As people familiar with the internet probably already know, the White Stripes appeared last nite in an episode of the Simpsons. The bit, a reference to the Stripes' video for "The Hardest Button To Button," was clever and enjoyable, but I think we can all agree that it could've been longer, and that Jack and Meg's acting was much better in Coffee & Cigarettes. Also, is Michel Gondry getting royalties for this? (His new movie looks pretty, pretty, pretty good). You can watch the White Stripes/Simpsons clip on YouTube. Even though it's only a minute long, I guess it's a pretty big honor to be featured on the longest running sitcom in history. YouTube also has clips of other bands/artists who've made stops in Springfield, including Ramones, The Who, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Red Hot Chili Peppers, R.E.M., and even schmucks like U2 and Smashing Pumpkins. As a side note, if anybody hasn't seen the real life Simpsons intro, it's pretty fascinating.
If you're in the mood to see something seriously funny starring Jack and Meg White, you're soon to be heavily titillated. Check out this video short the band shot just before their Australian tour in 2001. The short depicts the Stripes' relationship with their fictional manager/handler, Arthur Dotweiller, and feels like Jack and Meg starring in a Stella Short. It's gold, Jerry, gold. Here's part one:
Click here for part two.
Click here for part three.
In further White Stripes news, rock poster artist Rob Jones has a new exhibition in the UK, which features avant-garde orchestral (a genre even stranger than barbershop quartet-core) versions of Stripes tunes. Visit the minimal but cool official site and stream four songs on MySpace.
J. White's other band is also hitting the scene like there's no tomorrow. As cable television-subscribers may already know, the Raconteurs performed several times at this year's MTV Video Music Awards, including this incredible jam featuring Jim Jarmusch on guitar:
They also played "White Light/White Heat" with Lou Reed and "Cheap Sunglasses" with Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top. Go find the clips yourself, you know how to search YouTube. Also very much worth checking out is the Raconteurs' set from KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic. The five songs diverge heavily from the album versions and can be streamed here (with interview) and downloaded here. The Racs' second single "Hands" is now available in three formats (including two 45s) in the United States. You can buy it here. Or download the B sides illegally here.
Stay up late watching cartoons.
your friend, Beck DeRobertis
2 comments:
Nice linking, but internet revivified the radio star. Video most certainly killed the radio star (for 20 years).
i can't argue. the post was called 'internet killed the radio star" because that's the song the raconteurs played with jim jarmusch on the VMAs.
smoke crack like isaac asimov.
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