Meg White
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| - | [[Image:MegOnDrum.jpg|thumb|right|An early picture of Meg with pigtails, sitting on her trademark peppermint drum.]] | + | [[Image:MegOnDrum.jpg|thumb|right|An early picture of Meg with her famous (and unfortunately long gone) pigtails, sitting on her trademark peppermint drum.]] |
| - | '''Megan Martha White''' is the drummer and backing (sometimes lead) vocalist of the Detroit minimalist garage blues duo [[The White Stripes]]. | + | '''Megan Martha White''' is the drummer, percussionist and backing (sometimes lead) vocalist of the Detroit minimalist garage blues duo [[The White Stripes]]. |
==History== | ==History== | ||
| - | Meg was born '''Megan Martha White''' on December 10, 1974 in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan. Before she was the drummer for The White Stripes, she was a bartender at Memphis Smoke, a barbeque restaurant in the Detroit, Michigan suburb of Royal Oak. It has been said that bourbon is her favorite beverage. Despite various claims by the band, Meg and [[Jack White]] are not brother and sister, but are in fact ex-husband and wife. Meg met John Gillis in 1994, and they were married on September 21, 1996. Jack later took Meg's surname, but they later divorced in 2000. | + | Meg was born '''Megan Martha White''' on December 10, 1974 in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan. Before she was the drummer for The White Stripes, she was a bartender at Memphis Smoke, a barbeque restaurant in the Detroit, Michigan suburb of downtown Royal Oak. It has been said that bourbon is her favorite beverage. Despite various claims by the band, Meg and [[Jack White]] are not brother and sister, but are in fact ex-husband and wife. Meg met John Gillis in 1994, and they were married on September 21, 1996. Jack later took Meg's surname, but they later divorced in 2000. |
==Personal Life== | ==Personal Life== | ||
[[Image:MegInAction.jpg|thumb|right|Meg in action, playing the drums.]] | [[Image:MegInAction.jpg|thumb|right|Meg in action, playing the drums.]] | ||
| - | Meg is very shy in public, and will often usually never speak at all in interviews. Because of this, little is known about her personal life. Meg says that because of this, she relates to Bob Dylan, one of her favorite musical artists. But when she says something, Jack takes it 'into serious consideration'. | + | Meg is very shy in public, and will often usually never speak at all in interviews. Because of this, little is known about her personal life. Meg says that because of this, she relates to Bob Dylan, one of her favorite musical artists. But when she says something, Jack takes it 'into serious consideration'. She has spoken more in recent interviews, however. |
| - | + | Not much is known who she is dating or anything (unlike Jack). It is known that she used to date (or is unlikely currently dating) Oliver from [[The Soledad Brothers]]. | |
Meg is partially deaf in her right ear, and she usually wears a hearing aid. | Meg is partially deaf in her right ear, and she usually wears a hearing aid. | ||
| - | == | + | She heavily smokes and drinks. She seems to prefer Camel Lights and bourbon, respectively. In fact, she says her pre-show warm up consists of "whiskey and Red Bull". |
| - | + | ||
| - | + | == Minimal style == | |
| - | + | Meg White's minimalistic drumming style has been the subject of much debate over the course of the eleven years she has been playing. Jack White downplays criticisms of her primal style, insisting, "I never thought 'God, I wish Neil Peart was in this band.' It's kind of funny. When people critique hip hop, they're scared to open up, for fear of being called racist. But they're not scared to open up on female musicians, out of pure sexism. Meg is the best part of this band. It never would have worked with anybody else, because it would have been too complicated... It was my doorway to playing the blues." Criticisms of her style appeared in the 2003 film "School of Rock". | |
| - | + | ||
| - | + | Meg White herself admits, "I appreciate other kinds of drummers who play differently, but it’s not my style or what works for this band. I get [criticism] sometimes, and I go through periods where it really bothers me. But then I think about it, and I realize that this is what is really needed for this band. And I just try to have as much fun with it as possible." She has also said, “I just know the way [Jack] plays so well at this point that I always know kind of what he’s going to do. I can always sense where he’s going with things just by the mood he’s in or the attitude or how the song is going. Once in a while, he throws me for a loop, but I can usually keep him where I want him." | |
| - | + | ||
| - | + | While Jack is the lead vocalist, Meg does sing lead vocals on five of the band's songs: "In the Cold, Cold Night" and "Well It's True That We Love One Another" (from Elephant), "Passive Manipulation" (from Get Behind Me Satan), "Who's a Big Baby?" (released on the "Blue Orchid" single), and "St. Andrew (This Battle is in the Air)" (from Icky Thump). | |
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==Equipment== | ==Equipment== | ||
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* Meg came up with the name "The White Stripes". Other names in question included "Bazooka", "The Peppermints", and "Soda Powder". | * Meg came up with the name "The White Stripes". Other names in question included "Bazooka", "The Peppermints", and "Soda Powder". | ||
* Meg White plays percussion on the Soledad Brother's "I'm So Glad" off of their album, "Voice Of Treason". | * Meg White plays percussion on the Soledad Brother's "I'm So Glad" off of their album, "Voice Of Treason". | ||
| - | * A GeoCities website, [http://www.geocities.com/wilhelmina_wonka/ws.html The White Stripes Conspiracy Reader], suggests that Meg is actually a robot, a theory that some fans claim to accept as fact. Presented in a tongue-in-cheek fashion, the website alleges the real Meg died in a car wreck and was replaced by the [[Megbot]], a lifelike robot created by Jack; he purportedly decided to cover up the truth and carried on with the band as usual. The site supports its claims with "evidence" from photos, lyrics, videos, and other media. Its popularity in the White Stripes fan community has become an in-joke among them and also with the band, who have alluded to it in interviews (Jack will offer to "reveal a secret," then state that Meg is actually an | + | * A GeoCities website, [http://www.geocities.com/wilhelmina_wonka/ws.html The White Stripes Conspiracy Reader], suggests that Meg is actually a robot, a theory that some fans claim to accept as fact. Presented in a tongue-in-cheek fashion, the website alleges the real Meg died in a car wreck and was replaced by the [[Megbot]], a lifelike robot created by Jack; he purportedly decided to cover up the truth and carried on with the band as usual. The site supports its claims with "evidence" from photos, lyrics, videos, and other media. Its popularity in the White Stripes fan community has become an in-joke among them and also with the band, who have alluded to it in interviews (Jack will offer to "reveal a secret," then state that Meg is actually an android; in return, she will usually reply in an annoyed voice, "Dammit, Jack!"). |
| - | * Animals are something of a motif in photography of Meg. | + | * Animals are something of a motif in photography of Meg. |
Revision as of 06:44, 8 July 2008
Megan Martha White is the drummer, percussionist and backing (sometimes lead) vocalist of the Detroit minimalist garage blues duo The White Stripes.
Contents |
History
Meg was born Megan Martha White on December 10, 1974 in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan. Before she was the drummer for The White Stripes, she was a bartender at Memphis Smoke, a barbeque restaurant in the Detroit, Michigan suburb of downtown Royal Oak. It has been said that bourbon is her favorite beverage. Despite various claims by the band, Meg and Jack White are not brother and sister, but are in fact ex-husband and wife. Meg met John Gillis in 1994, and they were married on September 21, 1996. Jack later took Meg's surname, but they later divorced in 2000.
Personal Life
Meg is very shy in public, and will often usually never speak at all in interviews. Because of this, little is known about her personal life. Meg says that because of this, she relates to Bob Dylan, one of her favorite musical artists. But when she says something, Jack takes it 'into serious consideration'. She has spoken more in recent interviews, however.
Not much is known who she is dating or anything (unlike Jack). It is known that she used to date (or is unlikely currently dating) Oliver from The Soledad Brothers.
Meg is partially deaf in her right ear, and she usually wears a hearing aid.
She heavily smokes and drinks. She seems to prefer Camel Lights and bourbon, respectively. In fact, she says her pre-show warm up consists of "whiskey and Red Bull".
Minimal style
Meg White's minimalistic drumming style has been the subject of much debate over the course of the eleven years she has been playing. Jack White downplays criticisms of her primal style, insisting, "I never thought 'God, I wish Neil Peart was in this band.' It's kind of funny. When people critique hip hop, they're scared to open up, for fear of being called racist. But they're not scared to open up on female musicians, out of pure sexism. Meg is the best part of this band. It never would have worked with anybody else, because it would have been too complicated... It was my doorway to playing the blues." Criticisms of her style appeared in the 2003 film "School of Rock".
Meg White herself admits, "I appreciate other kinds of drummers who play differently, but it’s not my style or what works for this band. I get [criticism] sometimes, and I go through periods where it really bothers me. But then I think about it, and I realize that this is what is really needed for this band. And I just try to have as much fun with it as possible." She has also said, “I just know the way [Jack] plays so well at this point that I always know kind of what he’s going to do. I can always sense where he’s going with things just by the mood he’s in or the attitude or how the song is going. Once in a while, he throws me for a loop, but I can usually keep him where I want him."
While Jack is the lead vocalist, Meg does sing lead vocals on five of the band's songs: "In the Cold, Cold Night" and "Well It's True That We Love One Another" (from Elephant), "Passive Manipulation" (from Get Behind Me Satan), "Who's a Big Baby?" (released on the "Blue Orchid" single), and "St. Andrew (This Battle is in the Air)" (from Icky Thump).
Equipment
- Drum kits:
- Pearl
- Ludwig-Musser
- Signature peppermint bass drum head
- Drum sticks:
- Vater XD-Rock Wood
- Cymbals:
- Paiste 14" Signature Medium Hi-hats
- Paiste 19" Signature Power Crash
- Paiste 22" 2002 Ride
Facts
- Meg came up with the name "The White Stripes". Other names in question included "Bazooka", "The Peppermints", and "Soda Powder".
- Meg White plays percussion on the Soledad Brother's "I'm So Glad" off of their album, "Voice Of Treason".
- A GeoCities website, The White Stripes Conspiracy Reader, suggests that Meg is actually a robot, a theory that some fans claim to accept as fact. Presented in a tongue-in-cheek fashion, the website alleges the real Meg died in a car wreck and was replaced by the Megbot, a lifelike robot created by Jack; he purportedly decided to cover up the truth and carried on with the band as usual. The site supports its claims with "evidence" from photos, lyrics, videos, and other media. Its popularity in the White Stripes fan community has become an in-joke among them and also with the band, who have alluded to it in interviews (Jack will offer to "reveal a secret," then state that Meg is actually an android; in return, she will usually reply in an annoyed voice, "Dammit, Jack!").
- Animals are something of a motif in photography of Meg.
