Ikey Owens RIP

A truly sad announcement today that Ikey Owens, the keyboardist with Jack White's band currently on tour, was found dead in his hotel room in Puebla, Mexico on Tuesday morning. Naturally remaining dates of the tour are cancelled. There is an on going investigation as to the cause.
Owens was undoubtedly one of the finest keyboard players around today. Here is a short clip of him taken on the tour this year explaining his keyboard set up. A good clip this as you get a chance to hear his easy manner of conversation. And below that a clip of one of his superb solo's during a Gustavo Carrasco recording session.
So long Ikey.. taken far too soon.

unhappy jack

Oh no.. Jack White has really stuck his foot pedal in his mouth when Rolling Stone ran an interview with him -

"There are kids at school who dress like everybody else, because they don’t know what to do, and there are musicians like that, too. I’ll hear TV commercials where the music’s ripping off sounds of mine, to the point I think it’s me. Half the time, it’s the Black Keys. The other half, it’s a sound-alike song because they couldn’t license one of mine. There’s a whole world that’s totally fine with the watered-down version of the original. Some people will hear that and say ’Oh, Jack White thinks he’s the first person to play the blues.’ But certain acts open up a market for a certain style. Amy Winehouse: Did she invent white soul? Wearing a beehive? No. But she did something brand new and fresh, altogether as a package, and you see who’s in her wake, from the Duffys to the Lana Del Reys. Adele selling 20 million records? That would not have happened if Amy Winehouse was alive. The White Stripes did the same thing, and in our absence, you’re gonna find someone to fill that. And you get a band like the Black Keys, who said they never heard of the White Stripes? Sure."

Since then Jack has posted on his website a long retraction and apology which about amounts to -
"...aagh all that was meant to be private.. I felt forced into it... oh god sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry you're all really great. Please leave me alone now. "

Never mind everyone you've all got lots of publicity out of it and people feel really sorry/happy for you and the new album is coming out on the 9th June.
Next week. More show business disease.

jack white solo quarantine

Always intrigueing to hear where Jack White's going to take his blues next. This preview track from the forthcoming second solo album 'Lazaretto' (out June 9/10) is a daring raid on some classic blues riffs. It's a heavily gated and looped affair with an alarming hook. You do wonder where the track will go next as it stutters, turns and repeats the licks, but White's a clever so and so with a mixing desk as well as a guitar and he finishes full circle without losing control of any of it or his arsenal of players.
By the way a "lazaretto or lazaret is a quarantine station for maritime travellers".. yes that would about explain Jack White's view all right.
The album will arrive with a dizzying array of doodads if you want the vinyl. You'll get it at his website one would bet.

As part of White’s Third Man Records Vault series, the label will issue Vault package No. 20, which will include a special limited-edition version of “Lazaretto” pressed on split-color blue-and-white vinyl, exclusive album art, a linen letter-pressed postcard, and a fold-out poster featuring a classic National Archives photo that serves as a recurrent image throughout the album art.
The package will also feature a blue 7-inch single featuring two early demos of songs that appear on the new album: both "Alone In My Home" and "Entitlement" are solo recordings by White while he was in Mexico.
A bonus item is a lavish 40-page hard-bound companion piece book full of lyrics, exclusive musical notations, photos and art from “Lazaretto.”
Hennemusic

(And you can do the sputtering speaker trick in the video by mixing up a thick solution of Corn Starch and water and dumping it on your favorite wqoofer. They did it on QI and 'The Big Bang Theory' years ago. Kinda gooey fun though.)

jack white's blunderbus

Jack Whites debut solo album 'Blunderbus' released early this year has had many plaudits rating it as one of the top albums of 2012.
It's hardly surprising his solo album has taken time to appear despite it first being rumoured in 2003. It's also clear enough by now this man is pretty much a rock and roll jukebox, although more accurately and rather drily described as a "musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, multi-instrumentalist" this doesn't quite explain the story.
The White Stripes came to an end in 2011 after 14 years of Punk, Garage and Blues.
With The Raconteurs in 2005 White produced a Grammy award album with band going on to support a Dylan tour, this was then followed by the thunderous Dead Weather in 2009 and he shifted to the drum kit and vocals, and in between all that numerous side projects. Prolific might be a better way to describe Jack White.
It's also an extra quality he finds some excellent female musicians to work with in his groups as he redefines some of the roots of rock and roll with his present band. The women by the way, despite a spectacular visual presence are certainly no gimmick addition.
This years 'Blunderbus' has a balance of two different personal line-ups for the album, here's one half performing the single 'I'm Shakin' live on Conan O'Brien's US chat show in November this year.
Jack White is not afraid of taking risks, it's become rather fun to see what his next phase is going to be.