Music News
In a new interview with Esquire UK, Jack White ripped Lady Gaga and celebrity culture, lamenting celebrities' efforts to appear relatable, which he thinks leads to unfair expectations of normalcy. "The goal of modern celebrity is to make yourself into the lowest common denominator," said White. "'Hey, I'm a guy just like you. I like a beer, a football game.' Especially in reality television, you'll see people will go so far as to make a fool out of themselves just to prove that."
Bing: Lady Gaga buys Michael Jackson items at auction
Lady Gaga took the brunt of White's criticism as the rocker bashed the pop star for making insubstantial, empty music. "I don't think she lives it, because it's all artifice," he said. "It's all image with no meaning behind it. You can't sink your teeth into it. It's a sound bite. It's very of this age, because that's what people want. They want a Twitter line, a jpeg, an MP3." White particularly disparaged Twitter. "I think the only people who should have [Twitter accounts] are comedians. Because it's all about one-liners," he said. "You don't want Gore Vidal telling you, 'I'm doing my dishes right now.'"
Although White has been busy this year with solo LP "Blunderbuss," a tour and various doings at his Third Man Records boutique in Nashville, Tenn., the guitarist said he "will always miss the White Stripes," his band with Meg White, which broke up in 2011.
More from Rollingstone.com:
Jack White Rips Through 'Dead Leaves and the Dirty
Ground' Live at Third Man
Jack White Bounces Back in Second New York Show
Jack White Abruptly Ends Radio City Show After 55
Minutes
I wasn't sure what to make of Lady Gaga until seeing a recent televised concert of hers. It was extremely long - she and her backup dancers were moving and singing through the entire thing. She spoke to the audience, and recognized individuals in the crowd. I found her surprisingly emotional, brutally hardworking, and came away from the experience moved and with great affection for her. I saved the taping I'd done for my husband - who thought I was nuts, but enjoyed it as well. She is a "performance artist" - and once I got that idea, I could fully appreciate her.
Jack White is an elite musician. By that I mean, he is brilliant, educated, entertaining, and likely one of the best on the planet at this time. Not everyone gets to be that. Most people have to sing (and have it cleaned up mechanically), have some kind of distracting look, light shows, back-up dancers - sometimes an army of backup dancers. There's a place for that entertainment, and it's fun. More people can attempt it - not everyone is a Jack White, a guitar god like Clapton, a singer like Adele.
Appreciate people for what they are. I'm delighted by some of Lady Gaga's work, and grateful for her generous beauty inside and out. I love her message of acceptance - literally a lifeline for people. How can you not love her for making 'Acceptance' a movement? Jack White is an enormous talent - enjoy both. Don't listen to gossip - listen to what makes you dance or smile or makes your life sweeter. Music does that. Don't let anyone limit you. If you're going to find a 'guilty pleasure' - music is the place to do it - can't hurt anyone else and it can't hurt you.
P.S. to those who think he doesn't have a career: he sells out the venue in my city in under 5 minutes!!!
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