There aren’t many genuine Rock Stars left in the world. That’s probably got something to do with how much easier it is to be a celebrity these days. We have so many idols to choose from, we don’t have to settle for the same old clichés. Cos let’s be honest, most of those guys were assholes. Over-hyped and over-rated. The few 60s & 70s rock stars that have been able to translate their popularity across generations (aside from the ‘nostalgic-for-a-time-they-never-knew’ crew  [1] ) are the guys who have actively shunned their own godlike images by refusing to rest on their laurels and continue creating innovative and ambitious music, like Neil Young and Bob Dylan. That and then also the Rolling Stones model, where the Stones are still peddling their greatest hits in shows, but at least they’re still trying and have avoided becoming a tribute act to themselves.

Who are the Rock Stars of the current era though? That can’t just be a generational epithet. These days the term ‘Rock Star’ is no longer tied to the genre it spouted from. Everyone from The Black Keys to Lady Gaga to Russell Brand to Kanye West have been called it. That’s a double-edged sword because on one hand it undermines the rock and roll sound, but on the other, why shouldn’t Kanye West be thought of as a rock star? He epitomises every single thing about that attitude and image. He’s arrogant, outspoken, entitled, idolised, obnoxious, ambitious, grandiose and supremely talented. There isn’t nearly as big of a difference between Lou Reed and Kanye West  [2] as most people would think.

Sticking to the genre-based theory of ‘The Rock Star’ though, there’s a prevailing notion that it’s a dying art. I don’t know why people think that. Because the charts are dominated by pop and hip hop tracks? Well there’s a reason they call it ‘popular music’. The generic, watered down, mass market stuff has always sold the best. Anyone who thinks differently is just being sentimental  [3] . Jimi Hendrix never had a number one single in the US. In fact he never came close. And Electric Ladyland was his only album to top the charts in his homeland. It can take a while for a legacy to develop, and often it just doesn’t happen in an artist’s lifetime. It’s frustrating to me when people moan about the quality of modern music. There’s more great music now than ever before, you just have to know where to look. The digital age is breaking down the barriers between musicians and fans. There is no better time to be a music fan.

The only problem with that is that genuine Rock Stars need that massive element of fame. It’s kind of inherent in the title. You have to be a ‘Star’. The music still survives with a steady pulse  [4] , but throwing TVs out of hotel windows isn’t so commercial anymore. People so popular that they transcend all areas of society are rare. Even more so are people who do that on the back of legitimate talent and creativity.

Jack White is the man I want to talk about. He’s the only guy I can think of undeniably worthy of carrying that flame. He’s brilliant and a little weird. Confident and ambitious. Reclusive, sure, but he also has an imposing aura. And most of all he continues to challenge boundaries. There are other guys you could talk about with strong cases but none quite as strong as White’s. Dave Grohl is too much a man of the people. Wayne Coyne is too hippy-strange. The Followill Bros come close with their factious band dynamics but are they really that good? Where is their classic album? The Black Keys flirted with it but they’re a garage rock band in essence that just played the part for a while  [5] . Jim James should be up there as a modern day George Harrison crossed with Neil Young crossed with Jerry Garcia but for some reason My Morning Jacket isn’t as big a band as they should be.

But Jack White is the real deal. He’s always looked the part with his carefully constructed (and colour coded) image, and there’s no doubting the singular talent. Best of all as far as I’m concerned is that he draws his biggest inspiration from The Blues, just like Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones and Cream, etc. before him. Instead of trying to imitate the masters of old, he’s drawing from the same well as they did. He is their peer. Innovation over imitation.

Jack White releases his second solo album next month. It’s called Lazaretto and a couple of tracks are already floating around on youtube. Typically for the founder of Third Man Records, which emphasises the old fashioned ways of consuming music – such as live recordings and vinyl and non-digital compression – that album will be released on record in what he’s calling an ‘Ultra Edition’. Not just Special or even Deluxe, but ‘Ultra’. It features a bunch of cool little novelties. Side A plays from the inside out. Both sides end in a locked groove (so a small musical loop will keep playing until you pick up the needle). It plays at three different speeds. There are pretty little angel ‘holograms’ that appear within the grooves whilst it’s playing. Hidden tracks underneath the labels. And my favourite one of all, a dual-groove which means that depending on where you place the needle, the opening track of Side B will either play with an acoustic or an electric introduction, which will merge into the same song. It’s not enough for me to invest in a record player and start collecting vinyl. I’m still only buying the standard CD version. But it’s so refreshing to see a guy with nothing to prove continue to try to be creatively unique.

There doesn’t seem to be a resting moment for Jack. He is continuously trying to push the envelope with everything he does  [6] . And he’s driving the future by drawing heavily from the past. Time is a flat circle, eh? Song-writing auteur (and former Drive-By Trucker – to give him some due Rock Star cred) Jason Isbell tweeted something interesting the other day.

That’s all it is, ain’t it? You either get busy living or you get busy dying. If I’m honest, Jack White’s new pair of songs haven’t exactly driven me crazy with anticipation for the rest of them. High Ball Stepper is a catchy instrumental with some spaghetti western tones that tries to do too much. While Lazaretto sounds like a Dead Weather song filtered through a sci-fi film. It’s cool, but I’d prefer it with more Alison Mosshart  [7] . Jack White is such a genius though. He’s never made a bad album. And as he keeps moving forward with purpose and ambition I know I’m gonna feel like an idiot for ever doubting him. Jack White is a gunslinger in a dusty world of crooks and vagabonds. He’s quick on the draw and he doesn’t stand for fools. He is The Man With No Name, fighting for justice amongst the ruins.

[1] Ever seen a youtube comment along the lines of: ‘I’m 17 years old and music today sucks! I wish I was alive in the 60s so I could watch all these great bands! This is what REAL music sounds like!’? So dumb on so many levels. The least of which is that there’s no way a high school kid would have that same level of appreciation for obscure, critically acclaimed bands back then. Especially without the internet. I mean, the irony of the whole thing is that they only learned about them through youtube!

[2] One of the last public things Lou Reed produced in his lifetime was a glowing review of Kanye’s ‘Yeezus’

[3] Side question: Does ‘Classic Rock’ specifically mean the rock music of the 60s/70s or does it mean rock music that’s 40 or so years old? In 40 years will The Black Keys be thought of as ‘Classic Rock’? Or ‘Neo-Classic Rock’? Will they be thought of at all?

[4] Brilliant speech by Alex Turner of the Arctic Monkeys the other day on this idea.

[5] More on that when our review of their new album goes up.

[6] And I haven’t even mentioned The World’s Fastest Record yet.

[7] Which is happening too! A new Dead Weather album is expected in 2015. Supposedly The Kills have started working on something too.