Apologies to White Stripes

How could I have been so wrong?

When The White Stripes first hit my radar, I completely devalued the entire enterprise as “gimmick.” What, with the red, white, and black thing, the man–woman duo thing, and the we’re siblings no we’re married no we’re neither thing. Of course, the only music I had heard upon judgment was “Seven Nation Army” on the radio. Right? Hooky, different, but not in balance with the hype.

It’s only been in the past few months that I realized that I was so very wrong. Uh, they rock. The music rocks. The act is killer. I know act and I know music. I get it. But, in this case, I arrived late. Wrong. I was.

My chronology of discovery is as follows:

- “Seven Nation Army” on the radio, peripherally – 2003
- “Jolene” on the internet – 2005
- “My Doorbell” download – 2005
- “Get Behind Me Satan” – late 2005
- “White Blood Cells” – early 2006
- “Elephant” – April 2006
- Now, rarities and live downloads

Recent. Late. Wrong. And, I haven’t even gone back into the back catalogue to completely understand why they sound the way they do. I haven’t even scratched the surface. Yet, I misjudged.

The popularity kept me distant, but I now hear not only the hooks and angst, but also the performance and studio technique; and I not only appreciate it, but I respect it. Good for me.

Well, enough of that. Time to make records.