October 26, 2005 12:46

White Stripes: ‘We’d be nothing without the UK’

Jack White speaks exclusively to NME.COM

Photo Gallery: The White Stripes

The White Stripes have spoken exclusive to NME.COM ahead of their forthcoming UK tour.

The duo kicked off their European tour in Paris earlier this month (October 16) and will tour the continent before heading to Britain for their first date at the London Hammersmith Apollo on November 5.

The tour sees Jack and Meg White playing many of the same venues they visited in January 2004, including two nights at London’s Alexandra Palace (November 8-9), and the band say they’ve found playing UK shows very influential in their live evolution.

“We were a bit worried about playing Alexandra Palace last time,” admitted Jack. “We thought it'd be a big empty hall but it ended up being really nice. The crowd was interesting. London has been a place where we've done a lot of learning about what we can get away with and what we can't get away with and what kind of attitude needs to be in the room to make us feel good.”

Jack added that he found the types of venues in Britain intriguing, as each had brought a different performance out of him and Meg, from their tiny gigs at place like the Boston Arms and the 100 Club when they became a sensation despite been unsigned, to their bigger shows which have included headlining performances at Glastonbury and the Carling Weekend: Reading and Leeds Festivals.

“There's a different attitude that comes through in every place,” he said. “As a performer you have to come through and try hard to gauge that – particularly us, because we don't follow a setlist.”