When I found out what this week’s DLC was going to be, I jumped at the chance to write about it. You see, the White Stripes are one of my Top 5 favorite bands of all time. My tastes in music have always leaned heavily on old stuff; all of my other favorite bands originate in the ‘60s and ‘70s. But when I discovered what the White Stripes were all about, I was hooked instantly.
I’d heard “Fell in Love with a Girl” when it came out, and loved it. At the time, though, there was a resurgence of garage rock, and I’d just figured this was one great song from a band I’d never hear from again. Little did I know at the time that this song was from Jack and Meg’s third album.
When their next album, Elephant, came out, the Stripes held an unprecedented 4-day residency as the musical guest on "Late Night with Conan O’Brien." This is when I fully realized the magnitude of how good they were. Within the next week after those broadcasts, I owned all their albums and listened to them almost nonstop. I’ve also made a point to check out every show they play when they come to the Boston-Providence area, and I highly recommend you see them live before you die. Add it to the bucket list, folks.
Their songs’ mixture of lo-fi garage rock, blues, punk, folk, and country touches on all the genres of music that most interest me, and I’ve always been impressed by their ability to infuse this super cool aesthetic into everything they do. Making music videos with acclaimed director Michel Gondry, choosing art-house theatres over the usual rock clubs when they tour, using only vintage musical equipment, and even right down to how they dress onstage, they present a whole package.
We’re now living in a world where Jack White belongs to multiple bands, each incredibly successful. (All of which, White Stripes, Raconteurs, and The Dead Weather, have DLC available for Rock Band!) But The White Stripes are still going strong, with each release they make hitting as hard as the previous, and expanding their breadth of styles. “You Don't Know What Love is (You Just Do As You're Told)” is from their last full album release, Icky Thump, and is an anthemic rocker. The measure of a great band is its ability to always grow, and The White Stripes are one of the greatest of our time.
Coming alongside with this 3-pack, we’ve got two songs from the Futureheads (“Decent Days & Nights,” “Hounds of Love”), two Shaimus tracks (“All of This,” “Tie You Down”), The James Gang (“Walk Away”), and Neil Peart (“The Hockey Theme”). This place is like a mansion of awesome music.
"Fell in Love with a Girl", "Seven Nation Army", and "You Don't Know What Love is (You Just Do As You're Told)" will be available for purchase as "The White Stripes Pack 02" as well as individual tracks on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 system, and as individual tracks only on Wii. Individual tracks are $1.99 on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 and $2 on the Wii. The pack is $5.49 on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. The tracks will be available March 9 on Xbox 360 and Wii and March 11 on PlayStation 3.
To discuss this DLC, visit the official discussion thread in the Rock Band Forums.
