“More punk than anything”: Jack White on the greatest show he’d ever seen

Posted On December 7, 2024December 7, 2024

Jack White is the all-American everyman of rock and roll. From his time re-energising garage rock with The White Stripes to his tireless work running Third Man Records, it is a wonder that the Detroit-born songwriter ever gets the chance to sleep. One of White’s greatest assets, particularly when running his independent label, is the expansive nature of his own music taste, which encapsulates everything from the obscure blues artists of the 1920s to the hip-hop heroes of the modern age.

When White first established himself within the musical mainstream, with the release of The White Stripes’ self-titled debut in 1999, he borrowed a lot from the punk world. Unsurprisingly, as a native of Detroit, Michigan, White had grown up worshipping the garage rock scene and legendary proto-punk outfits like The MC5 and The Stooges. Those groups, who paved the way for the punk rock explosion of the 1970s, played a colossal role in defining the early sounds of White’s band, and the songwriter never lost his appreciation for punk.

In fact, White’s Third Man Records label is very punk in its staunch independence and DIY ethos. What’s more, the label has always supported up-and-coming punk and alternative rock bands, as well as reissuing various forgotten gems from the first wave of the genre. Even still, the parameters of punk are far too restrictive for the mind of Jack White. So, it is not surprising that he has developed his musical taste tenfold since the early days of The White Stripes.

Namely, White has shown an increased appreciation for the world of hip-hop over the past few decades. As the songwriter readily admits, he was not overly convinced by rap music during his youth, owing to its lack of traditional instruments, however he has certainly warmed to the style in recent times. That appreciation has been reflected in White’s various collaborations, namely with hip-hop megastar Jay-Z, although that joint project never saw widespread release.

Reportedly, the catalyst for White’s love of hip-hop was the work of one man, Kanye West – now known as Ye. Admittedly, the rapper has created some of hip-hop’s all-time greatest records, particularly in the earlier part of his career. Coupled with his defiant attitude – which has taken a more sinister turn in recent years – and tireless artistic vision, you can understand why Jack White might form a love of Ye.

Back in 2013, White even made the pilgrimage to an arena in Nashville to watch Ye perform live during his now-iconic Yeezus tour. At the time, the songwriter told Rolling Stone, “That might have been the greatest show I’ve seen in my life.” White went on to explain, “It was more punk, more in-your-face than anything I’ve seen. The ego is just so massive that there’s no doubt in my mind you’re getting one hundred per cent honesty from him. How many artists can you say that about?”

It is certainly difficult to think of any artist with an ego that rivals Ye, and the dangers of that colossal ego have been shown in recent years, with the rapper’s steady descent into far-right conspiracy theories, anti-semitism, and an outspoken appreciation for Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler. Back in the Yeezus era, however, the musician’s ego simply added to the punk offerings of his live show, with which White fell in love.

According to the former White Stripes frontman, Ye once approached him with the idea of a collaboration. Given the shared history of punk and hip-hop—born from DIY origins and a subversion of authority—the idea was very appealing to White. However, Ye failed to follow up on the offer, and, to date, the pair have not had the chance to go into the studio together. After the headlines that Ye made for his controversial outbursts recently, it is unlikely the collaboration will ever go ahead. 

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