Earlier this week, a post began circulating online in the way that particularly mind-numbing internet garbage does: A thread from, about Fork, a journalist named Lachlan Mackey, who referred to former White Stripes drummer Meg White as a “terrible” drummer, while suggesting that the band would have been far more successful without her. (Mackey has since deleted the tweets.) After being passed around pretty thoroughly, the comments have already attracted rebuttals from a number of prominent musicians, including Questlove. Bnow White’s former bandmate/husband, Jack White has also chimed in… in his own quirk way.
White didn’t address any of the internet balloo by name, but he did issue what can only be seen as an unequivocal note of support for his former drummer/husband. Which means that he submitted a picture of her on his Instagram accompanied by a poem calling out the modern world’s “demons, cowards and vampires out for blood” and asking for “an empty field where no tall red poppies are cut down.” Which is pretty oblique as far as “Fuck off” statements go gobut the intention to defend is still pretty clear and sweet.
The White Stripes formally broke up back in 2011, even though they hadn’t released any music for a few years prior. Meg White has functionally withdrawn from any kind of public presence ever since and has not released any new music in the intervening period. (This isn’t official or anything, but the last time she appears in press photo archives was back in 2009 while promoting the White Stripes documentary Under the great white northern lights.)
The White Strips have however, has recently received renewed interest, as we come up on the 20th anniversary of their most successful album, Elephant. (The album’s anniversary is April 1; we’ve already passed the anniversary of its lead-off single, the endlessly infectious “Seven Nation Army,” back in February.) Elephant getting a re-release soon to celebrate the occasion; meanwhile, both whites are currently up for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame later this year.