Dead Weather: "60 Feet Tall"

I could write an entire blog about Jack White. He is hands down one of the most talented musicians of his generation, and all of his projects -- The White Stripes, The Raconteurs and The Dead Weather -- have been met with critical acclaim, if not hoards of screaming girls throwing panties on stage, which is the undisputed barometer of rock musician success. (Though I can't confirm or deny the panty count, since I've tragically never seen him perform live.) Rolling Stone named him one of the top 20 guitarists of all time.

The youngest of 10 siblings in a Catholic family, White (born John Anthony Gillis) grew up in Detroit listening to blues and '60s rock. He learned the drums and the guitar; tried his hand in a few small local bands and careers; considered attending seminary but decided against it because he probably couldn't take his amp with him; and then formed The White Stripes with his new bride Meg White (he took her last name) in 1997 at the tender age of 22. They divorced three years later but continued to play together until this past February. The biggest track to come out of that collaboration was "Seven Nation Army," which was released in 2003 and won a Grammy for Best Rock Song. It's been covered by everyone from Audioslave to the Northwestern University Marching Band. (I really wish I had a video. Next season, for sure.)

The success of The White Stripes opened the Louisiana floodgates; White is ubiquitous, performing with his two current bands as well as solo, producing other artists, and making appearances in films like 2009's "It Might Get Loud," in which he palled around with U2's The Edge and Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page. (Best scene of the movie: Whole Lotta Love-gasm.)

The Dead Weather is a powerful collaboration: White, The Kills lead singer Alison Mosshart, Queens of the Stone Age guitarist/keyboardist Dean Fertita, and Raconteurs bassist Jack Lawrence. They've released two albums, one of which (Horehound) is overflowing with incredible rhythms and licks. (I haven't heard the other album yet, though it's been out for almost a year. Shame on me.)

This track is stripped down but incredibly satisfying -- especially Fertita's guitar solo around 3:30. They make it look easy, but The Dead Weather is what a modern blues rock band should sound like. Enjoy.

"60 Feet Tall," performed by The Dead Weather.
Original on The Dead Weather's "Horehound" (2009).