The Seeker of Good Songs
Well-Known Member
Near the beginning of The White Stripes‘ documentary Under Great White Northern Lights, Jack White describes his reasons for the band’s epic 2007 tour of Canada:
In Under Great White Northern Lights you see a lot more than just a devotion to fans. You get an inward glance on a band that is otherwise private and closed off—even if it is just a passing glance. That passing glance, however, was enough for me to see the band in a completely different light than I had in the past—and it isn’t always the best light.
First off, I have been a pretty big supporter of most all things Jack White. I really enjoy The White Stripes, The Raconteurs have some solid songs, The Dead Weather kind of creep me out but are good, and White’s work on the newest James Bond theme is incredible. I really enjoyed this documentary, not only as a chronicle of The White Stripes’ tour, but also as a chronicle of the band’s 10-years together. Also, the concert footage is amazing. Director Emmett Malloy does an incredible job of mixing digital shots with 16mm shots to compliment the band’s high-energy stage show, and also to create some amazing quiet, introspective moments with just White and his drummer/ex-wife Meg White.
I will say this: If you aren’t a huge fan of The White Stripes in general and/or think Jack White is kind of a full-of-himself-prick, you probably won’t like this documentary. I have read a lot of interviews with White and I know that he can come off as pretty egotistical and self-involved. I can imagine that if I had the same amount of talent and determination I would come off as the same…but that’s beside the point and I can’t condone that kind of attitude. This documentary doesn’t do much to help that image of White, but it does help a little.
White has his moments of humor and light-heartedness, and there are some amazing scenes between he and Meg joking around and prodding each other that are highly entertaining, leaving you to forget about the ego that is Jack White. Where the humor slides back and the ego comes out are mostly during the interview portions of the movie—with Malloy laying in the background on a bed in an old hunting shack while Jack and Meg sit in front of the camera in the foreground answering questions. And by Jack and Meg answering questions, I mean Jack talking at length and Meg sitting by his side, smiling, hair in her face, quiet, laughing at his jokes…her usual place. But I’ll come back to Meg later on.
When Jack is at his worst (which still isn’t so bad…I mean he’s no Billy Corgan) is when he’s answering questions about the band and their image. White spends a good portion of time defending himself and Meg from critics who say everything in the band is premeditated, that they are just a gimmick, and that they are just a “flash in the pan.” At times he makes good points, especially in regards to being a “flash in the pan.” White states that they must be doing something right and they should be past that moniker since they are on their sixth studio album and still going strong. However, when it comes to talking about things being premeditated, he seems to move into a braggart mode that just made me roll my eyes. Things like how the band doesn’t make set lists, and how White makes things purposefully difficult for himself so he can “keep learning”—even going as far as to moving his organs and pianos just far enough away so he has to reach a little farther to play them on stage (but as my friend pointed out after viewing the movie: White does that but also has multiple microphones on stage so he is never more than a head turn away from having his voice heard). But again, it isn’t that bad. There are bigger egos with less talent spouting off on a more regular basis than Jack White. I didn’t let this distract me from the amazing footage.
Oh and he still claims, despite concrete evidence otherwise, that he and Meg are brother and sister. I mean…come on. We have seen your marriage license.
Which brings me back to my earlier note on Meg White, and also other things that aren’t in the best light. So I know that Meg isn’t the greatest drummer in the world. It’s obvious. Everyone notices it, but she works in the aesthetic of the band and I always thought that she and Jack work together well. Here is where the movie made me rethink everything. About halfway through, during a scene where Jack and Meg walk across the frozen tundra of northern Canada, to which Jack is in front and Meg is behind keeping up, I began feeling incredibly sorry for Meg. Throughout the movie, she is doting on his every word, smiling at him, following his orders, and being his right hand girl in everything.
There were key points that made me feel this way for sure. One point were all the scenes of them walking around and him always leading the way. Also with those are the scenes where they are interviewing together. Meg rarely says anything during the film. When she does, she is poorly mic’d so all her words are subtitled. At one point, Jack comments on how everyone says he never allows her to talk. He looks to Meg, and says, “Go on and tell them that isn’t true.” She begins to say something and Jack interrupts her, and once he allows her to talk, she just says, “I’m just a quiet person. I’m shy.” She starts to explain further and he interrupts again and doesn’t ever let her finish.
Another point is their interactions on stage together. They do work well together, yes, but it is through Jack’s orders. There are many scenes of them on stage and Jack barking orders at Meg between and even during songs. At one point he even says over the microphone, “Let’s play this one faster Meg,” and after the show talks about how he felt weird during the show, that everything felt off, and that the tempos felt off. All the while, Meg just sits around smoking saying, “I thought it all sounded fine.” It was a sort of awkward moment between them that I’m sure Malloy left in to show their interactions and also to make Jack out to be a perfectionist. To me, it just came off as unnecessarily critical and sort of a passive aggressive slight at Meg.
(continued below do to length of text)
from: http://consequenceofsound.net/2010/03/16/check-out-under-great-white-northern-lights/
Having never done a tour of Canada, Meg and I thought it was high time to go whole hog…from the ocean to the permafrost…We wanted to play out of the way towns that don’t usually get shows…the shows are better, it’s better for the people, it’s a better experience, it’s way more unique, something interesting is going to happen…hopefully.
These are fantastic reasons and an admirable goal: playing for their fans that may not be able to travel hundreds of miles to see one of their shows. But it was not only that. The White Stripes also played free spur of the moment shows in each town they stopped in so that not only could their fans see them, but also they could see them for free in a park or a bar or a bowling alley. Respect and loyalty to fans are things I enjoy most about bands. If I love a group, then see them live, and they’re dicks, I don’t enjoy the music as much. The same is true the other way around. If I am only moderately a fan, and then see someone live being incredibly gracious to fans, I am instantly hooked (case in point: Andrew WK).
In Under Great White Northern Lights you see a lot more than just a devotion to fans. You get an inward glance on a band that is otherwise private and closed off—even if it is just a passing glance. That passing glance, however, was enough for me to see the band in a completely different light than I had in the past—and it isn’t always the best light.
First off, I have been a pretty big supporter of most all things Jack White. I really enjoy The White Stripes, The Raconteurs have some solid songs, The Dead Weather kind of creep me out but are good, and White’s work on the newest James Bond theme is incredible. I really enjoyed this documentary, not only as a chronicle of The White Stripes’ tour, but also as a chronicle of the band’s 10-years together. Also, the concert footage is amazing. Director Emmett Malloy does an incredible job of mixing digital shots with 16mm shots to compliment the band’s high-energy stage show, and also to create some amazing quiet, introspective moments with just White and his drummer/ex-wife Meg White.
I will say this: If you aren’t a huge fan of The White Stripes in general and/or think Jack White is kind of a full-of-himself-prick, you probably won’t like this documentary. I have read a lot of interviews with White and I know that he can come off as pretty egotistical and self-involved. I can imagine that if I had the same amount of talent and determination I would come off as the same…but that’s beside the point and I can’t condone that kind of attitude. This documentary doesn’t do much to help that image of White, but it does help a little.
White has his moments of humor and light-heartedness, and there are some amazing scenes between he and Meg joking around and prodding each other that are highly entertaining, leaving you to forget about the ego that is Jack White. Where the humor slides back and the ego comes out are mostly during the interview portions of the movie—with Malloy laying in the background on a bed in an old hunting shack while Jack and Meg sit in front of the camera in the foreground answering questions. And by Jack and Meg answering questions, I mean Jack talking at length and Meg sitting by his side, smiling, hair in her face, quiet, laughing at his jokes…her usual place. But I’ll come back to Meg later on.
When Jack is at his worst (which still isn’t so bad…I mean he’s no Billy Corgan) is when he’s answering questions about the band and their image. White spends a good portion of time defending himself and Meg from critics who say everything in the band is premeditated, that they are just a gimmick, and that they are just a “flash in the pan.” At times he makes good points, especially in regards to being a “flash in the pan.” White states that they must be doing something right and they should be past that moniker since they are on their sixth studio album and still going strong. However, when it comes to talking about things being premeditated, he seems to move into a braggart mode that just made me roll my eyes. Things like how the band doesn’t make set lists, and how White makes things purposefully difficult for himself so he can “keep learning”—even going as far as to moving his organs and pianos just far enough away so he has to reach a little farther to play them on stage (but as my friend pointed out after viewing the movie: White does that but also has multiple microphones on stage so he is never more than a head turn away from having his voice heard). But again, it isn’t that bad. There are bigger egos with less talent spouting off on a more regular basis than Jack White. I didn’t let this distract me from the amazing footage.
Oh and he still claims, despite concrete evidence otherwise, that he and Meg are brother and sister. I mean…come on. We have seen your marriage license.
Which brings me back to my earlier note on Meg White, and also other things that aren’t in the best light. So I know that Meg isn’t the greatest drummer in the world. It’s obvious. Everyone notices it, but she works in the aesthetic of the band and I always thought that she and Jack work together well. Here is where the movie made me rethink everything. About halfway through, during a scene where Jack and Meg walk across the frozen tundra of northern Canada, to which Jack is in front and Meg is behind keeping up, I began feeling incredibly sorry for Meg. Throughout the movie, she is doting on his every word, smiling at him, following his orders, and being his right hand girl in everything.
There were key points that made me feel this way for sure. One point were all the scenes of them walking around and him always leading the way. Also with those are the scenes where they are interviewing together. Meg rarely says anything during the film. When she does, she is poorly mic’d so all her words are subtitled. At one point, Jack comments on how everyone says he never allows her to talk. He looks to Meg, and says, “Go on and tell them that isn’t true.” She begins to say something and Jack interrupts her, and once he allows her to talk, she just says, “I’m just a quiet person. I’m shy.” She starts to explain further and he interrupts again and doesn’t ever let her finish.
Another point is their interactions on stage together. They do work well together, yes, but it is through Jack’s orders. There are many scenes of them on stage and Jack barking orders at Meg between and even during songs. At one point he even says over the microphone, “Let’s play this one faster Meg,” and after the show talks about how he felt weird during the show, that everything felt off, and that the tempos felt off. All the while, Meg just sits around smoking saying, “I thought it all sounded fine.” It was a sort of awkward moment between them that I’m sure Malloy left in to show their interactions and also to make Jack out to be a perfectionist. To me, it just came off as unnecessarily critical and sort of a passive aggressive slight at Meg.
(continued below do to length of text)
from: http://consequenceofsound.net/2010/03/16/check-out-under-great-white-northern-lights/
I hope they can come back cos I miss my Stripes.
