sextonseven said:

MendesCity said:

Most overrated band of the last decade.

That would be Arcade Fire.

I don't think we've ever agreed more.

AlexdeParis said:

sextonseven said:

That would be Arcade Fire.

I don't think we've ever agreed more.

And I am DEFINITELY in that camp as well. Don't get them or The National. I find very little (if anything) appealing about either of them.

A couple thoughts...

Glad to hear that so many people were (are) fans, but would you have stopped being one if the White Stripes added something more to their sound/style? Even if they added more players? I definitely wouldn't. In fact, it's half what I was expecting after Jack worked so much with the Raconteurs and Dead Weather. I could be wrong, but I think more than enough people for them to keep going would have been fine with it. So I'm not sure that limitation actaully existed for them. Regardless, I don't believe for one second that Jack couldn't come up with another batch or worthy material. Dude tosses off good songs like mad, crazy fast.

Also, and I'm surprised more people haven't mentioned it, I still think it's Meg that's bringing about this decision. I've suffered from panic attacks in the past (bad ones), and I couldn't even imagine dealing with anything resembling that on a regular basis. Thus far, I've seen or heard nothing that leads me to believe Meg isn't still having those issues. It's possible the pressure of getting the machine rolling again made it worse, and it's also possible the full stop is intended to help her finally get through it. That's all surmising and assumptions, of course, but it still think that's the most likely cause.

Regardless of what you think of their albums (early or late), their influence was huge and new people are definitely still discovering their music. Their legacy will be a long one, even if they never record another note (which I pretty seriously doubt).

yay

Cerebus said:

A couple thoughts...

Glad to hear that so many people were (are) fans, but would you have stopped being one if the White Stripes added something more to their sound/style? Even if they added more players? I definitely wouldn't. In fact, it's half what I was expecting after Jack worked so much with the Raconteurs and Dead Weather. I could be wrong, but I think more than enough people for them to keep going would have been fine with it. So I'm not sure that limitation actaully existed for them. Regardless, I don't believe for one second that Jack couldn't come up with another batch or worthy material. Dude tosses off good songs like mad, crazy fast.

Also, and I'm surprised more people haven't mentioned it, I still think it's Meg that's bringing about this decision. I've suffered from panic attacks in the past (bad ones), and I couldn't even imagine dealing with anything resembling that on a regular basis. Thus far, I've seen or heard nothing that leads me to believe Meg isn't still having those issues. It's possible the pressure of getting the machine rolling again made it worse, and it's also possible the full stop is intended to help her finally get through it. That's all surmising and assumptions, of course, but it still think that's the most likely cause.

Regardless of what you think of their albums (early or late), their influence was huge and new people are definitely still discovering their music. Their legacy will be a long one, even if they never record another note (which I pretty seriously doubt).

I agree with all this. They had such a good foundation, there was no reason they could not have brought in other musicians. It would not have tainted it (not for me at least)

And on Meg, I do think it was her, but in addition to the reason you mentioned, I think she is the one who might have had a difficult time getting over their relationship. Jack just goes about his life, but Meg always seems to be playing a supporting wife kind of role. Still totally into his thing. And if you watch their documentary about their Canadian tour, she gets quite emotional at times. I think she is still in love with him.

I have to say, as big a fan as I was (and they were maybe my favorite band of the 00's) I am not sure they have a single truly great album. Jack works so fast, and he has lots of great songs, but I think he needs to work harder at sustaining an album. For my money either White Blood Cells or Consolers of the Lonely come closest. But I don't think any White Stripes album is a true masterpiece on the level of, say, Nevermind.

[Edited 2/2/11 21:26pm]

sextonseven said:

I liked their later albums more.

I'm thankful for having seen them live a few times in both big and small venues when I had the chance. They had great style.

Sad news for me. Both The White Stripes and The Strokes brought me back to the "garage rock" style in the early 2000s.

I hope the Strokes won't break up too and EVENTUALLY drop that damn album I've been waiting for!

Anyway, good Luck, Jack... For Meg... er... Well I don't know what she has planned

My fave WS tunes...

Damn it's over already? I only know a couple of their songs. I just liked that they were a brother/sister duo. 7 Nation Army was the shit tho!

NDRU said:

And on Meg, I do think it was her, but in addition to the reason you mentioned, I think she is the one who might have had a difficult time getting over their relationship. Jack just goes about his life, but Meg always seems to be playing a supporting wife kind of role. Still totally into his thing. And if you watch their documentary about their Canadian tour, she gets quite emotional at times. I think she is still in love with him.

Shoot, I've never been in the same state with the man to my knowledge and i am still in love with his fine, adorable, sexy ...

Not sure about the relationship being an issue. Jack is of course married to Karen Elson (who makes my redhead loving heart go all pitter-patter), but they've both re-married. And there's this...

"In May 2009, White married guitarist Jackson Smith, son of punk musicians Patti Smith and Fred "Sonic" Smith. The wedding occurred in Nashville, Tennessee, in a small ceremony in Jack White's backyard. Also married at the same ceremony was Jack's fellow Raconteur Jack Lawrence to his girlfriend Jo McCaughey."

She married the guy in JACK'S backyard! I totally agree she's an emotional thing and that its probably a good portion of the reason why they stopped (for now). But I don't really see any personal problems existing between her and Jack.

HotGritz said:

I just liked that they were a brother/sister duo.

No. They are former husband and wife. In a bizarre move, Jack took Meg's surname and conveniently tricked the media into believing they were siblings.

[Edited 2/5/11 5:37am]

http://www.dailymail.co.u...xiety.html

They're reporting it was due to Megs stage fright but who knows,

I guess I should listen to some of their songs.

Identity said:

HotGritz said:

I just liked that they were a brother/sister duo.

No. They are former husband and wife. In a bizarre move, Jack took Meg surname and conveniently tricked the media into believing they were siblings.

wha???????????????

Look. They're orange. And they have a monkey. .... This is from 2002 and I think they both look younger.

^ their baby is ugly!

Cerebus said:

AlexdeParis said:

I don't think we've ever agreed more.

And I am DEFINITELY in that camp as well. Don't get them or The National. I find very little (if anything) appealing about either of them.

Really? Anybody here thinks White Stripes were better than Arcade Fire?

Alrighty then.

MendesCity said:

Cerebus said:

And I am DEFINITELY in that camp as well. Don't get them or The National. I find very little (if anything) appealing about either of them.

Really? Anybody here thinks White Stripes were better than Arcade Fire?

Alrighty then.

Oh hell yah....I'd take WS over Arcade Fire all day long (and The National, too...neither band does anything for me).

MendesCity said:

Cerebus said:

And I am DEFINITELY in that camp as well. Don't get them or The National. I find very little (if anything) appealing about either of them.

Really? Anybody here thinks White Stripes were better than Arcade Fire?

Alrighty then.

Arcade Fire seems too... what's the word... plain, I guess.

They divorced before they were well known. He actually took her name in the marriage.

http://www.gloriousnoise.com/?pg=white_stripes_divorced.php

I'm pretty sure they said they were brother and sister not just to have fun at an interviewer's expense, but because they didn't want people to get weird about them being a divorced couple.

Annie Lennox and David Stewart had ended their relationship....and then Eurythmics took off.

dalsh327 said:

They divorced before they were well known. He actually took her name in the marriage.

http://www.gloriousnoise.com/?pg=white_stripes_divorced.php

I'm pretty sure they said they were brother and sister not just to have fun at an interviewer's expense, but because they didn't want people to get weird about them being a divorced couple.

Annie Lennox and David Stewart had ended their relationship....and then Eurythmics took off.

You know what's strange, they got married and then somehow after the marriage don't work out they decide to divorce to save the band. Jack and Meg did seem tight and close as friends though. Annie & Dave are still friends too and they do Eurythmics every now and then.

I didn't know they both had remarried...

[img:$uid]http://www.exposay.com/celebrity-photos/karen-elson-and-jack-white-superheroes-fashion-and-fantasy-costume-institute-gala-at-the-metropolitan-museum-of-art-departure-0yGWLO.jpg[/img:$uid]

Oh, gee. This is what I mean when I insist some guys should never cut their hair short.

A little while ago I checked out their wiki - a lot of it has gotten edited / deleted by this point - and Jack had given comments in interviews how the new White Stripes album is his priority now. He also stated that the material wouldn't necessary sound like the old White Stripes - "a new beginning for the White Stripes" all that. Like some others in this thread I suspect it just wasn't working out.

i have never been into the white stripes (the gories is a much better band at that sort of thing) but i will say i give respect to them for this statement:

“The White Stripes do not belong to Meg and Jack anymore... The White Stripes belong to you now and you can do with it whatever you want. The beauty of art and music is that it can last forever if people want it to." music belongs to everyone. such a novel idea in these days and times.

novabrkr said:

I didn't know they both had remarried...

[img:$uid]http://i54.tinypic.com/opr6zp.jpg[/img:$uid]

Karen Elson

Jack and his fashion model wife, whom he married in 2006, have 2 kids together. I recently found out that she's a singer in her own right. In 2009, Meg got married to the son of rocker Patti Smith in Jack's backyard. Who said exes can't be close?

novabrkr said:

I didn't know they both had remarried...

[img:$uid]http://www.exposay.com/celebrity-photos/karen-elson-and-jack-white-superheroes-fashion-and-fantasy-costume-institute-gala-at-the-metropolitan-museum-of-art-departure-0yGWLO.jpg[/img:$uid]

Oh, gee. This is what I mean when I insist some guys should never cut their hair short.

A little while ago I checked out their wiki - a lot of it has gotten edited / deleted by this point - and Jack had given comments in interviews how the new White Stripes album is his priority now. He also stated that the material wouldn't necessary sound like the old White Stripes - "a new beginning for the White Stripes" all that. Like some others in this thread I suspect it just wasn't working out.

I agree, Jack looks way better (and hotter) with longer hair but I guess if he wants to go with this, that's cool too (unless this picture's old and he's grown it back).

But yeah I guess it just wasn't working out.

[Edited 2/5/11 10:15am]

Uhh, isn't this kinda like crying over Wham, Simply Red, or Tears for Fears (to a less extent) breaking up? Or whatever faux band Billy Corgan is leading.

sosgemini said:

Uhh, isn't this kinda like crying over Wham, Simply Red, or Tears for Fears (to a less extent) breaking up? Or whatever faux band Billy Corgan is leading.

Umm, no. In fact, it doesn't resemble any of that in the slightest.

The length of Jack's hair doesn't phase me at all. What gets me about dude is when he's all pasty white with dark circles under his eyes. Looks like a junky on a ten day binge. I'm pretty sure the look I'm talking about is actually makeup most of the time (maybe all the time). Whatever, dude looks skurry that way.

You got that right about Arcade Fire.

This is a shame. Jack had too many bands. Maybe he milked it for all it could be milked.

You have to admire him for seeing the forest for the trees and pulling the plug before the band became a joke like Motley Crue or Poison or some such rotten band.

It will be sad, like when At The Drive-In died.

novabrkr said:

I didn't know they both had remarried...

[img:$uid]http://www.exposay.com/celebrity-photos/karen-elson-and-jack-white-superheroes-fashion-and-fantasy-costume-institute-gala-at-the-metropolitan-museum-of-art-departure-0yGWLO.jpg[/img:$uid]

Oh, gee. This is what I mean when I insist some guys should never cut their hair short.

it looks like he just has it combed/greased back