The White Stripes Break Up

[DustyDrB]

For the first time that I can recall, I am really saddened by a band break-up. It seems The White Stripes [http://pitchfork.com/news/41438-the-white-stripes-call-it-quits/] are done.

This is sad for me. I remember when I first heard them when I was 12 or 13 and at first I thought it was a joke. You didn't hear music like that on the radio at the time. This old-school rock infused with some punk attitude blew my mind and pretty much was the starting point for me looking outside of the mainstream to find music I like. They influenced what I listen to, and also influence the music I make on my own. At a time when pop songs were polished and produced so much that they lost any personality, Jack and Meg made hits that sounded dirty and had attitude. They showed a young me that technical prowess (not that they don't have any) is secondary to the feeling the music creates.

Let's hope for a reunion.

So, for discussion: When have you ever really been saddened by a band break up?

 

[jackanderson]

I only just found out today. Here is my exact thought process at the time.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! *sobs*"

And I was so looking forward to a new album this year, too! I know that it's their way of going, but it still seems like they are unfinished. :-(

OT: So, yeah. This.

 

[Nouw]

*Posts on Facebook and Tumblr, bragging rights!

Ahem, that is probably going to create tears for my friends, only song I liked was the one about hate.

Although that did spark many people over here telling people not to use the word hate >.>

 

[Julianking93]

Meh. Jack White still does music. I liked the Raconteurs best personally out of his bands, but that's probably because Brendon Benson is of teh awesome.

Though, I don't see what the big deal is. Their last album came out in 2007. >>

 

[TheRightToArmBears]

You know... I'm not that bothered. They only had one album that I really liked (Elephant) and they were crap live, so I'm not really sure how much we're losing here.

 

[Togs]

Heartbroken, but it was kinda neccesary- their albums have been getting patchier and patchier with each new release, and my respect for them has tripled by the fact that they knew to call it quits instead of flogging a dead horse and carrying on.

 

[Irridium]

Better they leave on a high note and not slowly decent into complete crap.

Thats how I see it at least. Yeah it sucks, but things end. Better this way then, well then slowly descending into crap.

 

[ajemas]

I just found out, too. Oh man, I really love their stuff. I heard Seven Nation Army and I was immediately hooked. Still, at least they knew when the jig was up. I mean, it's better to quit while you're ahead than to taint your legacy by releasing a bunch of crappy songs. It's very sad either way, though, and they will be missed.

 

[Thaliur]

Well, one annoying hipster band less...

These were the "7 nation army" people, right?

 

[MelasZepheos_v1legacy]

I never really got into them, I only liked individual songs. Icky Thump was good, about half of Elephant, but beyond that I really didn't ever love them.

It felt to me too much like Jack White was just using it as his own personal experiment, instead of making music people could listen to. Like the bit in It Might Get Loud where he does the whole 'hammering nails into a block of wood guitar' thing. It was an experiment, not really a band.

 

[Ham_authority95]

I like the White Stripes, but not as much as the singer/guitarist from my band. She's going to be devastated...

The bright side is that they threw in the towel before they became the sad, jaded rockers that have to perform at county fairs.

 

[Aggressor and Usurper]

Even if I am more of a Raconteurs fan that's fucking lame. :/ I was never huge into them except for a few tracks, but they'll be sorely missed by you indie chaps I'm sure.

 

[DustyDrB]

Meh. Jack White still does music. I liked the Raconteurs best personally out of his bands, but that's probably because Brendon Benson is of teh awesome.

Though, I don't see what the big deal is. Their last album came out in 2007. >>

I actually like The Raconteurs last album ("Old Enough" may be the best recording Jack White has been a part of) better than any White Stripes one, but I still love the White Stripes' dirty punk blues sound more overall. Maybe it's just me, but I see them as sort of important for being both kind of mainstream (I guess their popularity started with "Fell In Love With A Girl" and grew tenfold with "Seven Nation Army") and rejecting that soul-less overproduced way of making music.

 

[8bitlove2a03]

I love Jack White. While I will miss the dirty simplicity of the Stripes, I'm OK with the breakup so long as Jack keeps up with the Raconteurs and Dead Weather.

Maybe less of the Dead Weather.

 

[MiracleOfSound]

Oh no.

How will he ever find a drummer good enough to replace her amazing skills?

Jack White is a good musician.

He will flourish without that talentless hack weighing him down.

 

[Nimcha]

One the one hand I'm sad, but as people said it's better to just stop when you're still ahead. All of their albums are quality.

 

[DustyDrB]

Oh no.

How will he ever find a drummer good enough to replace her amazing skills?

Jack White is a good musician.

He will flourish without that talentless hack weighing him down.

Well, he does have The Raconteurs and the Dead Weather. I think there may be another too...

(Google searching...)

No, that was just solo stuff. But while his other bands have more talent in the whole ensemble, none of them hit the spot that the White Stripes did for me. It's been said by others, but Meg's shitty drumming just forced the music into a direction that appealed to people like me.

I wouldn't be surprised if the band broke up because of her. News reports suggested that her anxiety issues were becoming crippling on stage.

 

[MiracleOfSound]

I wouldn't be surprised if the band broke up because of her. News reports suggested that her anxiety issues were becoming crippling on stage.

Funny, same thing happened Robbie Williams.

Perhaps it's something to do with a slow but painful guilt-fuelled realization that they are far more successful than their talents merit

 

[VanillaBean]

I agree here it's a pretty tragic break-up.

As for band break-ups that really sucked for me. Well every modern day band I like is still togethor so I don't have any specifics. I will say that it is a bummer that the Beatles broke up. Sure they had a good run, but when you consider how much awesome material they made in just a decade its almost scary to think what they would of done if they stayed togethor longer.

 

[dlsevern]

I think it was probably time for them to break-up, Meg didn't seem like she was into it anymore and Jack started making more great music with Raconteurs and Dead Weather, I think that these two bands will eventually merge, I mean Jack White and Jack Lawrence are in both bands already.