Is white stripes the worst live band?

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

They are horrible live arn't they?

Jack White barking like a chihuahua in 190mph making every song sound the same.

― , Tuesday, 14 January 2003 18:38 (twenty-three years ago)

They're certainly better and a helluva lot more entertaining than, say, The Walkmen or Interpol.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 14 January 2003 18:40 (twenty-three years ago)

They seemed all right performing two songs on Saturday Night Live.

― My name is Kenny (My name is Kenny), Tuesday, 14 January 2003 18:44 (twenty-three years ago)

Definitely better live than on record. But that's not saying much.

― Paula G., Tuesday, 14 January 2003 18:47 (twenty-three years ago)

yes. too much 'rocking out' and being 'crazy'

― ddd, Tuesday, 14 January 2003 18:55 (twenty-three years ago)

Is you a moron?

― David Allen, Tuesday, 14 January 2003 18:56 (twenty-three years ago)

Yeah, they were all 'fun' and stuff. Who needs that?

― James Blount, Tuesday, 14 January 2003 19:34 (twenty-three years ago)

No, Meg is just the worst drummer.

― Don Weiner, Tuesday, 14 January 2003 19:42 (twenty-three years ago)

Yeah, Moe Tucker too

― James Blount, Tuesday, 14 January 2003 19:47 (twenty-three years ago)

White Stripes are great live! even at Glastonbury they managed to take control and make the huge stage seem a lot smaller than it actually was...and WHite's vocals were fine - 'We're Going To Be Friends' and the other jollier tracks perfectly audible and distinguishable from each other. they're still the most exciting rock band for me at the moment - their 'crash bang wallop' method works well because its just the two of them and they have such a powerful connection - this is a DUO for chrissakes but they've got mroe stage presence and they're making more noise and electricity than all those quartet/quintet suckers. the passion is self evident and stripped bare. i wouldnt know how to really evaluate Meg's drumming skills or Jack's guitaring but i couldnt give a toss as it sounds pretty cool to me.

― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 14 January 2003 20:43 (twenty-three years ago)

bah, nothing can prepare you for the pain that is Damon and Naomi live and unhurried.

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Tuesday, 14 January 2003 21:20 (twenty-three years ago)

The Sound of Urchin really suck. A lot. I saw them opening for Mike Watt about a year and a half ago, and it was super-pathetic.

Even worse than the half-assed alt. country band who played after them.

― ian johnson, Tuesday, 14 January 2003 21:24 (twenty-three years ago)

g-r-i-t-t-y! i dont care if they are on the cover of spin, really, they rocked!

― kephm, Tuesday, 14 January 2003 21:30 (twenty-three years ago)

I don't like their music and I saw them at Glastonbury and they were OK. So they're probably 'good live'.

― Tom (Groke), Wednesday, 15 January 2003 00:08 (twenty-three years ago)

i'm just sick of seeing rock bands that force themselves to go crazy, as did the white stripes when i saw them. they were opening for sleater kinney and the crowd just wasn't into them at all. despite zero audience energy they were trying to 'rock out' and be really wild. the end result was embarassment.
now that people know their songs, i'm sure the shows are way more authentically crazy.

― ddd, Wednesday, 15 January 2003 01:05 (twenty-three years ago)

they were opening for sleater kinney and the crowd just wasn't into them at all.

Well, they're Sleater-Kinney fans. What do you expect? ;)

― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Wednesday, 15 January 2003 01:18 (twenty-three years ago)

The White Stripes KICK ASS live. Although I agree, Meg isn't exactly a stellar drummer. She can hardly keep a beat, but is that really important?

― Jim M (jmcgaw), Wednesday, 15 January 2003 01:26 (twenty-three years ago)

I'm so bored with all this "Meg's a crap drummer" stuff. (A) She's invariably a better drummer than *YOU*, Mr. Doubter, and (B) She handily takes care of what's required of her. Who needs another Neil Peart anyway?

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 15 January 2003 01:28 (twenty-three years ago)

I like her drumming.

― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Wednesday, 15 January 2003 01:32 (twenty-three years ago)

I enjoy the White Stripes. "I Think Were Going To Be Friends" is a lovely fake nostalgia song. I've never seen them live but the looked okay on TV.

― fractal (fractal), Wednesday, 15 January 2003 01:35 (twenty-three years ago)

I love Meg's drumming. Technical it ain't, but who gives a shit? It's HEAVY, it works. I think they're fantastic live - I'm amazed at the stuff Jack can play live, there's definitely a little extra something that isn't there on the records.

― Shakey Mo Collier, Wednesday, 15 January 2003 01:36 (twenty-three years ago)

I don't think there's enough going on anymore for the size of venues they command. It was fun seeing them at the Mercury Lounge and the Continental back when it didn't matter so much but there's not a lot going on these days. I always wished they'd get a shit-hot bass player, a new drummer (Meg can keep time in there still, or switch to percussion), an organ player, a second guitarist with a cleaner sound, and maybe a harmonica player and turn into the Faces.

― mosurock (mosurock), Wednesday, 15 January 2003 01:45 (twenty-three years ago)

"turn into the Faces" - haha! I have kinda wished they toured with an organist/piano player. But that would go against what the band is about - the stripped down minimalism, the "brother/sister" duo, etc.

― Shakey Mo Collier, Wednesday, 15 January 2003 01:52 (twenty-three years ago)

i guess her drumming is just hard for me to listen to because its like looking at a painting with no color or eating a steak with no A-1 sauce or i think my ears are just snobs.

― chaki (chaki), Wednesday, 15 January 2003 01:54 (twenty-three years ago)

bah, nothing can prepare you for the pain that is Damon and Naomi live and unhurried.

Truer words have never been spoken.

― Nicole (Nicole), Wednesday, 15 January 2003 02:32 (twenty-three years ago)

is rolling stones a minor footnote in rock history?

― gabbneb, Wednesday, 15 January 2003 04:08 (twenty-three years ago)

1964-1981: No
1982-present: god, I hope so

― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Wednesday, 15 January 2003 04:09 (twenty-three years ago)

Not enough currently playing young drummers take cues from Neil Peart if you ask me. They all either wanna be (a) John Bonham (b) Travis from Blink 182 or (c) Carter from Dave Matthews Band.

― Clarke B., Wednesday, 15 January 2003 04:16 (twenty-three years ago)

From the interview with the guy from Mr. Big currently up on Metal Sludge:

To the white stripes, get a friggin' bass player your music sounds lop sided.

And now we know.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 15 January 2003 04:20 (twenty-three years ago)

Alex, I'm sorry you're sick of hearing that Meg is not a good drummer. I'm sick of seeing her needing a watch to keep time.

Does she get the job done? Yes. Does she ably round out the novelty factor of the White Stripes? Yes. Does she earn her criticism for being, at best, a rudimentary drummer? Yes.

It's possible to enjoy the White Stripes while fully acknowledging their weaknesses.

As for being sick of things, I'm sick of hearing that the White Stripes wouldn't sound better with a competent, compelling, full rhythm section.

P.S. I will do a drum off against Meg whenever she wants. I had a drum off today with my two year old this afternoon and I invariably blew him away.

P.P.S. My son will do a drum off against Meg whenever she wants. I predict he will invariably hold his own.

― Don Weiner, Wednesday, 15 January 2003 05:23 (twenty-three years ago)

I'm sure there are lots of bands who would sound better with more/different members but it would invariably shift the dynamic, and who's to say that would improve anything?

― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Wednesday, 15 January 2003 05:26 (twenty-three years ago)

Scorpions or Jim Croce? Croce Wins

― James Blount, Wednesday, 15 January 2003 05:28 (twenty-three years ago)

Meg is a fucking awful drummer. it's not even adequate, in which case i could excuse almost anything. she doesn't even keep a beat. she just hits the drums in the same rhythm as jack's riffs. it's absolutely annoying, and damn near ruins many of their songs for me. and i consider myself a fan.

― JOOLS, Wednesday, 15 January 2003 06:59 (twenty-three years ago)

Worst band period.

― CretanBull (CretanBull), Wednesday, 15 January 2003 08:56 (twenty-three years ago)

I don't think much of her technical ability, but I'd much rather watch Meg play than Charlie Watts or Levon Helm.

― Jim M (jmcgaw), Wednesday, 15 January 2003 17:08 (twenty-three years ago)

And Jim reduces it to tits...

Anyway, why hasn't anyone pointed out how fucking masculine Meg White's drumming is? I mean, she plays with more balls than a vast majority of accomplished drummers. Aside from the starts and stops of their songs (for which she relies on Jack), she's never lacking in confidence. She hits them hard and largely on time, so cares, right? I mean, wouldn't Bonham make the whole minimal aesthetic moot? Isn't Meg's drumming a HUGE part of their sound, for better or worse? (I say better, by the way)

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Wednesday, 15 January 2003 17:18 (twenty-three years ago)

Isn't Meg's drumming a HUGE part of their sound, for better or worse?

pretty much the point i was making above - get a better drummer in, i think they're going to lose something rather than gain anything (oh gee, now their records are in time, whoopee doo)

― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Wednesday, 15 January 2003 23:01 (twenty-three years ago)

"My son will do a drum off against Meg whenever she wants. I predict he will invariably hold his own."

Well, I don't care who holds his, just don't look at me.

Seriously, though, pickin' on poor Meg seems too easy (not least becasue of her gender.) I can name at least two dozen drummers who are worse than her (and in more celebrated bands, no less). But who the hell cares?

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 15 January 2003 23:06 (twenty-three years ago)

I don't even own a White Stripes record but I saw them at the Astoria about 18 months ago and it was one of the most exhilarating live shows I have ever seen. And Meg was a big part of that.

― N. (nickdastoor), Wednesday, 15 January 2003 23:38 (twenty-three years ago)

well i saw them live too and i fell asleep on the floor and Alex, Meg White is an easy target but Fred Durst isnt?

― chaki (chaki), Thursday, 16 January 2003 00:12 (twenty-three years ago)

this is my new catchphrase:
[xx]'s contribution ruins every one of their songs for me!! and i consider myself a fan!!

― mark s (mark s), Thursday, 16 January 2003 00:16 (twenty-three years ago)

minimal aesthetic is wiggidy wack. Get a bass player in there. Charlie Watts too.

White Stripes=Violent Femmes covering Led Zep

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Thursday, 16 January 2003 02:28 (twenty-three years ago)

Bernard Purdie's terrible drumming ruins every single Beatles song for me, and I consider myself a fan!

― Justyn Dillingham (Justyn Dillingham), Thursday, 16 January 2003 03:26 (twenty-three years ago)

well i saw them live too and i fell asleep on the floor

Vindication! Not so much vis-a-vis the White Stripes (like the Strokes, a big fat bland meh in my mind) as it is the fact that one CAN fall asleep at big loud and purportedly exciting/dramatic shows.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 16 January 2003 03:43 (twenty-three years ago)

I saw them play in Long Beach right around the time "Destijl" was released. It was a good show. Nothing that knocked my socks off.

― donut bitch (donut), Thursday, 16 January 2003 03:50 (twenty-three years ago)

I saw them in NYC a year and a half ago and it was indeed horrible. Still like the albums though.

I can't help but be reminded of way back in the day when Tom E. said "Pop music sucks live. So what?"

― bnw (bnw), Thursday, 16 January 2003 03:56 (twenty-three years ago)

Vindication! Not so much vis-a-vis the White Stripes (like the Strokes, a big fat bland meh in my mind) as it is the fact that one CAN fall asleep at big loud and purportedly exciting/dramatic shows.

a friend of mine fell asleep at a From Ashes Rise (ex-His Hero is Gone) show! it was pretty brutal and i don't know how she could stand it.

― ddd, Thursday, 16 January 2003 05:07 (twenty-three years ago)

"well i saw them live too and i fell asleep on the floor and Alex, Meg White is an easy target but Fred Durst isnt?"

When did I *EVER* say Fred Durst isn't an easy target? Are you kidding, the man has "TARGET" written all over him!

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 16 January 2003 18:51 (twenty-three years ago)

I almost fell asleep at a Trail of Dead concert.

― , Thursday, 16 January 2003 18:53 (twenty-three years ago)

two months pass...

Too many bands have the proper number of musicians.

Can we have a band with just a bass player and a drummer please?

― mei (mei), Monday, 31 March 2003 17:02 (twenty-three years ago)

How about a band with just bass players? maybe 4 or 5 of them? It's already been done to the hilt with drums (crash worship).

― webcrack (music=crack), Monday, 31 March 2003 17:36 (twenty-three years ago)

Can we have a band with just a bass player and a drummer please?

Try the Ruins or Lightning Bolt.

― o. nate (onate), Monday, 31 March 2003 17:41 (twenty-three years ago)

dirtbombs have 2 bass players for no audible reason

― Fritz Wollner (Fritz), Monday, 31 March 2003 17:44 (twenty-three years ago)

Worst band I saw do this was the Warlocks who had two drummers playing the exact same patterns ... why would you lug around all that equipment just to have them play the same damn thing?!? Added to that were four guitarists basically standing about squinty-eyed in old leather jackets. Maybe the 2 extra guys were there to allow the 2 others to take much needed cigarette and Budweiser breaks. You haven't experienced hell until you've waited around for 4 guitarists to tune for a song that maybe utilizes two.

― zaxxon25 (zaxxon25), Monday, 31 March 2003 18:06 (twenty-three years ago)

Try the Ruins or Lightning Bolt.

Are they Japanese? That would be even better!

― mei (mei), Monday, 31 March 2003 18:22 (twenty-three years ago)

one month passes...

A friend who is a fan had recorded the White Stripes playing on Conan O'Brien for a few days. Other than seeing their video that takes place in the house with the ghosts partying around, I hadn't heard bupkus of their music.

I liked their performances, it was pretty fun. Their schtik reminds me of some 80s groups like Timbuk 3, Devo or Wall of Voodoo.

I still don't get why some people are goofy over these people. I suppose next to Godsmack or Ludacris or some teen band on MTV it looks interesting and different.

Does this mean that Stan Ridgeway could have been a big "pop star" today?

― earlnash, Monday, 12 May 2003 15:28 (twenty-three years ago)

one year passes...

I'm calling the cops. Corn on the cops.

― Big Johnson, Friday, 5 November 2004 16:30 (twenty-one years ago)

I AM CALUM WADDEL SHE HAS GOT BIUG BOOBIES I WOULD LIKE MILKE FROM HER BOOBIES

― PORNO PETE, Friday, 5 November 2004 16:42 (twenty-one years ago)

bah, nothing can prepare you for the pain that is Damon and Naomi live and unhurried.

-- Mr Noodles (infinitec0w...), January 14th, 2003. (Mr Noodles)
LOL

― 57 7th (calstars), Friday, 5 November 2004 17:25 (twenty-one years ago)

Trail of Dead are the worst live band of all time.
The Panthers are a close second.

― cdwill, Friday, 5 November 2004 19:42 (twenty-one years ago)

There was an Australian band called Disaster Area who had 50-plus guitarists. The idea was that you rocked uo to see the band with your guitar and amp and they handed you a setlist.

― the music mole (colin s barrow), Friday, 5 November 2004 21:31 (twenty-one years ago)

One song they played was 'Smoke On The Water". You would recognise it from the opening riff, then everyone would go out of time and it would start to sound like Glenn Branca, then, very quickly, it would sound like Merzbow and stay that way until the end of the night.

― the music mole (colin s barrow), Friday, 5 November 2004 21:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Wow, I can't believe I used to actually post smiley emoticons.

― MC Transmaniacon (natepatrin), Friday, 5 November 2004 21:50 (twenty-one years ago)

― the music mole (colin s barrow), Friday, 5 November 2004 22:03 (twenty-one years ago)

The White Stripes are my favourite band. There is a couple of things that I would like to point out:

1) The White Stripes DON'T NEED a bass player, it would just wreck their INDIVIDUAL style, so please just lay off about it if that's the only reason why you don't like them.

2) Meg may not be the best drummer in the world, no-one is saying that. Her drum beats simply go with their style.

3) Some of you (and yes, there are some) have only heard 1 or 2 songs and are judging them.. there are about 100+ of them.

That is all.

― Colourful Deceit, Saturday, 6 November 2004 10:37 (twenty-one years ago)

You are why I hate the White Stripes.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Saturday, 6 November 2004 14:59 (twenty-one years ago)

OKay, look I am sick of reading this shit, seriously if you are not a fan of the band do not discriminate them... The guitar is amazing and who said Meg has no talent? She plays what the song cals for, that does not make her a bad drummer... I can almost feel the ignorance in this room... It is amazing to see how close-minded the world can be, if yo do not like a band that does not mean that they suck, seriously

― Candy Cane, Saturday, 6 November 2004 16:44 (twenty-one years ago)

If you are not a fan of English do not discriminate it

― Ronan (Ronan), Saturday, 6 November 2004 17:13 (twenty-one years ago)

Have you seen the Junior Boys?

― sundar subramanian (sundar), Saturday, 6 November 2004 17:23 (twenty-one years ago)

Meg also has bad teeth.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Saturday, 6 November 2004 19:44 (twenty-one years ago)

3) Some of you (and yes, there are some) have only heard 1 or 2 songs and are judging them.. there are about 100+ of them.

ROFFLE

― JUSHINTHUNDERLIGER (deangulberry), Saturday, 6 November 2004 19:50 (twenty-one years ago)

I like the White Stripes now. Particularly DeStijl and Elephant that post upthread was solely in reaction to White Blood Cells which I found comparitively plodding and shrill.

― miccio, Saturday, 6 November 2004 19:54 (twenty-one years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.