Although megatalented guitar sex god Jack White has managed to move past the White Stripes and find success in every single other venture in which he has engaged (including being in a supergroup, being in other groups, being in movies, and making real records in a fancy shop in Tennessee), he still pines for the magic of his most notable project.
Fans of the White Stripes weren’t entirely surprised when the band dissolved last year after about a decade together , as it had been a significant amount of time since Meg and Jack had worked on anything or toured or generally been hot in public together. But everyone (and by everyone, I mean especially me, I was heartbroken) was really bummed out when it was made official that the last Stripey bit of music had been recorded.
In the intervening months, Jack has commented that there’s no way the band will ever re-form in ever, unless they run out of cash, adding that that would be really sad. Meg hasn’t said a word, which isn’t really surprising because she pretty much never talked. And now Jack says that she’s just as frustratingly silent on the issue of why the White Stripes broke up. (Don’t feel bad, Jack, she’s just not that into us.)
On the subject, Jack says:
“There came a point where I said, ‘If we’re not doing this, we need to put an end to it right now.’ And that’s what she wanted to do. I don’t know what her reasons are. Having a conversation with Meg, you don’t really get any answers. I’m lucky that girl ever got onstage, so I’ll take what I can get.”
If it seemed like Jack was the dominant one, he says Meg was topping from the bottom:
“Meg completely controlled the White Stripes. She’s the most stubborn person I’ve ever met, and you don’t even get to know the reasons.”
But Jack, like us, would have preferred the Stripes kept on going- he has said:
“I’d make a White Stripes record right now. I’d be in the White Stripes for the rest of my life. That band is the most challenging, important, fulfilling thing ever to happen to me. I wish it was still here. It’s something I really, really miss.”
I suppose in lieu of new White Stripes material, we’ll all have to make do with the new Jack White solo stuff.