The White Stripes

Meg and Jack, born White and chose White respectively, keep it simple: she/he, white/red, drums/guitar. With 'minimalist' their leit motif and roots planted in blues and punk, the duo set out from Detroit in 1997 to simplify, and their grand reception, which includes two Grammys and an MTV Video Music award, has proved their point. Songwriter-vocalist Jack slips seamlessly between styles and Meg does drums with a small 'd,' proving the percussion doesn't have to percuss to be stand-out. Enormously popular in the States and across the pond, the band is considered more interpreter than inventor and has produced four mega-albums, De Stijl, White Blood Cells, Elephant and Get Behind Me Satan, since 2000. Elephant, recorded in London with Holly Golightly assisting on vocals, carried the simplify standard a step further by employing analogue equipment and eight tracks. Although White Stripes' music, like their peppermint logo, is cool, the duo can get hot: Jack, who's branched out into producing and worked on the movie Cold Mountain, recently pled guilty to assaulting Jason Stollsteimer [Von Bondies] over a perceived slight.