BY MIKEY MIGO
I've been saying for a few years now that the biggest and best modern rock bands of this era are "The Foo Fighters" and "The White Stripes". These two bands are what our grandchildren will look back on as what defined our era. I'm not talking about mega groups like "U2" or "Metallica" here. Those two bands have most likely seen their best days behind them and have already secured their place in music history. With The Foos and The Stripes, the quality consistently evolves and there's a lot left to hear, at least I hope.
But then is the argument of who is today's best rock star. To me, it comes down to "The Foo Fighter's" Dave Grohl or "The White Stripe's" Jack White? I'm a huge fan of both artists and can't decide. Today we're going to attempt to figure this one out.
ROUND ONE: Bands
Dave Grohl: Nirvana, Foo Fighters, Them Crooked Vultures
Jack White: The White Stripes, The Raconteurs, The Dead Weather
The Winner: Dave Grohl
I love White's projects, but we're talking Nirvana here. But that's not just it though, Grohl's finest work, in my opinion, is still with the Foos. Then to top it off, we get the super-duper group with "Them Crooked Vultures"? Yeah, sorry Jack… no contest.
ROUND TWO: Definitive Albums
Dave Grohl: Dave has the three studio albums with "Bleach", "In Utero", and the classic "Nevermind". With the Foos, we got six studio albums with "The Colour and the Shape", "In Your Honor", and "Echos, Silence, Patience & Grace" most notable in my book. To top it off, the "Them Crooked Vultures" self titled is pretty damn awesome as well.
Jack White: Jack's got game with "White Blood Cells", "Elephant", and "Icky Thump" with the Stripes. Those are all huge albums and have rocked many of worlds. Then with The Raconteurs and The Dead Weather we've gotten some bad ass albums, but nothing that screams "this is a definitive album".
The Winner: Dave Grohl
Jack and his fans have nothing to be upset about here. The albums by Stripes are era defining. The other two projects have put on some great listens and albums that should be in your collection by law, but not on the same level. We'll even ignore the Nirvana stuff here and Grohl wins. The Foo albums I mentioned above have had the chance to withstand the tests of time and have done so very nicely.
ROUND THREE: The Singles
Dave Grohl: For Grohl's standout singles, I suppose it's fair to work backwards. With "The Crooked Vultures" we've been treated to "New Fang" and "Mind Eraser, No Chaser". I LOVE the album, but this super-duper group hasn't really put out that HUGE single yet. It'll happen though, I'm sure, soon enough. The "Foo Fighters" singles are a bit crazy. Not to turn this into a listing of all his songs, I'll go with a few of the heavy hitter "Foo Fighter" tracks. There's "Big Me", "Monkey Wrench", "My Hero", "The One", "Times Like These", "Best of You", "The Pretender", and so so so many others. If THAT isn't enough, we pull out the unfair big guns of the Nirvana catalog. Do I even need to mention any other songs after simple saying "Smells Like Teen Spirit"?
Jack White: Within the three main projects that White is in, he has gathered a large amount of singles over the years. With "The Dead Weather", there's four but I still tend to think "I Cut Like a Buffalo" from Horehound is the best of that bunch. With the two albums by "The Raconteurs" there has been more success with "Steady, As She Goes", "Level", and others. But let's be realistic here, the bread and butter of White's work is with "The White Stripes". If you're a fan of current rock music and haven't heard the two dozen or so other singles then you're a liar. The most notable singles of "The White Stripes" have to be "Fell In Love With a Girl", "We're Going to Be Friends", "Seven Nation Army", and "Icky Thumb". It's safe to say that at least two or three of those four songs(I say all four) are among the most definitive rock songs of this modern era.
The Winner: Dave Grohl
The Nirvana card here is a little unfair, but Dave Grohl's history is his history. Jack White's spree of singles are not any less remarkable and iconic. "Seven Nation Army" is probably the biggest and best. It's a song that'll go down as one for the era, but the definitive status that comes with Nirvana is too much to fight off. Even without Nirvana to his cred, Dave's "Foo Fighters" stuff is just as bad ass as White's work, if not even a little more. This was close. I'd almost say Foos and Stripes are about equal in quality but Foos have just more in their arsenal.
ROUND FOUR: Collaborations
Dave Grohl: Dave has quite a few awesome collaborations under his belt. He's done drums on multiple albums and songs by artists that include the likes of Nine Inch Nails, Tenacious D, Queens of the Stone Age, Juliette and the Licks, David Bowie, and even Paul McCartney.
Jack White: Jack's line up of collaborations is pretty cool. He's done work country legend Loretta Lynn, Beck, and even did a track with The Rolling Stones for that "Shine a Light" movie.
The Winner: Dave Grohl
Dude, he's worked Tenacious D! C'mon. That's a "win" right there for sure. White has collaborations with lesser known artists but seems to always crank out something special. When he's involved you're more likely to know it. Dave's work is sometimes less covered. Nine Inch Nails is my favorite band of all time, but I still forget he did drum work on "With Teeth". In this respect, White sorta comes off as "I'm too cool for school" as Grohl just goes out there and lives out his rockstar dreams over and over again. Both are respectable in their mindsets, but Grohl's history is more impressive.
ROUND FIVE: Credibility
Dave Grohl: Dave Grohl has the respect of pretty much everyone under the sun. Critics know he's great at what he does and give him props pretty often.
Jack White: White is the poster child for "cool". Music snobs and critics alike love the man as if he's the second coming of sound.
The Winner: Jack White
Both are credible, respected, and adored or their work. White has a tad more "street cred" these days, so I'm going with that factor as the decision maker.
ROUND SIX: Influences
Dave Grohl: Grohl's has plenty of influences and wears them on his sleeves. Literally in the case of having drumming legend John Bonham's "three-circle" logo tattooed on his wrist. Along with Zeppelin, he's been said to love him some Husker Du, Queen, Motorhead, The Who, Black Sabbath, and others.
Jack White: As a teenager White got really into 60's rock and the blues. You can also easily hear his ear for old school country, but never faking the twang. Gotta respect that.
The Winner: Jack White
I love me some Zeppelin and most of what Dave is/was into, but the answer is kind of bland. If you're in a modern rock band and is not influenced by Zeppelin in some fashion then not only do I NOT want to hear you, but I think you should pull of a Van Gogh and give the ol' ear a good chopping. And the truth of the matter is that Zeppelin was ultimately influenced in part by the blues as well. So by all means Jack wins because he's cutting out the middle man. I actually came to the conclusion in recent months that I dig rock music that has blues and jazz influences most of all. I hear it in my favorite bands from the obvious in U2 to even the bass line progressions in a lot of Nine Inch Nail songs.
ROUND SEVEN: Style
Dave Grohl: Dave is your everyday dude. He looks like he just woke up, put on some clothes and went on with his day. It's always like this. In videos, appearances, and pretty much every time you see him it's the same "go with the flow" style. That's just his visual style. Grohl doesn't take himself too serious and often jokes around and makes a loveable ass of himself.
Jack White: Jack White is all style. It's not "all style and no substance" AT ALL, but the guy has a "look". In Stripes, he color coordinates like a mother fucker and tends to always be sharply dressed in something you'd of seen an old school rock star rock out in. I have seen him casual in just a shirt and pants, but even then it feels predetermined and thought out. On top of that, his personality comes off a little dry at times. He's got a humorous side to him, but his whole "mystique" is very dominate.
The Winner: Jack White
I appreciate Grohl's slacker style as it's closer to my own, but I like my rock stars looking like rock stars. I've always felt that the performer should stand out in a larger than life image and not look like everyone in their crowd. Jack White, as weird as the dude can be, accomplishes that.
THE VERDICT
The Score: 4-3
The Winner: Dave Grohl
I guess. I'm a huge fan of both musicians and like them both for different reasons. I'd love to sit back and share a bottle with Dave just as much as I'd love to go creatively mad with Jack. There is plenty of room for both artists in my collection and they'll both be welcomed to my ears for hopefully years to come. These two, in my opinion, are the two most definitive rock stars of the modern era. Both men have put out great music and when it comes down to it, WE, those with ears and good taste, are the winners.
Who IS the best modern rock star?
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