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The White Stripes

Date: Sep 24 2007

Themes: Music

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

It happens all the time. A band starts off with a simple, brilliant formula, and becomes well known. With more money and time at their disposal, they try new things. Some fans grow with the band and some don’t.

More often than not, the fans who dislike a band’s new direction are the ones who most loved their initial sound. Beren is a die-hard White Stripes fan, but she doesn’t like their new record. Mason, on the other hand, thinks it’s pretty cool. Listen to them have it out.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Mason

Beren

Mason: You know, I haven’t had a chance to get it, but I heard the new single off of Icky Thump, the White Stripes.

Beren: Yeah, “Icky Thump,” the song. It’s called “Icky Thump.”

Mason: Well, what do you know.

Beren: It’s not rockin’.

Mason: Really? I kinda liked it.

Beren: No, no, no, no, no.

Mason: Are you, like, very well-versed in the White Stripes?

Beren: I know their whole discography like the back of my hand and I think Icky Thump...They’ve lost the plot. They really have…

Mason: It’s the uh, I don’t know, the ugly duckling of their…

Beren: I would say, I don’t know, I think, like Elephants, Elephants is kind of where they started their decline. But Icky Thump, I think their best work’s behind them.

Mason: Well, I mean if you like their origins, just that raw, Detroit blues with the rock tinge, yeah, they’ve gone pretty far away from that at this point. So I can see where you’re coming from.

Beren: I just think it’s a little overly ambitious.

Mason: They’re at the point where they should be ambitious, right? These are their golden years.

Beren: I guess.

Mason: You’re just not buying it.

Beren: No. I’m not buying it. I’m not buying the album either.

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Discussion

Mason hasn’t picked up the new White Stripes album yet, but he likes the single from it that he’s heard on the radio. Beren completely disagrees.

She thinks the single isn’t any good and is an indication that the White Stripes have already made their best music. What they’re trying now, she says, is out of their reach.

Mason can understand where Beren is coming from. The White Stripes used to play much simpler rock ‘n’ roll when they first started out. But Mason thinks they’re entitled to experiment. They’re young and famous, after all. But Beren isn’t buying that argument, she says, or the record.

Is there a band you like who used to sound a lot different? Has one of your favorite bands ever started to make music you don’t like?

Comments

joodiaboot

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

I like them:))

turtlehawks

United States

They are amazing! I am a huge White Stripes fan. To be honest, they are my all time favorite band.

theramz206

Yemen

IAM REALLY with zeus2006
yes,it must be change their music cause maybe sometimes it could be boring when we see this thing play again and again

Force

China

I love rock music.Recently,I spent a lot of time enjoying the music of Linkin Park.This band will come to Shanghai(China) on nov.18th.Iwish I can listen to their music directly.Avril Lavigne is also my favorite singer.Her first album <Let Go> is the best one.

abdeeq

Somalia

That is greatfull

rapper_ab

Bulgaria

one of my favourite hiphop singer is Barikat – Jonturk from turkey I really love this group. I recommend one of his video. İts gorgeous. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQTaCADNbf8

shv_2005

India

this is good

Noah Lee

South Korea

I want to talk two things. First, every people can not think alike. Of course, people have different their taste in the music. So other people’s taste is by no means despicable. For example, I, who love to listen to zazz music, do not like to listen to the hard rock music, though never criticize I people, liking to listen to the hard music. We should respect other people’s taste. Second, a lot of musician always try to make new things. It is meaning a lot of musician. But some musician are succeed, and some musician do not. It is meaning that a lot of musician studiously consult the tastes of their customers. Finally, the arts are led to meterial civilization. I think it is a sad fact.

zbyszko

Poland

you've got absolutely rigth. the same things was with my favourite band, MetallicA.
when they started play their music was awsome, that was this what I like. but their last album St. Anger is I think misunderstanding. probably they realised about that becouse since they stopped playing the songs from that album on concerts, and now they coming back to origins.
cheers

shanie

China

I think we should try something new , wether it is sucess or fail , I mean if we don't try , how should we get the answer ??

Mary Darko

Ghana

I`m a litte curious to know more about White Stripes and because i don`t know they?

Christoph07

Germany

Movement is everywhere. Without movement you don't have development. It is the same in art and music. Everyone has the right to change things. The people in the brain, the musicians in her taste and also the fans in her taste. If you are a fan of a band who change her style in next album it is more exciting if you are waiting of – and listening the next album. I didn't hear the new album of White Stripes but now I am also a little curious.

zeus2006

Turkey

Hi friends,

In my opinion,each famous singers can't stay on the same way, they have to change their music on their life.They need changing,if they don't make it at that time after a few years we will begin to be tired of their same musics.Ofcourse I can understand we are used to listening stile which our favorite singer has when he/she wants to change it at that time it seems strange for us because it is not same with past and at the begining we may not accept it but in time we are used to listening their new stile.It is same with fashion,isn't it?

starfighteradara

Philippines

One of my favorite singers is Sting and one of the reasons why I admire him is that he is a musician's musician. By this, I mean he loves to try out new musical genres. Thankfully, Sting has been successful in his explorations. I think that there's nothing wrong with a band or a singer trying new musical styles. The problem lies when, for one reason or another, their experiments fail. My favorite band, U2, has also released albums that sound very different from their original music. Although I wasn't as fond of some of their new material as I was of their early music, I could appreciate their forays into new musical styles.

Johnny bai

China

yeah, it's Linkin Park。 Their new album Minutes to Midnight is so disappointed that i haven't to listen it completely since i bought it last month. I think they maybe want to change, and beyond their style of rap and rock.