Jack White has clarified his comments about Lady Gaga, posting a statement on both his official site and the website of his record label Third Man Records. In the statement, White claims that he has been misrepresented by Esquire, NME and journalists around the world.
According to Esquire, who are set to feature White as the cover star for their January issue, White said in reference to Gaga that, “I don’t think she lives it because it’s all artifice. It’s all image with no meaning behind it. You can’t sink your teeth into it. It’s a sound bite. It’s very of this age, because that’s what people want.”
The quote quickly went global and was reprinted by music media outlets everywhere, including Music Feeds. In his statement, White labels the unchecked viral spreading of the out-of-context quote as being “tabloidesque drama baiting by the press”.
White’s statement indicates that, although he was speaking about Lady Gaga, the chosen quote was apparently not about the validity of her music. Rather, White was speaking about, “the drawbacks of image for the sake of image”.
“I don’t like my comments about lady Gaga’s presentation being changed into some sort of negative critique of her music. If you’re going to try to cause drama, at least get the quotes right,” writes White.
Although the quote in question originated from Esquire, White specifically calls out NME in his statement: “publications like the NME who put whatever words they feel like between two quotation marks and play it off as a quote.”
White concludes his statement by complimenting Gaga for her activism in regards to gay rights. “Peace to Lady Gaga and I fully congratulate and compliment her on her championing of gay rights issues and the momentum it’s given to help create change.”
Read: Jack White’s Statement Clarifying Lady Gaga Comments
I’d like to address the recent tabloidesque drama baiting by the press in regards to Lady Gaga. I never said anything about her music, or questioned the authenticity of her songs in any way. I was in a conversation about the drawbacks of image for the sake of image, and that it is popular nowadays to not question an image in front of you, but only to label it as “cool” or “weird” quickly and dispose of it. I don’t like my comments about lady Gaga’s presentation being changed into some sort of negative critique of her music. If you’re going to try to cause drama, at least get the quotes right. I think journalists should also be held accountable for what they say. Especially publications like the NME who put whatever words they feel like between two quotation marks and play it off as a quote. Maybe somebody with more lawyers can take them to task, but I’ll just use the Internet and Twitter instead. I also think that kind of tabloid drama encourages artists to not express their opinions in the press, and instead give polite soundbites that don’t stimulate thought about creativity and the consumption of art in its many guises.
Peace to Lady Gaga and I fully congratulate and compliment her on her championing of gay rights issues and the momentum it’s given to help create change.
Thank you.
Jack White
III
