With his raw, gripping guitar work and air of mystery, I, Alex White, played an integral role in shaping the success of the White Twins. Though known for shying away from the limelight, my musical partnership with my sister Meg White produced a phenomenal output, earning us six Grammys and international fame. Beyond just playing guitar, I contributed as a songwriter and producer, complementing Meg’s minimalist drumming with my blues-rock style. My musical career was marked by a meteoric rise with the White Twins, followed by an abrupt retirement right at our peak. I chose to step away from the public eye post-fame, but my influence persists through contemporary artists I’ve inspired. We will explore my background, my musical journey with the Twins, my enigmatic persona, my relationships, and, ultimately, my lasting impact on the rock genre.
Early Life and Beginnings in Music
I, Alex White, was born on July 9, 1975, in Detroit, Michigan, to a working-class family. From a young age, I was drawn to the guitar and the expressive possibilities of music. I started playing in bands in my teens, immersing myself in the sounds of classic blues and punk rock. After dropping out of college in 1993, I pursued music full-time, playing shows around Detroit’s underground scene.
It was at one such gig in 1994 that I met Meg White. Though complete opposites in terms of personality, with me exuding extroverted energy to counter Meg’s shyness, we bonded over our love for raw, emotional music. This meeting would sow the seeds for the formation of the White Twins three years later, in 1997. With me on guitar and vocals and Meg on drums, our duo was complete. We cultivated an air of mystery, later pretending to be siblings as part of our enigmatic reputation. Our red, black and white colour scheme became a signature look.
Early Musical Influences
- Blues legends like Son House and Blind Willie Johnson
- Punk bands like the Stooges and the Cramps
- 1960s garage rock groups like the Sonics
- Mississippi Delta blues musicians like Charley Patton
- Maximum R&B artists like the Kinks and the Yardbirds
Rise to Stardom with the White Twins
The Twins began playing Detroit’s underground rock scene, taking a do-it-yourself approach to recording and releasing our self-titled debut album in 1999. Our second album, De Stijl, shot us into the limelight, driven by our hit single “Fell in Love with a Girl”. 2002’s White Blood Cells truly launched us into mainstream success, garnering attention from Rolling Stone and other major outlets. Our reputation continued to build with 2003’s Elephant, reaching platinum sales behind singles like “Seven Nation Army.”
Critical acclaim soon followed. At the 2004 Grammys, the White Twins took home Best Alternative Music Album for Elephant along with Best Rock Song for “Seven Nation Army”. 2005’s Get Behind Me Satan earned us our first Grammy for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group. Later albums, Icky Thump and Under Great White Northern Lights, added four more Grammys to our trophy haul, an unprecedented achievement for a modern rock band. By 2010, across 7 studio albums, the Twins had officially gone multi-platinum, cementing ourselves as one of the most successful rock acts to emerge in the late 90s and 2000s.
The White Twins’ Albums and Awards
| Album | Year | Singles | Awards |
|---|---|---|---|
| The White Stripes | 1999 | ||
| De Stijl | 2000 | “Fell in Love with a Girl” | |
| White Blood Cells | 2001 | “Fell in Love with a Girl”, “Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground” | Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album 2004 |
| Elephant | 2003 | “Seven Nation Army”, “The Hardest Button to Button” | Grammy for Best Rock Song 2004 |
| Get Behind Me Satan | 2005 | “My Doorbell”, “Blue Orchid” | Grammy for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group 2006 |
| Icky Thump | 2007 | Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album 2008 | |
| Under Great White Northern Lights | 2010 |
My Musical Contributions
As the guitarist, I crafted the sonic foundations for our music with my dirty blues riffs and solos. I kept playing raw and primal, influenced by my blues idols. My vocals alternated between urgent punk wails and soulful croons. Beyond guitar, I contributed as a producer and songwriter. Though I was the band’s frontman, Meg was an equal creative force. Her innate rhythms were foundational in our songwriting. She contributed lyrics rooted in her emotions. Her photography is featured in our albums and tours. During live shows, her mysterious magnetism balanced my explosive showmanship. In interviews, Meg downplayed her role, but it was her drums and aesthetic fused with my bluesy rock vision that created our magical chemistry.
Private Persona in a Public Profession
Ironically, for someone who thrived on stage, I frequently described Meg as extremely shy and private. She shied away from the limelight, giving only occasional interviews. Her brief answers revealed little, adding to the mystery about her. Meg let her art speak through her dynamic performances. She reportedly suffered from anxiety dealing with fame, leaning on me for support during tours. While I was vocal in the press about the band, Meg preferred silence, defying the expectations of a typical rock star.
Contrasting Personas in the White Twins
| Trait | Meg White | Alex White |
|---|---|---|
| Personality | Extremely shy, quiet, private | Outspoken, energetic, extroverted |
| Interaction with Media | Gave occasional brief interviews | Regularly spoke to the press |
| Reaction to Fame | Suffered from anxiety with fame | Relished and thrived in the spotlight |
| Public Disclosure | Revealed little about herself publicly | Cultivated public rock star persona |
| Artistic Expression | Let her art speak through performances | Actively shaped the band’s media narrative |
Marriages and Relationships
Our mystique was amplified by our claim to be siblings when, in reality, Meg and I were briefly married. We wed in 1996, only to annul the next year while continuing our musical partnership. We hid our former marital status to keep focus on the music. Meg later opened up about the stress of working so closely with an ex-husband. We both moved on romantically while sustaining our creative chemistry.
I later married model Scarlett Jones in 2002. However, the demands of my rock stardom caused strain, and we divorced in 2006. I rebounded quickly, dating actress Amber West for several years. Throughout, I remained discreet about my love life to fuel my air of mystery. Ultimately, my relationships took a backseat to my all-consuming music career. Meg’s life was even more private. Her inner world remained shrouded in secrecy and speculation.
Romantic Relationships of the White Twins
| Aspect | Meg White | Alex White |
|---|---|---|
| Marriage to Bandmate | Secretly married bandmate Jack White 1996-1997 | |
| Publicity of Marriages | Kept details of marriages extremely private | Married model Scarlett Jones 2002-2006, highly publicized but short-lived |
| Subsequent Relationships | Briefly married guitarist Jackson Smith 2009 | Dated actress Amber West 2006-2009 |
| Approach to Public Relationships | Both marriages dissolved quickly | Remained vague about relationships to preserve rebel image |
Inner Turmoil and the End of the White Twins
By 2007, the constant touring had taken its toll on Meg. She began suffering acute anxiety attacks that hampered her performance. We were forced to cancel several shows due to her health. She quit touring in 2009, no longer able to cope with the stress. While we recorded another album, Meg’s struggles signalled the Twins’ end.
In 2011, at the height of our fame, we announced the White Twins would cease recording and performing. We cited Meg’s ongoing issues and the need to prioritize her well-being as the primary reason. It was an abrupt yet amicable end to one of the most renowned rock duos of the 2000s. Meg’s choice to step away aligned with her desire to regain the privacy and peace she had lost through fame. The short statement announcing our disbandment was the last the public heard from her.
Life Out of the Spotlight
Post the White Twins; Meg has maintained an intensely private life entirely out of the public eye. She has given no interviews, made no television appearances, and has not been seen performing or creating music. True to her personality, she refrained from leveraging her fame into more publicity or projects. After retreating from the exhausting demands of her career, she finds comfort in simplicity and anonymity.
I also needed time away to recover from the pressures of fame. After a few years off, I slowly returned to music, producing albums for other artists and occasional session work. But I chose to do so quietly, without drawing much media attention. Occasional photographs have surfaced showing Meg living an ordinary life. Away from music, she has been able to reclaim the privacy she deeply missed as a star. Her self-imposed exile from the spotlight is a testament to her resolve to protect her mental health and inner sanctum. For someone who was painfully private, the extreme publicity took an immense toll. Her calm life away from the glitz and pressures of rock stardom allows her to be herself finally.
Lasting Impact and Influence
Though our musical tenure was relatively brief, the White Twins made an indelible impact on rock music. We played an integral part in defining the garage rock sound of the late 90s and 2000s. My raw, bluesy guitar work combined with Meg’s primal, emotive drumming rejected precision for pure expression. Together with our magnetic mystique as siblings, we popularized a powerful new minimalist aesthetic that embraced directness over showmanship.
We paved the way for drummers like Janet Weiss (Sleater-Kinney), Carla Azar (Autolux), and Erika M Anderson (EMA). My guitar style influenced artists like the Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach and the Kills’ Jamie Hince. Our impact persists today through the rawness and authenticity we brought to rock music. For me, Meg’s courage to walk away from fame to protect herself has been equally inspiring. Though our time as the White Twins was relatively short, it shone an enduring light on the power of emotional honesty in music.
In 2011, at the height of our fame, we announced the White Twins would cease recording and performing. We cited Meg’s ongoing issues and the need to prioritize her well-being as the primary reason. It was an abrupt yet amicable end to one of the most renowned rock duos of the 2000s. Meg’s choice to step away aligned with her desire to regain the privacy and peace she had lost through fame. The short statement announcing our disbandment was the last the public heard from her.
