The former White Stripes member comes to his own defense as saying, 'That's not me trying to sound like I'm above anyone, it was just 'shop talk'.'
- Jun 2, 2014
AceShowbiz - Jack White clarified his comments in Rolling Stone magazine about The Black Keys, Adele, Duffy, and other musicians. Since what his said was perceived as negative comments, the former member of The White Stripes issued a new statement insisting that he never meant to insult any of those artists.
"I wish the band the Black Keys all the success that they can get," he said. "I hope the best for their record label Nonesuch who has such a proud history in music, and in their efforts to bring the Black Keys songs to the world. I hope for massive success also for their producer and songwriter Danger Mouse and for the other musicians that their band employs."
"Lord knows that I can tell you myself how hard it is to get people to pay attention to a two piece band with a plastic guitar, so any attention that the Black Keys can get in this world I wish it for them, and I hope their record stays in the top ten for many months and they have many more successful albums in their career."
The rocker added, "I wish no slight to the talents of [Amy] Winehouse, Duffy, Lana del Rey, and Adele. All of whom are wonderful performers with amazing voices. I have their records and I hope for more success for them all as the years go on. They deserve all they've gotten."
"And, I also would love to state that I personally find it inspiring to have powerful, positive female voices speaking out and creating at all times in the mainstream, and all of those singers do just that, so I thank them."
Jack also amended his comment in which he referred to his ex-wife/former bandmate Meg White as a "hermit." In his new statement, he called her "a musician I've personally championed for 15 years." He went on, "She is a strong female presence in rock and roll, and I was not intending to slight her either, only to explain how hard it was for us to communicate with our very different personalities."
"This got blown out of proportion and made into headlines, and somehow I looked like I was picking on her. I would never publicly do that to someone I love so dearly. And, there are mountains of interviews where my words are very clear on how important I think she is to me and to music."
Jack's disdain towards Black Keys was first revealed last year in a series of emails submitted during his divorce proceedings with Karen Elson. "These are things I never talked about publicly, but through the actions of lawyers trying to villainize me in a private legal scenario, my private letters were made public for reasons I still don't understand," he said.
However, in the recent interview with Rolling Stone, he once again dissed Black Keys and called the band a "watered-down" version of The White Stripes. He also made the same analogy between Amy Winehouse and current pop stars like Adele, Duffy, and Lana Del Rey.
"Certain acts open up a market for a certain style. Amy Winehouse: Did she invent white soul? Wearing a beehive? No. But she did something brand new and fresh, altogether as a package, and you see who's in her wake, from the Duffys to the Lana Del Reys... Adele selling 20 million records? That would not have happened if Amy Winehouse was alive."
He went on, "The White Stripes did the same thing, and in our absence, you're gonna find someone to fill that. And you get a band like the Black Keys, who said they never heard of the White Stripes? Sure."
In his defense, Jack said, "In an attempt to not give the music magazine Rolling Stone a 'no comment,' because I thought they would use that to convey some sort of pettiness on my part, I decided to try to explain a tiny portion of what they were asking."
"But, they are the type of comments that are to be made to producers, engineers, and managers who thoroughly understand the behind-the-scenes of what we do all day long. I should've been smarter to know that it would be pointless to use comparisons like I did to readers who most likely don't understand the scenario and that my words would seem very negative in nature."
He continued, "That's not me trying to sound like I'm above anyone, it was just 'shop talk' and it sounded a lot more negative than it was meant to."
