White Swirl

TheTimeBeing wrote:You might notice the strips of white gaff tape on the Fender Rhodes road case. That was our (not so subtle) way of requesting songs.
John and I would occasionally write songs on tape, and plaster them in places the crowd couldn't see: monitor speakers, under mic stands, etc..
Never having seen a set list.. ever, it was our way of prodding Jack into obscure/fav songs when he was pacing the stage, summoning the next explosion.

Does this not make anyone else smile when they read it? Brilliant. I love it.

rival wrote:

TheTimeBeing wrote:You might notice the strips of white gaff tape on the Fender Rhodes road case. That was our (not so subtle) way of requesting songs.
John and I would occasionally write songs on tape, and plaster them in places the crowd couldn't see: monitor speakers, under mic stands, etc..
Never having seen a set list.. ever, it was our way of prodding Jack into obscure/fav songs when he was pacing the stage, summoning the next explosion.

Does this not make anyone else smile when they read it? Brilliant. I love it.

+1

orangeshoeskid wrote:

TheTimeBeing wrote:

hsp88 wrote:glastonbury shot is killer

thanks. Yeah it was a monumental occasion.
You might notice the strips of white gaff tape on the Fender Rhodes road case. That was our (not so subtle) way of requesting songs.
John and I would occasionally write songs on tape, and plaster them in places the crowd couldn't see: monitor speakers, under mic stands, etc..
Never having seen a set list.. ever, it was our way of prodding Jack into obscure/fav songs when he was pacing the stage, summoning the next explosion.

That's pretty awesome. What were some of the songs you would usually request?

Uhhm, Lafayette Blues, The Big 3, Do, Hello Operator, Truth Doesn't Make a Noise, I Fought Piranhas..
If they played Piranhas it was always interesting because Jack would have to switch to his third guitar, not the Airline, not the paper guitar, but another semi-acoustic tuned to open-E. The paper guitar was in open-A tuning and there were some tried and tested directions the set could take with that guitar. The open-E guitar however, wasn't used much, except for emergencies/oddities. So I was always curious when Jack would gravitate towards it.

what a great thread this is and its nothing to do with collecting really... just the wonder of learning about the White Stripes and people who love Jack

WOW!!!!!! WHAT??? WOW!!! Thank you

i can't believe i'm only reading this and seeing this now. thanks so much for sharing these incredible experiences and wonderful photos.

I just read this whole 10 page thread for the first time...what an emotional experience! I feel like I did when I first heard of the White Stripes. Times were so exciting and I couldn't wait to read and hear new information and music about what would become my favorite band of all time. Thanks so much for sharing your WS life history with us; it made me well up... You have been blessed, and I hope you have a grand reunion in the future!

A lot of gifts found their way to the band. Either from being chucked onto the stage at the end of a show, or by determined fans waiting at the stage or bus door. There were a lot of fancy handwritten letters, portraits (good, bad and ugly), and CDs. The CDs were usually demos from bands wanting support slots, and occasionally from musicians wanting to join the band.. drummer audition CDs.. ranging from hilariously inept to slick pros.. the occasional bass audition CD where they'd mixed their own bass playing onto WS album tracks. And clothes, accessories, miscellany. We'd get some entertainment for an hour or so on the bus aftershow, but you know.. tomorrows another show, another town, another biro sketch.

The Pomona CA show (1 June 2002) was already one of the strangest days I'd experienced, with the MTV Movie Awards shoot, helicopter ride across LA, and a steamy show. After the show there were a lot of punters hanging around for a drink. I'd packed the stage down and was trying to monitor the drift of people into the dressing room, herding cats.. One shy polite dude approached me with a shopping bag, saying he had some gifts and asking to meet the band. What's in the bag, mate? Oh only the coolest red and white personalized leather drum stool and guitar strap I'd ever seen. This was no demo CD or schoolbook portrait. Bloody hell, there was no way I could just take them and pass them on. Come meet the guys. What's your name? Paul… Paul Frank… Sweet, come on Paul, I'll show you through.

Then I saw the tiny labels on the strap and stool.
Needless to say Jack and Meg were both stoked, and they used them ever since.

TheTimeBeing wrote:Then I saw the tiny labels on the strap and stool.
Needless to say Jack and Meg were both stoked, and they used them ever since.

Another amazing story. Thank you.

That's great.

I've heard in the past of artists/musicians expressing their gratitude for gifts from fans who wanted nothing in return. Although I have zero experience with any sort of celebrity gift encounters, it sounds like they genuinely hold these items near to themselves.

Very cool again, TTB

Terrific of you to take the guy back to deliver those gifts in person

Damn. Damn, damn damn. Damn. Cool. So cool. Thanks.

Read this thread, I wish I could of been you!!!!

When I was 20 years old I turned down the opportunity to go on the road with Tom Petty, I wonder how that would have turned out to this day. Instead I got married and moved to Alabama!

Thanks so much for sharing, stick around.

Wow, Paul Frank! I always kinda wondered about Meg's stool.

Wait....that didn't sound right.

I mean, it was so cool, I wondered where she got it. Is that any better?

Enjoyed this thread a lot...

I used to follow goth bands around when I was a young good-looking guy and this kind of stuff can't be made up.

Sometimes your heroes can go on to be good friends. It happened to me. Not with Jack White - but with another of my heroes with whom I now exchange emails on a regular basis and I never have to pay for tickets.

Great stuff.