The material, which was recorded in two parts with late British radio DJ John Peel in 2001, should be of considerable value to fans of the now-disbanded duo, who made the recordings shortly after their breakout third album White Blood Cells.
Often bootlegged by fans but never officially released to the public by either member of the Detroit rock group, the recordings are raw and untamed — perfectly showcasing what helped the Stripes rise to international stardom.
A beautiful live release which features a black album cover with simple red soundwave artwork, the records will be pressed to red and white vinyl, with a less-expensive black version to be sent to stores later this year.
The double LP isn’t short on material, either, containing live versions of 30 total tracks — 15 per disc. In addition to the White Stripes’ own material, the Peel Session recordings also feature covers of Dolly Parton, Gene Vincent, Blind Willie Tell, and the MC5.
A duo which consisted of Jack White and his former wife Meg White, The White Stripes rose to fame in the early 2000s as part of the garage rock revival, playing energetic rough-and-tumble blues rock to enthusiastic young audiences. The group eventually disbanded in 2011 after a long hiatus of recorded material. Jack White has remained active in the music scene since the White Stripes breakup, creating his own label and performing solo, as well as with rock supergroups The Dead Weather and the The Raconteurs.
The Complete John Peel Sessions double-LP will be released on White’s record label Third Man Records, which will also put out a green-colored vinyl pressing of White’s recent collaboration with the Muppets on the same day. For more information about how to get a copy, consult Record Store Day’s website.
