Seminal Detroit two piece The White Stripes are due to begin working on their eagerly anticipated new album later this year.
The electric pairing of Jack and Meg White took the music world by storm back in 2001. Sure, they were already onto their third album but that just meant the band had a killer back catalogue to draw on.
Screeching vocals, wailing guitar and tub-thumping drums The White Stripes had it all – in spades. The band released their last album ‘Icky Thump’ in 2007, but since then the trail has gone cold.
Jack White went on to form The Raconteurs with close friend Brendan Benson. Their second album ‘Consolers Of The Lonely’ was released to widespread acclaim last year, but even that isn’t enough to suffice the guitarist’s musical hunger.
The Detroit musician unveiled his new group The Dead Weather earlier this year. With Alison Mosshart of The Kills on vocals, debut album ‘Horehound’ could well be one of the most intriguing albums of the year.
Jack White is also set to work on a number of other projects, including a seven inch with some rockabilly legends.
Meg White, however, has been silent of late. The drummer suffered from nervous exhaustion towards the end of 2007 and was forced to take some time off. Since ‘Icky Thump’ the musician has only made one public appearance – on Conan O’Brien’s farewell show.
However the pair could be due to make a comeback soon with Jack White revealing recently that a new album “won’t be too far off. Maybe next year.”
“We had recorded a couple of songs at the new studio,” he told musicradar.com. “I talked to her about coming by when I was done in the summer rehearsing with The Dead Weather – I won’t be done in the summer touring with them, but after the summer jaunt.”
Asked about Meg White’s well being, the guitarist replied that her difficulties are ““is in the past. Meg is a very shy girl, a very quiet and shy person. To go full-speed from a dead-halt is overwhelming, and we had to take a break.””
“My son was being born, so we didn’t had a lot of time left. We were trying to cram everything into a short time span, and we were just plowin’, man! The train was out of control,” White says.
White also revealed that the band find touring extremely difficult.
“We just needed to stop for a while. When it comes down to your health…It’s hard; people don’t really understand. They think you go up on stage and you’re having a blast, like you’re partying or some shit. That’s not the case. It’s hard work to go on tour.”
