Jack White Disses Lady Gaga, Twitter

Update: Jack White has issued a statement regarding an NME article posted today (Dec. 5) that was based on a recent interview he gave to the British edition of Esquire magazine. White contends that the NME article misquoted him by incorrectly identifying Lady Gaga's music as the target of a rant he delivered on the state of contemporary celebrity culture. He insists he was instead talking about "the drawbacks of image for the sake of image" and was using "Lady Gaga's presentation" as an example.

Jack White's statement in full, as posted on his official website, reads:

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.

For the record, here's our original story from earlier today:

Don't count Jack White among Lada Gaga's Little Monsters. In the latest issue of Esquire magazine, the former White Stripes frontman speaks out against the pop star, insisting that she's "all artifice" and nothing more substantial than a "sound bite."

"I don't think she lives it because it's all artifice," White tells Esquire (via NME). "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. They want a Twitter line, a jpeg, an MP3."

White also takes the time to bash Twitter and the broader phenomenon of contemporary celebrity culture. "The goal of modern celebrity is to make yourself into the lowest common denominator," he explains. "'Hey, I'm a guy just like you. I like a beer, a football game.' Especially in reality television, you'll see people will go so far as to make a fool out of themselves just to prove that."

He concludes: "Twitter is the most perfect example of modern living. I think the only people who should have [Twitter accounts] are comedians. Because it's all about one-liners."

The Willy Wonka of indie rock would certainly make an interesting reality TV star -- if for no other reason that his unique viewpoint -- but don't hold your breath. We don't see White singing on as an 'American Idol' judge anytime soon.