The White Stripes

Lo-fi bluesy garage indie rock duo from Detroit, Michigan, USA. Formed in 1997, stopped performing in February 2011.
Members: Jack White (2) (vocals, guitar, and keyboards); Meg White (drums and percussion).
The two were a married couple at one point, but divorced in March 2000.

Jack White, previously a guitarist in the garage band The Go, was heavily influenced by folk blues, country, heavy 60s British blues and psychedelic rock, and Broadway show tunes. As a duo, The White Stripes dressed in minimalist red-and-white outfits. The group's debut was the 1997 single "Let's Shake Hands", followed by "Lafayette Blues" (Italy Records). They then moved to the label Sympathy For The Record Industry and began to receive acclaim for their act and eponymous debut album, mixing cover versions (Robert Johnson's "Stop Breaking Down Blues" and Josh White's "St. James Infirmary") with some originals.

By the time of the following year's "De Stijl" (meaning "The Style"), the media buzz surrounding the White Stripes had reached new heights. Of particular note was the duo's reception in the UK, where their music was lauded in national media, including The Daily Telegraph, The Sun and even Radio 4's Today programme — a show not normally known for its liberal music policy. The influential John Peel was quoted as comparing their importance to that of Jimi Hendrix and the Sex Pistols; although both those acts were originators, whereas the White Stripes were more clearly regarded as powerful interpreters. They became worldwide stars upon release of a third album, "White Blood Cells", followed by "Elephant" in 2003. The latter recorded at London's tiny Toe Rag Studios, using pre-60s analogue equipment and only eight tracks. Produced by Jack White, the highly-successful album offered a contrast to the digital conformity of music emerging in the new millennium, reaching the top ten in the U.S. and going platinum in the UK.