Earlier this week, a message began circulating online in a way that is mostly brain-busting internet garbage: A thread of, per Pitchfork, a journalist named Lachlan Mackey, who called former White Stripes drummer Meg White a “terrible” drummer, while suggesting that the band would have been much more successful without her. (Mackey has since deleted the tweets.) After being widely circulated, the comments have already attracted rebuttals from a number of prominent musicians, including Questlove. Bbut now White’s former bandmate/husband, Jack White, has also cheered… in his own particular way.
White didn’t address any of the internet hullaballoo by name, but he did release what can only be seen as an unequivocal statement of support for his former drummer/husband. That is to say he Posted a picture of her on his Instagram accompanied by a poem summoning the “demons, cowards, and vampires out for blood” of the modern world and prayers for “an empty field where great red poppies are not cut down.” Which is kind of slanted, as far as “Fuck off” statements go to gobut the intent to defend is still pretty clear and sweet.
The White Stripes formally disbanded in 2011, although they had not released any music for a few years. Meg White has since functionally withdrawn from any kind of public presence and has not released any new music in the intervening period. (This isn’t official or anything, but the last time she showed up in press photo archives was back in 2009, while promoting the documentary White Stripes Under Great White Northern Lights.)
Have the white strips however recently picked up renewed interest, as we approach the 20th anniversary of their most successful album, Elephant. (The album’s anniversary is April 1; we’ve already passed the anniversary of the first single, the endlessly catchy “Seven Nation Army,back in February.) Elephant will soon be getting a reissue to commemorate the occasion; meanwhile, both whites are on the verge of being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame later this year.