Black, White and Red all over

Finished a large job yesterday and celebrated by taking in one of the hardest working bands in showbiz (do they still say that?) - Jack and his "sister" Meg of the White Stripes. Someone asked me later that evening what was the deal with the Stripes, what made them good?

Well, to start with Jack White is probably one of the best guitarists on the planet right now, but there is something else... I've always been attracted to the quirky artist type bands, and White puts the Q in quirk; they have major style - what other band has a colour statement? (They only wear black, white or red - ditto all their gear); and the lyrics are poetic and gutsy... but mostly it's because the guy bleeds on the stage. That's what it feels like as he is ripping through a dirty neo-blues garage number and Meg thumps out the bass beat like she is tied into Jack's heart and is transcribing what she hears.

Plus, who wouldn't love a band that decides if they are going to tour Canada they are going to tour all of it. I wonder what the people in Whitehorse, Yellowknife and Iqaluit thought of this Detroit rocker coming through town. I would have loved to been there.

Here is a link to my White Stripe inspired story Shuffle, at 3:A.M. Magazine.