The White Stripes SUCK! (because they quit)

As of February 2nd, 2011, the enigmatic band known as The White Stripes have disbanded. According to their official website, the decision was not because of artistic differences or health, but was instead spurred in part by the idea of going out while they’re still on top.

As a fan, this is a curious and depressing move, one that is as unexpected as it is obvious.The White Stripes have always been known for theatrics both on stage and off, crafting alegend around who they were (brother and sister or husband and wife?) that helped revive a dead rock n’ roll scene that many considered done for good in the age of boy band bull shit. Yet their enduring power was not their cheap tricks, which have lifted so many other bands into the spotlight if just for a moment, which if anyone remembers when The Used blew up for a hot second mainly riding the wave of rumors surrounding lead singer Bert McCracken’s knack for throwing up on stage as part of his act, then you know what I’m talking about. The White Stripes were instead known for the raw power of their art, reimagining not just classic rock and blues, but also music videos and cover art that was as interesting and engaging as the side stories and songs they crafted.

That The White Stripes were so thick musically still comes as a surprise, since their act consisted solely of Jack and Meg White, who deliberately made songs that could be played only by them on stage live without the help of others. The drum and electric guitar main act was nothing but insanely simple beats that backed up massively ridiculous shredding, and it worked so well that Rolling Stone said of their arguably best disc, Elephant, that “there are still only two of them, but now they sound like an army,” and that pretty much sums it up.

Mr. White eventually branched out to other bands, first with The Raconteurs and then with The Dead Weather. Both showcased different parts of his musicianship beautifully, with Jack even taking over on his native instrument, the drum kit, and letting spooky Alison Mosshart take over on vocals for The Dead Weather. Both acts are great, with each their own reason for jamming out to, but part of the joy of listening to both of them was the fact that they were in fact “other bands,” something to tide over fans until the Stripes stormed back with a disc that sounded just like their other ones but wholly different. The official website quotes their breaking up as a “myriad of reasons,” but my initial thoughts are basically that they don’t think they can keep this up anymore and are afraid to fail. The White Stripes impressed and awed many people, and while they have put out better records than others, each was far superior than most anything that was put out that same year, and it only makes sense for a band that was so good at crafting an image and a story to keep it from blowing up and getting away from them. Some of the best music has come out of Michigan in the past decade or so, with The White Stripes and Sufjan Stevens leading the way, and both are as finicky as they are wonderful. The White Stripes danced on a thin line, pushing boundaries of music in ways no one had dared to in years, and with that meant the eventual end of their era. The best thing about The White Stripes was that they knew what to do and when to do it, and always had complete control. Deep down, we all knew it would happen this way.

Written by :

Phil Sieb