The annual admission ceremony in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is an event in which Monderers happen regularly. Over the decades, sleeping rock giants such as Led Zeppelin, The Police, Cream, The Byrds, The Velvet Underground, Simon and Garfunkel and Talking Heads have briefly awakened. To play a few songs before retreating your sleep. And although Kiss and Journey ultimately did not appear with Steve Perry, they put their big differences aside for long enough to take the honor together one last time.
Speculate fans: Will Meg White appear to be a ceremony?
But the power of the Hall of Fame is facing a unique test this year. Because with the admission of the White Stripes In November a reunion – even if they didn’t play a single tone – would mean that drummer Meg White For the first time in many years. The fans will spend the next seven months to speculate about what will happen that evening. Even if Jack White or another representative announces that it will probably not be possible. Nobody will be 100 percent convinced until the evening has come and it is not there.
Meg White: A shy icon of rock history
To take a few steps back. Meg White was a reluctant star in the early days of the White Stripes. Take a look at this early MTV interview from the time of “White Blood Cells” from 2001, in which Jack has 99.5 percent of the speaking time and MEG only sits there and smiles.
Early signs: MEG White’s reluctance in the spotlight
“I’m just a very shy mensc”, “, Meg said in 2005 to David Fricke vom Rolling Stone. Fricke noticed that she “defended the original quality of her drum play with sweet determination”. “This is my strength. Many drummer would feel strange if they played so easily.”
Jack White’s praise: Why Meg was the heart of the White Stripes
In the same article, Jack Meg praised the highest tones. “Meg is the best thing about this band,” he said. “It would never have worked with someone else. Because it would have been too complicated. When she started playing drums with me, it felt liberating and refreshing. There was something that opened me. It was my entry into the blues. Without someone looking over my shoulder and said: ‘Oh, white boy blues, white boy bar band.’ I could really get involved. “
The separation of the white stripes: reasons and effects
And although Jack worked on side projects at that time, Meg said that she was not worried about the future of the group. “Jack always did five things at the same time,” she said. “When we founded these bands, he was in two other bands. It’s nothing unusual.”
Cancellation of the tour for MEG White’s anxiety disorder
The White Stripes actually came together for the album “Icky Thump” in 2007 after Jack White largely withdrawn in 2006 to concentrate on The Raconteurs. But it should stay your last album. And in one Notification to their fans in September 2007 they informed them of the sad news about their current tour. “The White Stripes today announce that you have to cancel your upcoming tour for health reasons,” said the duo. “Meg White suffers from acute anxiety. And is currently unable to travel.”
Her last full concert took place on July 31, 2007 in the Snowden Grove amphitheater in Southaven, Mississippi. As The White Stripes, they only performed together on February 20, 2009 when they played “We’re Going to Be Friends” in the last episode of “Late Night With Conan O’Brien”.
Official separation in 2011: a respectful farewell
Two years later, the White Stripes gave known to their separation. “The reason for this is neither artistic differences nor lack of motivation,” said Jack White’s website. “Health problems also don’t matter, since both MEG and Jack feel good and are good at good health. There are a variety of reasons. But above all, we want to keep the beautiful and special thing about the band. And ensure that it stays that way.”
Jack White keeps the band’s legacy alive
The article continued: “Meg and Jack hope that this decision will not be taken with grief by their fans. But as a positive step out of respect for the music that the band has created is understood. It is also very respectful of the fans who shared these creations. And taking into account their feelings.”
Meg White’s life after the White Stripes: Silence instead of the spotlight
In the following years, Jack kept the inheritance of the White Stripes alive by playing many of her songs at his solo concerts. What he does to this day. And Meg simply disappeared. Her marriage to guitarist Jackson Smith, the son of Patti Smith, ended quietly and quietly in 2013. And next year Jack gave to Jonah Weiner vom Rolling Stone to that he has hardly any contact with her.
No contact with Jack White: The true distance of the ex-band colleague
“I think nobody speaks to MEG,” he said. “She has always been a hermit. When we lived in Detroit, I had to go to her when I wanted to talk to her. And now that is almost never the case. I remember how Ringo Starr once said: ‘I always had Elvis. Because we had in the Beatles to talk about how we felt.’ Elvis was all alone. ‘ I thought: ‘Shit, try to be in a team of two in which the other doesn’t talk!’ “
Media attempts to achieve MEG White for interviews
And although a handful of hard -working journalists have tried to track them down for an interview over the years, nobody has made it. Melissa Giannini from Ell tried courageously in 2023. And it managed to speak to one of her friends. “She traveled, toured and played for 15 years,” said the girlfriend, who wanted to remain anonymous. “It’s not so strange that she just likes to be at home.”
The enormous fees for reunion tours have even lured the most backed people out of their houses. Paul Westerberg even teamed up with the replacements a few years ago. Although he was wearing a number of T-shirts on the last stage, on which the words “I always loved you. Now I have to sell my past” could be read. In other words, he only took part out of greed for money.
Opportunities for a reunion: wishful thinking or reality?
Everything is possible, but it is difficult to imagine that MEG would take a similar moral compromise in the future. And even if an emotional moment on the stage of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame of a future white stripes biography would give a perfect happy ending, life doesn’t normally run that way. The safe bet is that it doesn’t go. We are looking forward to a similar conversation about D’Arcy Wretzky when the Smashing Pumpkins are recorded.
Big moments don’t have to be public: Meg’s legacy remains
Let’s hope that MEG will at least see the live stream on Disney+. And smiles when the white stripes are recorded. Big moments do not always have to take place publicly. And Meg White is not guilty of anything.