by The Cowl Editor on January 31, 2019
Arts & Entertainment
by Dan O’Neill ’21 A&E Staff
Jack White may not be a household name when it comes to music lovers, but he is without a doubt one of the most influential artists and producers of the 21st century.
On Tuesday, January 15, White’s record label, Third Man Records, announced the opening of a new master recording studio in the label’s Detroit-based complex. The studio offers a vinyl pressing aspect, as well. White opened his new recording studio in the hopes of completing his dream of keeping vinyl pressing alive. For the White Stripes founder, vinyl recordings may not be the way of the future, but that does not mean they need to be a thing of the past.
According to Rolling Stone, White said, “I like to take what’s beautiful about what’s already been proven—what works—and ask how can we marriage that with what’s happening right now?” about his love for vinyl pressing. For White, it is not about the fame; what matters is that music can be created in ways that are innovative and efficient. The master recording studio is not just meant for vinyl recordings; White is providing all types of recording equipment, new and old, which allows for the engineers to work with multiple types of formatting, including digital and tape.
The new master recording studio will be led by two of White’s most capable engineers, Bill Skibbe and Warren Defever. Skibbe mixed White’s most recent album Boarding House Reach and has worked on White’s side projects, The Dead Weather and The Raconteurs, in the past. Warren Defever has produced for Iggy Pop and The Stooges. Both engineers have experience producing over 1,000 albums between the two of them. The expertise of both engineers, combined with White’s revolutionized ideas for music production, makes the new Detroit-based studio a step forward in innovating the music industry.
When looking at White’s track record, there is no question about his influence in the music industry. Although White may not be in the spotlight like he once was with the White Stripes, his talent and genuine love for music has allowed for him to stay relevant in an ever-changing world of music.