In the documentary It Might Get Loud Jack White stated that Son Houses’s Grinnin In Your Face is his favorite song of all time. The grit and simplicity of this song may shed light on the why White uses tried and true techniques to keep his relatively fresh concepts in a lo-fi time capsule.
White started banging on a drum set at age 6, and mulled around the garage rock scene of Detroit for years, contemplating where his overactive drive lead him. His Catholic upbringing would find him as an altar boy in younger years and nearly bring him to a seminary in Wisconsin, with aspirations of becoming a priest. His musical mind would eventually get the better of him when he realized that the school may not let him play his new amp in the dorms.
In 1997 Jack created The White Stripes, a highly stylized two piece, with his now ex-wife Meg White, known for their simplistic writing and garage band static. The early years of the band created rumors about what the true relationship was between Jack and Meg. And in 2003 as the duo’s infamy continued to expand, Wayne Coyne and The Flaming Lips touched on the hype, and insanity that surrounded The White Stripes, on the song titled Thank You Jack White.
Two years down the road Jack’s creativity and thirst for collaborative art would help cast the mold for The Raconteurs: a legit four piece featuring two members of the Greenhornes, bassist Jack Lawerence and precisionist Patrick Keeler. The band’s first full length was recorded in the home of the bands 4th member, Brendan Benson: a multi-instrumentalist and successful solo artist. Both Raconteurs albums claimed gold success in the UK.
2009 was the year of the super group, bringing the US rock genre powerhouses like Dead By Sunrise, Atoms For Peace, Tinted Windows, and Them Crooked Vultures. Jack White was not going to be left out. Even if the band didn’t admit to being labeled as a super group it was hard to deny The Dead Weather combined the talents of Dean Fertita of Queens of the Stone Age, Allison Mosshart of The Kills and the other “Jack” Jack Lawrence. White and Allison credit Captain Beefheart as a major influence on the band’s sound as did the band I featured a couple weeks back Jukebox The Ghost. Here’s a taster of that influence.
It wasn’t till his 37th year on this planet; White would use his partners in musical genius to help create his solo album Blunderbuss. This new album defines what White is through and through. The album uses almost exclusively 1st takes with limited track doubling, coupled with recording done using analog tape, and ribbon mics. The signature sound brings forth exactly what White wants. A warm tone that sounds best played from vinyl. A vinyl that can be purchased from Jack’s record store/ label 3rd Man Records. Marketing ploy or not a thank you is deserved to a man who cherishes American music at its greatest and stopped at nothing to shine a beacon on what great music sounds like and how it is created.
Happy Birthday Jack White.
Tracks Heard In This Podcast:
Grinnin In Your Face – Son House
Let’s Build A Home – The White Stripes
The Hardest Button To Button – The White Stripes
Thank You Jack White – The Flaming Lips
Store Bought Bones – The Raconteurs
Cut Like A Buffalo – The Dead Weather
BlunderBuss – Jack White
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