Detroit, Michigan duo The White Stripes are the biggest act of a third generation of Garage Rock bands to become popular in the 2000s. Comprised of songwriting guitarist and singer Jack White and drummer Meg White, the group formed in 1997. Their earliest recordings were raw, Blues-based Indie Rock. The scope of their songwriting and the diversity of their instrumentation have broadened over the years. Although quite obscure in their early career, The White Stripes have since found great commercial success, with top 10 albums in both the US and the UK.
Jack White (born John Anthony Gillis) and Meg White (Megan Martha White) joined forces in 1997, performing on stage for the first time on Bastille Day. The band projected a strong image from the beginning, in vivid red and white outfits and claiming to be siblings. In fact, they married in '96, with Jack taking Meg's last name. After signing with indie label Sympathy For The Record Industry, the band released their self-titled debut album in '99. While most of the material consisted of Garage Rock originals penned by Jack, covers of songs by Robert Johnson and Dylan indicated future leanings toward a wider palette.
In 2000, they divorced and released their sophomore album, De Stijl. Though still a raw, bluesy album, Jack White's songwriting continued to grow. So did the band's popularity, thanks mostly to good press and touring in support of veteran acts Pavement and Sleater-Kinney. The record did not reach the charts, but their third LP would. 2001 saw the release of White Blood Cells. Along with The Strokes' Is This It, the new White Stripes album was hailed by critics as ushering in a new era of music. Receiving high praise, it reached the Top 100 in both the US and the UK.
The White Stripes fifth album, 2005's Get Behind Me Satan, offered the group's greatest leap yet into musical territories beyond Blues and Garage Rock. Relying more heavily on additional instrumentation such as piano and marimba, Get Behind Me Satan was a surprise and a success. The album received more rave reviews and peaked at number three on the charts in both the US and the UK. The record birthed three top 10 British singles. In 2006, The White Stripes appeared on an episodes of The Simpsons and Studio Sixty On The Sunset Strip, cementing the band's status as media icons.
In early 2007, The White Stripes' contract expired with struggling V2 Records. Currently without a label, the band are Indie Rock superstars and their immediate future would appear secure. Although no release is currently set, Jack White has hinted that a new White Stripes album may surface in 2007.
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