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Jack White Q&A - Answers

Posted: Fri Dec 24, 2010 3:05 am
by higherlimits
Here is the interview in it's entirety. I may split out the questions into individual topics later but for now this will have to do. Thanks to everyone that asked a question! And thanks to Jack White for taking time out to do this for us.

And here we go...

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Q: What is something that you collect that we don’t already know about?

A: I collect scissors of different grades. Upholstery scissors, paper pattern, etc.

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Q: What is your most recent acquisition and can you share a picture with us?

A: Acquisitions are tough. I feel like I don’t have any. I always feel like a protector of beautiful things more than a collector. Which is double edge in and of itself. If you took all
my guitars and put them in a pile on the front lawn and set them on fire, I have to be honest and say it really wouldn’t bother me, I would maybe be slightly miffed that I’d have to go get another guitar to record with, but not at the idea of “mine mine mine! Don’t touch my things!” that’s a shallow way to look at life. all the things we “own” will just be in somebody elses room when we’re dead and gone. I just look at them as some beauty to enjoy while we’re here.

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Q: What are your three favorite records in your personal collection?

A: I don’t collect records very much, it would distract me from songwriting and producing in my own style, I would be too dependent on references. But I have loretta lynn’s first three 45’s on the zero label. And I have blind willie johnson’s 78 ‘dark was the night’. That’s a nice record to hold in your hands.

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Q: How old were you when you got your first vinyl record and how did this impact you?

A: I remember skipping school when I was a freshman, it was snowing and a depressing day. I walked to a place in downtown detroit called trapper’s alley, they had a record store in it and I bought the beatles white album on vinyl for 20 dollars. We actually had a special white vinyl version of that in my house when I was a kid that looked quite filthy, so I replenished it. Don’t remember what my first vinyl record was exactly.

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Q: Of all the special editions you've released at TMR, which is your personal favorite? Which would you seek out to add to your personal collection if you weren't affiliated with TMR in any way?

A: I’m very proud and excited by the carl sagan record we put out. That’s very special to me, and I love the etching like the voyager record, and the “cosmos vinyl” we came up with.

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Q: I am curious about the equipment you use when listening to records. What kind of play-back system do you use? There is a picture of you with a McIntosh reissue MC275 included with “Consolers of the Lonely”, is this what you would normally use?

A: I have a pair of those mcintosh monoblocks, they break a lot but when they work they are incredible sounding. I would like to get an emt turntable from a radio station because they remind me of tape machines.

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Q: Do you miss the ‘good ol’ days’ of playing small venues in the middle of nowhere to a hand full of people?

A: I still do that, the stripes did that every day in canada. I miss playing to a crowd where they have no idea who I am though, I used to get to good places from the challenge of winning over a crowd, warming up for other bands too.

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Q: Do you find it harder to relate to fans in this day and age of the internet than it was earlier in your career?

A: It’s easier now, but I don’t like most of the internet styles of communication because I think they are in place of real face to face contact and emotion. I understand it, and I’m doing it right now, but it pales in comparison to the real thing. I’m also confused by the way people always think I’m “angry” when I have an opinion or dialogue. It shows that a lot of “famous” people put on a happy face 100% of the time, so that when anyone has an opinion that isn’t fake and plastic it’s labeled ‘freaking out’ or ‘lashing out’, seems to be pretty off base. When you have someone who is passionate and involved, you can’t possibly be dandelions and rainbows everytime you engage in debate, if you love what you’re involved in that is.

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Q: While you and your pal David were throwing together 15 hand-painted sleeves for your Lafayette Blues single, did you: a) have any idea of where you wanted your music career to go, and b) have any perception of how far your music career would actually go?

A: In a small sense. It meant something to me, to us, but only on a small level. I used to say to meg “we could make a record that could be as good as the gories album if we tried hard enough."

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Q: What is a perfect day for Jack White?

A: What day is it?

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Q: What is one thing you wish you could do that is just impossibly impossible?

A: Look at other humans that aren’t staring at a gadget in their hand, Produce a captain beefheart and the magic band album, marry tempest storm, trade identities with a sherpa and never be recognized, be roommates with orson welles in his radio days, make friends with myself.

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Q: If you had to choose to play only one of your guitars, which would it be and why?

A: Probably my L 1 gibson acoustic I guess, or my kay electric. I’d grab one of those if we were heading out the door to go to war.

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Q: What has been the most rewarding thing about running Third Man Records?

A: Creating a building where things can happen that are beyond my control. managing things is a boring waste of ego, but to construct a scenario where others can come up with something, that interests me.

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Q: Out of all the concerts that you have played, which has been your favourite and why?

A: Can’t say just one of the top of my head. My first time at the ryman was playing with bob dylan, the white stripes played the detroit institute of the arts in the diego rivera hall once where we thought a couple hundred people would come and 4 thousand
people showed up, that was inspiring.

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Q: What kind of public response did you anticipate before you opened Third Man Record's physical location; did you think it would be anything like it has been?

A: having been through the garage hipster hamburger grinder for years I don’t tend to get too excited when it comes to the publics acceptance of things, I usually expect people to not like whatever it is. It frees me to get someplace new without worrying about pleasing anyone. So I didn’t really have that much of an expectation.

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Q: What's been the best memory you've had at Third Man Records?

A: I liked conan obrien and reggie watts shows. But I mostly loved designing the place, I hated to see it come to an end when it was being constructed. Now I concentrate on the minutia aspects of design in the building which I can do for a long time.

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Q: What has been the proudest accomplishment of your career?

A: Getting meg white on the telephone.

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Q: I think it's very cool how you don't use set-lists for the White Stripes. It adds excitement and spontaneity to the show that is very noticeable. For The Raconteurs and The Dead Weather, things are much more planned out. Is this because it is harder to stay together with a 4 piece band, because the style is different, or is there another reason?

A: All three bands eventually stopped using set lists the more we got in tune with each other. It’s a great place to be as a performer, it’s almost like improv for a comedian. The crowd feels they are in scary territory so it heightens the experience for everyone involved, the performer and the listener.

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Q: What's the best Christmas gift for a fine lady?

A: Show each other how to do something that niether of you have ever done before.

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Q: Not including TMR items, what is the best piece of vinyl/record packaging or presentation you've ever seen?

A: I have to hand it to the charley patton green box set. Pretty incredible. turned me on to walter buddy boy hawkins too.

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Q: What's the best food you've found in Nashville? If I’m in town for just one day what do I really need to try?

A: I suppose jacks barbecue on trinity, not broadway, is pretty violently delicious. Great name too.

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Q: Where is your favourite place to perform?

A: In front of my children. Though I don’t do that very often. They don’t think of me as a singer.

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Q: What makes you happy?

A: Creating and moving on from it, creating and pushing forward, creating and forgetting.

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Q: You were given an honorary patronage medal by Trinity College in Dublin, what was it like being honoured like that?

A: Very nice of them, it was nice to have a conversation with a large group without an instrument in my hand. I don’t get to do that very often. If ever.

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Q: It Might Get Loud looked amazing to be involved in, were you star-struck to meet Jimmy Page? What did you learn from him?

A: My star struck days fell away a few years back, it leaves you at some point. You just have respect, and you try to find common ground just like talking to a stranger at a gas station. He taught me that things are the
same for him as they are for me, he gets things thrown on him just like I do even to this day, it showed me that a great percentage of the things we hate to do never go away and are part of the struggle of being an artist. That confirmed for me suspicions I’d had about my older age. That made me happy.

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Q: What did you take away from the experience of touring Canada?

A: I’d wished I’d done it earlier.

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Q: There is something intangible in the recording of Elephant at Toe Rag Studios. What are the most significant similarities and differences between Toe Rag and Third Man?

A: I bought a selmer amp recently like one that I used at toe rag. I like how large of a sound you can get in a small studio which both are, it makes you feel confined and unable to leave. Big studios make you feel like you can lounge around and surf the internet and drink champagne. When we did the dead weather at my studio all four members were constantly involved in every aspect of the music, you can’t walk away and leave it for someone else to worry about.

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Q: What is one question that you’ve always hoped someone would ask you but never has, and what is the answer to that question?

A: I wish someone would ask me “how do you get that sound?” they never do. The answer is “I fucking mean it.”

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Q: Last but not least, the most popular question received from members during this Q&A:

What are the chances that The White Stripes will release a new album and tour in the not too distant future?

A: Good question.

Re: Jack White Q&A - Answers

Posted: Sat Dec 25, 2010 9:51 am
by love_islander
higherlimits wrote:
Q: Last but not least, the most popular question received from members during this Q&A:

What are the chances that The White Stripes will release a new album and tour in the not too distant future?

A: Good question.
Did people expect to get an answer from this question? :lol:

Re: Jack White Q&A - Answers

Posted: Sat Dec 25, 2010 10:03 am
by orangeshoeskid
higherlimits wrote: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q: What is one question that you’ve always hoped someone would ask you but never has, and what is the answer to that question?

A: I wish someone would ask me “how do you get that sound?” they never do. The answer is “I fucking mean it.”

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This is my favorite.

Thanks to Jack for this wonderful xmas gift and everyone that made this happen and asked questions. Great interview.

Re: Jack White Q&A - Answers

Posted: Sat Dec 25, 2010 10:10 am
by JohnC
One of my questions got asked : ) Shame one I really wanted to be asked , didn't get asked . But I am still happy : ) Thanks to every one evolved that made this happen .

Re: Jack White Q&A - Answers

Posted: Sat Dec 25, 2010 10:19 am
by JoseyWales
What a great Christmas gift.

Re: Jack White Q&A - Answers

Posted: Sat Dec 25, 2010 3:20 pm
by chris865
Thanks very much for doing this, got mine both asked and answered.
Really great Christmas treat.

Thanks again to all involved.

Re: Jack White Q&A - Answers

Posted: Sat Dec 25, 2010 3:32 pm
by Kaber
Thank you Ian - Thank you Mr Gillis

Given how many collectibles TMR create I was a bit surprised by the answer about the value of possessions - you can't take them with you indeed

Re: Jack White Q&A - Answers

Posted: Sat Dec 25, 2010 5:26 pm
by chrono_1980
Ya - that was pretty awesome. Thanks!

Re: Jack White Q&A - Answers

Posted: Sat Dec 25, 2010 5:29 pm
by runofthemill
Thanks guys, that was fun to read. And, I was surprised to see one of my questions got answered! Merry Christmas!

Re: Jack White Q&A - Answers

Posted: Sat Dec 25, 2010 6:03 pm
by hsp88
Great Q&A, really enjoyed reading it

Re: Jack White Q&A - Answers

Posted: Sat Dec 25, 2010 7:13 pm
by Legion of Doom
Totally forgot this was being posted today! Great Christmas present!

Re: Jack White Q&A - Answers

Posted: Sat Dec 25, 2010 9:17 pm
by Grimtale
Very cool Ian and the other mods.
Merry Christmas!
Thanks
Grim

Re: Jack White Q&A - Answers

Posted: Sat Dec 25, 2010 9:18 pm
by stoutr
Thanks Ian.

Re: Jack White Q&A - Answers

Posted: Sun Dec 26, 2010 1:49 am
by coltrane
Merry Christmas, thank you!!!

Re: Jack White Q&A - Answers

Posted: Sun Dec 26, 2010 3:29 am
by greginchains
Thank you for that White Swirl. Merry Christmas!