The White Stripes: From Marriage to Divorce
"The White Stripes: From Marriage to Divorce" takes a look at a worldwide phenomenon energetically blending punk, country, folk and blues. The Detroit-based band consisting of Jack White on vocals and guitar and wife Meg on drums loosely represented garage rock music, a style favoring short songs with intense drumming, fast pace and memorable lyrics. Their signature sound was more than just garage rock, including traditional blues and old-time country as well.
Beginning of a powerhouse
1999 saw the release of their self-titled debut album by an independent label in California. That fall, the duo toured with Pavement and Sleater-Kinney, independent rock bands and fixtures on the music scene. In 2000, Jack and Meg divorced and released their album De Stijl. The album's primitive sound won praise by critics. In 2001, third album White Blood Cells debuted. In this album, the blues genre was replaced by tight lyrics and arrangements ranging from innocently sweet to viciously angry. White Blood Cells was a great success for the band, giving them international fame. Their video for "Fell in Love with a Girl" was hugely popular, receiving three MTV Video Music Awards in 2002.
End of an era
Elephant debuted in 2003 with a greater contribution from Meg with vocals on songs like "In the Cold, Cold Night." Their fifth album, Get Behind Me Satan, dropped in 2005, showing some of their punk and blues roots. The White Stripes' 2007 album, Icky Thump, went gold, winning the Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album in 2008. A reissue of the duo's first three albums hit stores in 2010, while Jack White flirted with the idea of a reunion in an interview with Vanity Fair magazine. This reunion never happened and on February 2, 2011, they announced The White Stripes were disbanding. No health issues or artistic differences were cited in the breakup.
An influential group with an impressive list of successful albums, the White Stripes brought a mix of musical genres that won fans worldwide.