How bad is the quality of that Icky Thump leak sendspacing its way around the web? You know well that we’ll ravenously consume a record regardless the bitrate, but this one’s pushing it. Each of your emails came with the appropriate caveat (aww thanks guys): it’s a radio-rip, it sounds shitty. Begs the question: Who’d be ballsy/ignorant enough to play the entire album over two weeks before release?
That, friends, is Chicago’s Q101 DJ Electra, and Jack White is PISSED. The self-professed Queen of Snark posted this in her defense after Mr. White gave her a stern talking to (via Web Vomit):
At 2pm today, during my show, Q101 became the first station in the world to play the new White Stripes album, Icky Thump. It’s awesome. It’s really, really, unbelievably brilliant and awesome. I was giddy and excited to share it with fellow fans.At 4pm today, Jack White called Q101′s main offices from Spain, where they’re touring, looking specifically for me, to yell at ME for leaking the album and, in part, being “messed up for the entire (music) business.” (Edit – I listened to the call again today, and I apologize for initially misquoting Jack.) I felt like I was going to throw up. Weirdest, most surreal conversation of my life.
So Sherman and Tingle were on the air when Jack called. They took the call with me in the studio, off the air. Jack asked me to take responsibility for leaking the record, and asked if I was sorry for what I’d done. S&T both jumped into the call – I was clearly flustered – and backed me 100%. We tried to explain where we were coming from – someone gave us a copy of a record that we were really excited to play, and the whole experience was an hour-long lovefest for him and his band – but he wasn’t having it. He hung up, very, very angry, and I thought I was going to cry. Instead, I drank some beers that the Fix had left in the studio. Room temperature Bud Light. Delicious.
After speaking to Jack’s manager and getting their side of the story, Spike and I went on the air with S&T to open up the situation to the listeners. We respected Jack’s desire not to be on the air and didn’t re-air the call, but we talked about what was said and what happened. I’m extremely grateful to everyone who called in supporting us. I don’t think I am helping to ruin the music industry. I think I made people excited for the new White Stripes record. I know that was our intention.
I also still think Jack White is an incredibly talented musician, and I still think the new record is amazing. I just don’t think I’ll be able to listen to it without feeling like crap for a good long while.
And that’s all I have to say about that.
Won’t be all everybody else has to say about that, though. Feel bad for Jack, and side with him, too. What Electra did isn’t like a blogger leaking an entire album, but — and not to get all CBS/Imus about this — there’s a responsibility to using those airwaves; it involves being aware that some kid with audiojacking software is a right-click-save away from spreading all you play. It also involves being aware that if you leak Jack White’s shit he will call you up and make you cry.
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Quite frankly, I’m very pissed off at the DJ and anyone supporting her ignorant decision to play Icky Thump. What kind of idiot plays an entire unreleased album on the radio? I’m behind the White Stripes on this one. Jack had every right to be angry; this album is his creation, not to mention his profession. It goes without saying that her poor choice has caused countless people to already steal this album – the quality doesn’t matter, it’s still stolen. I agree 100% with Jack – she’s not exactly helping the music industry. Sure, there’s a good possibility some of the tracks may have leaked regardless, but SHE PLAYED THE WHOLE ALBUM ON THE RADIO. What was that bitch thinking?! I believe something should be done about this; shouldn’t this DJ get what she deserves? Whether anyone else cares or not, downloading music is still very illegal! It’s the same as pocketing a CD while in a store. This DJ, and consequently thousands of other people, have showed that they have absolutely no respect for anyone other than themselves. I am very, very deeply upset about this.
I just sat here and read all these comments and this is the one thing that stood out:
“Begs the question: Who’d be ballsy/ignorant enough to play the entire album over two weeks before release?”
If I ask you about apples and you answer about oranges, then you have begged the question.
A couple summers ago, several cable newscasters trying to appear erudite started to misuse this term.
It now often serves to flag someone who doesn’t know what he’s taking about.
Try “That raises the question: Who’d be ballsy/ignorant enough to play the entire album over two weeks before release?” Posted by: anon at June 1, 2007 5:17 AM
Actually anon, this usage of the phrase begging the question has been around for decades, if not centuries. Just like with “all intensive purposes”, “supposably”, and “irregardless” it would have been considered incorrect some time ago, but has become acceptable in modern English. It’s one of those changes language goes through.
Sorry to geek out over that, but historical linguistics/semantics is a passion of mine. Also, I don’t really give two shits about anything concerning Jack White.
Playing the new White Stripes album before it comes out, without the band’s permission is like using a clothes hanger to abort an unborn baby. Just cause it leaked doesn’t mean a radio station with population control, can distribute it. The increase of technology shouldn’t mean a decrease of respect. If Jack White was not upset about that, I’d be upset with him. There is not any music industry left. The White Stripes first record label is called Sympathy For The Record Industry. Need I say more.
“dont blame the DJ, blame her bosses!”
-thats bullshit. people NEED to take responsibility for their actions. she new exactly what she was doing; no one put a gun to her head to play the record. even if it really wasnt her decision, and her position as DJ for Q101 was threatened, she STILL shouldnt have played it because that just proves she has no spine, and should have stood up and did the right thing.
“Jack White is a mean spoiled cry-baby rockstar and shouldnt have yellet at the DJ”
-yea? and youre a douchebag. he has every right to be pissed. like every white stripes’ album, he and meg made the album themselves, wrote all the songs themselves, produced the album themselves. he and meg set the date of when they wanted THEIR album released. as one the very, very, very few major-label bands that actually have creativity, originality, and the DIY ethic of not employing songwriters, producers, session musicians, etc., that actually has the sincerity and balls of handeling things HIMSELF without publicists and lawyers, because he actually cares about THE INTEGRITY OF HIS MUSIC AND NOT NECESSARILY THE MONEY IT EARNS. because of that alone, i think their request of release date should be respected.
“whats the big deal? lots of bands leak their albums before the release date.”
-just because the shitty boring pop-punk bands youve been listening to on eMpTV for the last decade practice the tired scam of leaking their albums before their forcasted release date to garnish some sort of interest to make up for their lack of talent, and all the while make it seem like an accident, DOES NOT make it right or normal, but more like a meek and lowly hustle.
“ah well what a chump well my head got a bump when i hit it on the radio.” – lyric from the song Icky Thump, off the album Icky Thump by The White Stripes, being released 06.18.07 (uk), and 6.19.07 (everywhere else)
Warner Bros, the big media Giant who exploits its artists is trying to kill free speech, to find out more, email me.
warner.brosout2getme@gmail.com
Who cares? It’s only a matter of time before an album is sent in mp3 format around the world for free.
The djs and bloggers who play this stuff aren’t looking to rip off the artists. They have a great love and respect of the guys they play and the intention is to get people to hear it.
I was hoping to hear a couple of mp3s on the net of the new album before buying it because in the past i’ve only liked some of their stuff.
But now, I’m just not gonna bother. There’s so much good music out there anyway.
When choosing between Queens of the Stoneage and White Stripes at the shop today I got Queens cause I’d heard some of the songs before release and decided I liked it enough to own the album.
If anyone actually bought Icky Thump, they would realize that she is the first person he thanks (after god).
If anyone actually bought Icky Thump, they would realize that she is the first person he thanks (after god).
If anyone actually bought Icky Thump, they would realize that she is the first person he thanks (after god).
im always skint but i would feel so wrong if i leaked icky thump, i would rather wait until it came out officially. theres only a few weeks left to wait ,right, so fans should hang in there! i know i know it wud be just so easy downloading an having it straight away – i can barely wait myself – but buying a brand new shiney REAL stripes album is so rewarding, i just DONT GET why anyone wud leak!?!
i think JW overreacted a bit, but joey headset is right, at least it shows he cares. i know I wud hate to have an album i had put so much work into leaked an played on air in minutes if it was due out soon after.
and hey, DJElectra(stupid cow)will have a great story to tell the grandkids – “now i remember a time when i was yelled at by Jack White…”
the white stripes ROCK by the way!!!
Just realised big hitch in my above blog.To anyone who reads it an thinks “its just been released!call yourself a fan?you dont know what youre talking about” – my excuse is i have been out of touch lately. So the album IS out. i knew that (ahem). mind you, i live in the Land of Boredom Where Everything is Slow (a.k.a ireland) so i wouldnt be surprised if it ISNT out yet. i only saw the simpsons episode with the stripes on the internet last week cos my shit tv stations wont show it.
anyways, i have to go and scrape the pennies together for icky thump – for you lot who have heard it, is it as good as their other albums? no, dont tell me – so i leave all you fans to gloat about bein some of the first to have it, while i listen contently yet in anticipation of icky thump to what albums i DO have…
one more thing – this sounds bad, but all the albums i have of the white stripes are copied cos my sister absolutely will not give me the actual cds (when my dad died,(whose cds they were)who was also a big fan of the stripes, sis had already nicked them off him, so now they are really hers cos she doesnt have to give them back to him). my question to anyone living in nyc – are the stripes cds (their old ones as well) still possibly available in any shops in ny? im goin to ny in aug an will be definitely lookin in cd stores, but i was just wonderin so i cud buy em all an have my own proper copies. so if you have bothered to read this blog until now (eek!just realised how long it is!) please please please give me info!!!!!!!!! ill be back on this site sumtime soon. so please!!!this is v important to me!!!thank u xxx:-)xxx
“What Electra did isn’t like a blogger leaking an entire album, but — and not to get all CBS/Imus about this — there’s a responsibility to using those airwaves; it involves being aware that some kid with audiojacking software is a right-click-save away from spreading all you play.”
How is it different? It’s the same thing.
I live near Chicago and was listening to the radio the day that Jack White called in. His anger, although understandable, was completely misplaced. Electra and the other DJs made it perfectly clear after the phonecall, that in no way, shape, or form was the album available for a download, etc. The songs were simply played. I think it did nothing but create free publicity for Jack White, and hype up the album. You have to look to the people close to the band to wonder how the album was leaked. I don’t think anyone from Q101 went and sought out the album to purposely leak. It was more than likely given to the radio station. And let’s see, the last time I checked, the purpose of the a radion station was to put music out there for the artists, to get the fans ready for the upcoming album. I believe that mission was accomplished.
Here is a quote direct from the Q101 music director.
Spike denied to MTV that the station had “leaked” the album. “I was sent a link to a file and, when we found it online — like we always do — we played it,” he told MTV.
So there. It was not a copy from the record label.
Here is another quote from Spike.
Although he downloaded a shared file of the album, Spike is adamant that he doesn?t believe in file sharing. ?To download music instead of buying it irritates me,? he says, ?because I care about bands and I?ve done this for a long time and that aspect of it is not something I support.?
He says this as he’s playing a copy of an album that he downloaded. I had to double check that I wasn’t reading The Onion.
Here’s the whole article.
http://www.chicagoreader.com/features/stories/ourtown/070615/q101/
Aww c’mon, that DJ did not do it for the White Stripes nor as a fan, she did it for herself and the radio station.
I listened to Q101 when they aired “Icky Thump” before it was released, and afterwards I knew that I had to buy the album, because there was no way I could hear all of those songs on the radio. And on the day it was released, I bought it.
I think that other White Stripes fans feel the same way. I’m sure that anyone who would have bought the album would have bought it despite weather or not it was aired on the radio beforehand. Besides, it’s just one radio station, how many assholes downloaded it and sold it on e-bay before it was released? Direct your anger somewhere else, Electra was just doing her job, and promoting one of her favorite bands.
Hello all of you children, bickering over whether or not I was in the right by my actions. The truth is that I did indeed get rather angry with Karmen, but I believe I had a legitimate reason to do so. Karmen and the radio station she was representing should not have done what they done simply out of respect! Evidently respect is not something I can find today. Not to be throwing excuses around, but as a musician, I have an immense amount of stress mounted on my shoulders. That stress can result in some ugly situations. Even though I believe I was right, I apologize to those I may have offended. Good luck, ALL 3 OF YOU.
Jack