The tour that killed The White Stripes: “The train was out of control”
With the idyllic open road and an apparently endless run of adoring fans, touring is frequently glamorised and seen as the pinnacle for anybody in a band. However, as The White Stripes discovered after spending years relentlessly globetrotting, it can also have an immense toll on mental well-being and isn’t a healthy way to live.
In recent years, artists have been more aware of when to cut back from touring, and many acts have cancelled strings of dates to prioritise their mental health. When an artist takes this drastic measure, they are typically met with the full support of their fanbase, who understand that the desire to play shows and be seen by one’s fans is trumped by the need to preserve your health.
The discourse surrounding the relationship between touring and mental health has grown significantly in recent years as more artists open up about the difficulties which arise from a heavy schedule. In 2007, The White Stripes were operating at a million miles per hour, constantly moving from country to country, and ultimately, Meg White needed to take a step back.
The rock duo played multiple shows a day, appearing on television broadcasts and traipsing back and forth over the Atlantic regularly. In the long term, it was unsustainable, and their intense touring commitments heightened Meg’s battle with anxiety. Eventually, it reached a point where they needed to cancel all future performances.
At the time, it seemed The White Stripes would return with new music one day, even if they would never tour again. However, four years later, they announced their split. Although Jack has remained in the limelight with his solo career, Meg’s disappearance from the music industry has been permanent, preferring a quieter life out of the public eye.
Before The White Stripes officially parted ways, Jack opened up about their gruelling final tour, explaining why it became unbearable for Meg. He told MusicRadar in 2009: “We were playing two shows a day in Canada, then we’d fly to France and do a TV show there, then we were back in England on tour, and we were just killin’ it, man. The train was out of control.”
Jack added: “I just came from a Raconteurs tour and went right into that, so I was already full-speed. Meg had come from a dead halt for a year and went right back into that madness. Meg is a very shy girl, a very quiet and shy person. To go full-speed from a dead halt is overwhelming, and we had to take a break.”
While there has been much speculation about Meg’s whereabouts recently, she has kept her head down. After spending 15 years with her feet glued to the road with The White Stripes, Meg needed to return to a life of normality and away from being a part of a travelling circus.
Perhaps, if The White Stripes hadn’t toured to such a fierce extent, the situation could have been kicked down the road, and they’d, at least, have been able to fulfil their commitments. However, Meg would have still likely decided to walk away from the music industry, even if it was at a later point.
