, regardless of what band he's playing in. As for Meg, she's really not much of a drummer.
> 
> Not a great loss from my perspective.


Might I ask why?


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

WS was really more of an extended event than a band, per se. That's not a good or bad thing, merely what it is. Jack has so many other projects on the side (not the least of which is resurrecting Wanda Jackson's career), that it is doubtful he has any time left over.

If it were the case that Meg was as relentlessly and obsessively musical as Jack (and she does not seem to be), or that there was more to the "group" than Jack and Meg, then I could see there be some critical mass that "tries to get the band back together". But as it is, it would take one tsunami of nostalgia and free time for those two to re-form as a touring band. And with White involved in so many things, it's not like folks are going to be missing out on anything....unless Meg's drumming is what turns your crank.


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

mhammer said:


> WS was really more of an extended event than a band, per se. That's not a good or bad thing, merely what it is. Jack has so many other projects on the side (not the least of which is resurrecting Wanda Jackson's career), that it is doubtful he has any time left over.
> If it were the case that Meg was as relentlessly and obsessively musical as Jack (and she does not seem to be), or that there was more to the "group" than Jack and Meg, then I could see there be some critical mass that "tries to get the band back together". But as it is, it would take one tsunami of nostalgia and free time for those two to re-form as a touring band. And with White involved in so many things, it's not like folks are going to be missing out on anything....unless Meg's drumming is what turns your crank.


...she ain't no gene krupa, but she's huge fun to watch.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

washburned said:


> Might I ask why?


Well I don't want to offend anyone who may love them but I just find his playing noisy and sloppy and his voice nasal and whiny. As for Meg's playing, I don't know how to answer other than to say she's a terrible drummer. Her meter is all over the place and her chops are high school level at best (sorry high school guys, but at that level I expect more).

But forget about all that. What it comes down to is the writing. I don't like the songs, and I've listened enough to know. I gave them extra slack because so many people seem to really like them.

I've learned that tastes are one of the things you can't always quantify or rationalize. You either like it or you don't.


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

...to each his own. i grew up listening to everyone from hank williams to little richard. my parents' generation said "that's not music, it's noise". no one would ever call chuck berry or jerry lee lewis "virtuosos". nor muddy waters, for that matter. i realize that mario lanza is a better singer than bob dylan.
so, while i can appreciate toto or steely dan for their musicianship, if i want to get my rocknroll "fix", i'll put on a dvd by the white stripes, green day or velvet revolver.




Milkman said:


> Well I don't want to offend anyone who may love them but I just find his playing noisy and sloppy and his voice nasal and whiny. As for Meg's playing, I don't know how to answer other than to say she's a terrible drummer. Her meter is all over the place and her chops are high school level at best (sorry high school guys, but at that level I expect more).
> 
> But forget about all that. What it comes down to is the writing. I don't like the songs, and I've listened enough to know. I gave them extra slack because so many people seem to really like them.
> 
> I've learned that tastes are one of the things you can't always quantify or rationalize. You either like it or you don't.


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## Hamstrung (Sep 21, 2007)

Milkman said:


> Well I don't want to offend anyone who may love them but I just find his playing noisy and sloppy and his voice nasal and whiny. As for Meg's playing, I don't know how to answer other than to say she's a terrible drummer. Her meter is all over the place and her chops are high school level at best (sorry high school guys, but at that level I expect more).
> 
> But forget about all that. What it comes down to is the writing. I don't like the songs, and I've listened enough to know. I gave them extra slack because so many people seem to really like them.
> 
> I've learned that tastes are one of the things you can't always quantify or rationalize. You either like it or you don't.


Funny, I 100% agree with your assessment... for some reason I still like them!  Like you say, hard to quantify or rationalize. By the same rationale I dislike Archade Fire after trying to see what all the fuss was about. Just can't explain it other than they don't move me. Oh well, that's what keeps it all endlessly interesting.


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

While I haven't liked their last couple of CD's much, I am and will continue to be a big fan of their older catalogue - it's low-fi but it rocks my socks for sure. And some of the songwriting is beyond stellar, imho. Had the pleasure of seeing them here about 3 years ago, and it was a VERY fun show - Jack's all about showmanship, had good banter with the crowd, puts out tonnnnnesss of energy. I don't disagree with the negative assessments of Meg but that never bothered me even a bit.

It's funny, I originally loved the Raconteurs discs, thought the 1st was way better than the 2nd...but now neither of those see any rotation on my ipod, where the WS stuff surely sees lots.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

david henman said:


> ...to each his own. i grew up listening to everyone from hank williams to little richard. my parents' generation said "that's not music, it's noise". no one would ever call chuck berry or jerry lee lewis "virtuosos". nor muddy waters, for that matter. i realize that mario lanza is a better singer than bob dylan.
> so, while i can appreciate toto or steely dan for their musicianship, if i want to get my rocknroll "fix", i'll put on a dvd by the white stripes, green day or velvet revolver.


Yet, I love Bob Dylan. At the end of the day, for me, it's the songs. I can accept Bob's "singing" because it reaches me somehow. Some things you can't and don't need to explain.


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## John Watt (Aug 24, 2010)

"my girlfriend's on the level, I think she's straight, all the time"
Yeah... lyrics like that.
Hey, Meg baby! You wanna get a head? You wanna go a head? Give me a call.
I'll get your beats beating again.


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## 4345567 (Jun 26, 2008)

__________


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Zzzzzz Zzzzzz Zzzzzz.


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

Robert1950 said:


> Zzzzzz Zzzzzz Zzzzzz.


Ditto on that


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## Stratin2traynor (Sep 27, 2006)

I don't think either of them are virtuosos. I just enjoy the rawness of their music. Two people rockin out. Simple as that. I enjoy the showmanship, the attitude and a lot of the music gets me going as well. Still a fan.


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## gearalley (Oct 23, 2009)

NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! Aww too bad - there were rumours last fall about new material possibly this year.


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## washburned (Oct 13, 2006)

Stratin2traynor said:


> I don't think either of them are virtuosos. I just enjoy the rawness of their music. Two people rockin out. Simple as that. I enjoy the showmanship, the attitude and a lot of the music gets me going as well. Still a fan.


I guess I must confess to a decidedly marked preference for raw and rough as opposed to smooth and polished. There are two young blues artists out our way, one who gets a lot of play and publicity, the other not so much.....guess which one can hold my attention for a whole hour while the other has said it all in about two songs?


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## prodigal_son (Apr 23, 2009)

White Stripes = crap

Their label probably dropped them. At least their vinyls will go up in value. I'm sorry dudes but I can't handle listening to them. There's way too many of these kinds of acts these days. That squealing Whammy octave tone just sounded so retarded.


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## Peter (Mar 25, 2008)

mhammer said:


> WS was really more of an extended event than a band, per se. That's not a good or bad thing, merely what it is. Jack has so many other projects on the side (not the least of which is resurrecting Wanda Jackson's career), that it is doubtful he has any time left over.
> 
> If it were the case that Meg was as relentlessly and obsessively musical as Jack (and she does not seem to be), or that there was more to the "group" than Jack and Meg, then I could see there be some critical mass that "tries to get the band back together". But as it is, it would take one tsunami of nostalgia and free time for those two to re-form as a touring band. And with White involved in so many things, it's not like folks are going to be missing out on anything....unless Meg's drumming is what turns your crank.


There be cranks turning, but it's certainly not her drumming....


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## J S Moore (Feb 18, 2006)

Sometimes stellar musicianship gets in the way. I'll take Mike Bloomfield or Peter Green over Steve Vai, Janis Joplin or Carole King over Beyonce, I could go on forever. 

I understood where Jack White was coming from after "It Might Get Loud" and even though I dont' listen to WS I have an appreciation for what he was doing. I'm on side with Neil Young, it's not the level of skill it's what you're trying to say.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

J S Moore said:


> Sometimes stellar musicianship gets in the way. I'll take Mike Bloomfield or Peter Green over Steve Vai, Janis Joplin or Carole King over Beyonce, I could go on forever.
> 
> I understood where Jack White was coming from after "It Might Get Loud" and even though I dont' listen to WS I have an appreciation for what he was doing. I'm on side with Neil Young, it's not the level of skill it's what you're trying to say.


I agree. You either like the songs or you don't. Why, is incidental.


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## washburned (Oct 13, 2006)

Brings to mind a quote from "Wolfgang's Vault" introducing a Neil Young and Crazy Horse concert from the early 70s ; something about guitars "just out of tune enough for rock and roll".


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

I was just driving along listening to the Black Keys and wondering if any of you who dislike the WS are fans of the BK. They're in essence the same band, playing music that is certainly related in style if not downright similar. BK are hot as hell right now and while I do like them, I think none of the singing, guitar playing, or and especially songwriting is anywhere near as good as WS stuff. Just curious if there's a divergent opinion.


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## John Watt (Aug 24, 2010)

Maybe now the timing is right to reveal the new supergroup, Jack White and Jack Black, "Black Beauties",
also the name of their first song, written by the new drummer, Willie Nelson, 
with Carole King on keyboards, after silicone injections, and Greg Lake on bass.
They're still trying to figure out how to get some E into "come take a pebble".


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## benisonstar (Feb 11, 2011)

Meg had reportedly been afflicted with social anxiety issues, bless her heart, what a sin. Jack plays guitar unabashedly which makes him awesome in my book...the songs they wrote together are very powerful at times especially being that they were only a very simplistic, primal 2 piece. Yeah sure Jack's singing sounds terrible when he's trying to comp with an old time bluegrass band but the character he so easily puts forth with the WS's is what R and R is all about. To criticize the WS's for their musical skill is petty. If you just don;t like their sound great but noone can say they suck. They don't , they frickin killed it big time for their time in the sun. Jack white has made some serious waves and Meg is a sweet fine honey on the drums, she obviously wasn't there to impress with her playing, just to lay down a phat beat for Jack to make the old time meat the new time and rock the audience.


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

...well said! 
as i have mentioned, i am well aware that mario lanza and donny osmond are better singers than bob dylan. but who do i listen to and enjoy? 
one of my favourite local guitarists is grant fullerton. for every twenty notes he plays, he gets maybe one right. but he plays with an absolutely delicious sense of total abandon.
you can have supertramp, toto, steely dan, yes, genesis, 10cc. 
i'll take the stones, the new york dolls, the sex pistols and the white stripes.




benisonstar said:


> Meg had reportedly been afflicted with social anxiety issues, bless her heart, what a sin. Jack plays guitar unabashedly which makes him awesome in my book...the songs they wrote together are very powerful at times especially being that they were only a very simplistic, primal 2 piece. Yeah sure Jack's singing sounds terrible when he's trying to comp with an old time bluegrass band but the character he so easily puts forth with the WS's is what R and R is all about. To criticize the WS's for their musical skill is petty. If you just don;t like their sound great but noone can say they suck. They don't , they frickin killed it big time for their time in the sun. Jack white has made some serious waves and Meg is a sweet fine honey on the drums, she obviously wasn't there to impress with her playing, just to lay down a phat beat for Jack to make the old time meat the new time and rock the audience.


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

david henman said:


> ....
> one of my favourite local guitarists is grant fullerton. for every twenty notes he plays, he gets maybe one right. but he plays with an absolutely delicious sense of total abandon.
> .......


Veering somewhat off topic, but for me listening to Jeff Buckley's live album Mystery White Boy is like that....he takes chances (vocally I'm speaking here) and doesn't always get where you think maybe he intended but omg when he does it just blows your socks right off.....and 'abandon' is a good word for it, it's not like the artists don't _care_ - who the heck wants to play sour notes in public? Bringing it back around, this, for me, is Jack's guiitar playing in the live environment.


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

I'm not really hugely disappointed, but I was and am a fan of their music. Starting with their early albums in the late 90s and early 2000's, they offered a refreshing change to the cock-rock that was all over the place at the time, like Nickleback/Default/Staind/3 Doors Down, etc., the wimp-rock from Train, Fuel, Matchbox 20, etc. and the i-just-plain-don't-like-it-rock from Godsmack, Puddle of Crud, Linkin Park, etc.

In a time of HUGE sounds from huge band with lots of guitars and leather pants, here's this quirky two-piece playing fuzzed out blues tunes. How cool was that? 

I'm glad they went out on top, because Icky Thump was a SERIOUSLY good album!


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## 4345567 (Jun 26, 2008)

__________


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## John Watt (Aug 24, 2010)

I gotta like'em. They made it further across the up north of Canada than even I have.

Someone mentioned Grant Fullerton.
Did he play a Gibson 335 and only picked down, not back and forth?
If that's him, I saw his band once, and was impressed. I never had a chance to see him again.
That's going back to the early eighties, in fact, the summer Terry Fox died.
I'll never forget that. I was at a country bar for a matinee with Terry Carisse,
and his bassist came onstage between sets, and just stood there, until everyone got quiet, watching and wondering.
He looked so sad, and then he said Terry Fox just died. The room was still, and people started crying.
It took over five minutes before people started moving around again. 
Cancer is the new millennium blues.

Yeah! Getting into The White Stripes made me font out a little.


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