The Raconteurs Stumble Into The Right Formula

Friday June 09, 2006 @ 06:00 PM
By: ChartAttack.com Staff



The Raconteurs
Not many hit singles, let alone supergroups, are formed on a whim. But Jack White and Brendan Benson's new band, The Raconteurs, are the result of pure happenstance. The story starts as simply as a song without vocals.


"We've been friends for a long time," Benson explains. "We've always talked about playing together, doing something together.


"A couple years ago, Jack came over to my house. I had a song with no lyrics and asked if he might want to write some lyrics for it, which he did. He sang it, we demoed it. It's called 'Steady As She Goes.' Then we said, 'Let's do that band we were talking about. Let's make that record we've always talked about.' We got little Jack [Lawrence] and Patrick [Keeler] to play on it, and that's how it happened."


"It" is the band on everyone's lips this summer. White's first full band project got started well before The White Stripes recorded Get Behind Me Satan. However, The Raconteurs' finished product, Broken Boy Soldiers, didn't see the light of day until last month.


For both White and Benson, it's a near wholesale change from their regular bands, where each is the leader of his respective full-time gig. "It's such a different project," White says, comparing this band to the Stripes.
"It's nice to be a conductor at times, or also just be the guitar player or just be a piano player. I like to be a component a lot of the time because I learn a lot from the people I'm working with."


The record is steeped in a sound reminiscent of '70s hard rock, but the architects insist that wasn't the plan in the first place. "We were actually not aiming at any sound," Benson says.


"We just had no idea about a sound. I think we knew that all the components of this band would make a sound. I was just as anxious to hear what it was going to sound like when we were making it.


"Recording went really well. I think we all have a lot of respect for each other. We knew when someone had an idea to let 'em run with it or back off or whatever."


The band will make a number of high profile festival stops this summer, including Lollapalooza in Chicago and Fuji Rock in Japan, in addition to a number of regular tour dates. "We're going to work on our golf strokes for a while and then eventually do a tour of golf courses," jokes White.


Then it's likely back to normalcy for all four members, including The Greenhornes' Lawrence and Keeler. As White is quick to point out, his other band aren't going anywhere.


"I think the White Stripes is its own little universe that Meg [White] and I have created for ourselves over there. Nothing can get to it. It doesn't matter if it takes a break for six months or six weeks or six minutes. It lives and breathes on its own, and we have no intentions of stopping it."


Here are The Raconteurs' Canadian tour dates:


July 26 Vancouver, BC @ Malkin Bowl
September 30 Montreal, QC @ Metropolis

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How hard is it to dislike Jack White? Fucking hard. Not that I'd want to.

I am going to see them in Norfolk, VA in Sept. <3

I love the album.

So just how good is their album? I like the single but I haven't seen any reviews for the album, oddly.

I have about three album reviews at home. Their album ranked about 7/10 and 5/5 in two of those reviews.

I don't mind the new song. I can't see myself buying the album though. After Elephant, I pretty much hate everything Jack White has done.

i really like the album. it took about two or three listens though....but it starts to sound really good.

the album is great. if you wanna listen for yourself search through the mp3 threads - it's been posted a million times.

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then she dances skirt swaying in the half-light she dances white blossom in the black sky
'I need new clothes', she thinks, 'new skin, a mind I can bear to live in'.

I love the Raconteurs album. I think it's great. Also by the way, is the Greenhornes. They're spectacular!

i still haven't gotten my hands on their stuff (greenhornes.) thanks for reminding me tracyr.

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then she dances skirt swaying in the half-light she dances white blossom in the black sky
'I need new clothes', she thinks, 'new skin, a mind I can bear to live in'.

i need to give this album a try, the single isn't really catching me.

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please do. there are better tracks on it than steady as she goes.

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then she dances skirt swaying in the half-light she dances white blossom in the black sky
'I need new clothes', she thinks, 'new skin, a mind I can bear to live in'.

good to hear, i will have to give them a spin. thanks!

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I had a look but it was expired. It doesn't really matter anyway, I'm on dial-up so it takes 6 hours to download zip files. Thanks for the suggestion though.

The Raconteurs have teamed up with Paul Ruebens, best known for his work as Pee Wee Herman, in a brand new video for their single, "Steady, As She Goes." In this video, each band member plays an imaginative speed-racing hero in an old-fashioned soap box race, following the heroes on their cut-throat chase for first place. Ruebens plays an unscrupulous pit boss, stooping to low levels to ensure a win for his racer.



The video will premiere exclusively on Yahoo! Music ( http://www.music.yahoo.com ) on Monday, June 19th. You can also catch a debut live performance of "Steady, As She Goes" and an interview with The Raconteurs on Live @ Y! Music beginning today, Monday, June 12th, recorded live at Y! music studios last week.

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"Moderate intoxication includes additional abnormalities such as hyperactive bowel sounds,"

the raconteurs are AMAZING. broken boy soldier is my favorite song it's so original! no music of today sounds like that song! and blue veins is really jack white like. and yellow sun is good too. it's really a perfect summer type album. i recommend it definitely.

I really like it. BUt I am a fan of all members. Brendan Benson is such a great song writer and Jack blows me away. I just wish the Greenhornes vibe was a bit more present.

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"Moderate intoxication includes additional abnormalities such as hyperactive bowel sounds,"

their song "Patterned Skies" are making the rounds.

That's probably my favorite track too.

i love the raconteurs album. but tix are $30 for their stop in portland in a total SHITHOLE. i can't bring myself to pay that much. tix at that venue are usually about $15.