The Third Men Podcast

The BIGGEST White Stripes record of all is celebrating its 20th anniversary, and to help ring in the festivities the Third Men Podcast is launching a 3-part retrospective on the mighty album ELEPHANT! Over the course of this podcast we've analyzed and reviewed nearly all of Jack White's albums in his various group incarnations and solo work, but this is one record we wanted to save for a special occasion -- and what better occasion than to celebrate both the anniversary of its release AND the brand new vault package coming our way shortly from Third Man Records! In this first installment of the series, we'll set the stage for the recording of the LP, where the band was in its own history at the time -- and what circumstances lead Jack and Meg White to Toe Rag Studios in Hackney, London. We're deep-diving into the methodology behind the album's themes, artwork and technical aspects, as well as providing context for some of the record's quirks and mysteries. Revisiting this record has been a real pleasure, and we hope you all enjoy the journey to Elephant as much as we did!

Join the Third Men Podcast this week for an insider's look at the ideation, design and implementation of Third Man Records' incredible line of merchandise! Christina Inman, resident Merchandiser and hellcat extraordinaire, tells the stories behind some of the most iconic TMR gear, from The White Stripes tiki mugs, assorted playing cards, pins, toys, shirts and more! Miss Cinnamon is joined by returning guests Alex Guaraldi and Jordan Collins from Coppersound Pedals, who collaborated closely with Christina on the amazing Triplegraph Pedal released in the Third Man Hardware line. Plus: James's magic allergy, Cramps-heavy DJ nights, and why you should always examine your Entenmann's Donuts.

Join the Third Men Podcast this week as we explore the history of women in music, from the Indie Rock boom until the present day, with an episode we had to call: Women, Rock & Detroit. Joining your humble co-hosts are three special guests, each offering their own unique perspective on the triumphs, struggles and perceptions of female representation in music. Offering up a boots-on-the-ground view at the Detroit scene experience is the legendary Marcie Bolen, known for her work across many bands through Detroit & beyond such as The Von Bondies, The Datsuns and Seger Liberation Army. Next up is record industry executive (across many different labels), as well as hip-hop solo artist Lady Tee the Difference, who shares her journey rising through the ranks of the music industry and carving her own path in the process. Finally, returning guest Kate McCoy details her point of view as a music fan, detailing experiences as a woman attending concerts, frequenting record stores, and learning music inspired by bands like The White Stripes. It's an essential conversation you don't want to miss, and we hope you all enjoy this deep-dive exploration!

The Third Men podcast is excited to welcome to the show (for the first time!) the extraordinary guitarist, composer and oft-Third Man Records collaborator Mr. William Tyler. In this all-new extended interview, we'll talk with William about his incredible career - from solo albums to secret origins and everything in between. We'll also deep-dive into the ever-changing landscape of Nashville, what Third Man has meant to the city since planting its flag there nearly 15 years ago, and of course William's musical connections to Jack white - both through several live TMR releases as well as opening for Jack during the Boarding House Reach tour in 2018. We'd like to thank William Tyler for joining us on the show, and hope you all enjoy this interview as much as we enjoyed conducting it!

Ben Blackwell is back! With the calendar year 2022 freshly in the rear view mirror, we here at the Third Men Podcast are once again on a mission to look back at the music, art and output from Third Man Records over what turned out to be a joyful and creatively robust 12 months. Not one, but TWO Jack White solo records were released, heralding a massive worldwide tour from the Third Man himself for the first time in several years. Not only that, but a parade of varied vault releases, legendary collaborations and unforgettable stunts followed in what is sure to go down in TMR history as a watershed moment of copious and successful output. In this special retrospective, 6-time-returning guest Ben Blackwell (co-founder and co-owner of Third Man Records) joins us to shed light on these events…and teases a glimpse of what’s in store for 2023. Does Tropical Gothclub signal a Dead Weather reunion? Can The Paranoyds pierce the zeitgeist in the same way TMR finds such as Margo Price have done so in the past? Can James find it in him to successfully pronounce each member of the Bobby Weir band's names correctly? The answers to these questions and much more await you in this special 2022 retrospective, and we’d like to extend a huge thanks to Mr. Blackwell for not only appearing once more on the show but for all the wonderful art he helped bring into the world this year. Cheers to Third Man, and cheers to 2023 — Happy New Year, everybody!

They're at times his biggest fans, and at times his stalwart adversaries -- they're rock journalists and they have something to say about Jack White. And say it they have, ever since the early days of the White Stripes music reviewers were (and are) an ever-present aspect of how the public perceives Jack White the artist. In this first episode of an new recurring series, we're going to take a long hard look at the critical responses to each of Jack White's 5 (at the time of this recording) solo studio albums - from Blunderbuss straight on through to Entering Heaven Alive - in an attempt to analyze the music reviewer reaction to Jack White's body of solo work. We're also thrilled to be joined by Consequence of Sound staff writer Jonah Krueger, who himself reviewed Jack White's latest album, and who offers an invaluable perspective on the responsibilities inherent in the role of the rock journalist. This episode of the Third Men Podcast is going CRITICAL.

Voila - a new episode of the Third Men Podcast! This week we're joined by Third Man insider, Detroit native and Jack White poster artist extraordinaire Matthew Jacobson to talk The Art of the Poster! We talk about other things too, of course, like the life and times of Tiny Tim, the pros and cons of reading the comments section... and just how much magic ink will make a piece of art combustible (to name but a few). While both on-staff and freelance, Matthew has developed key imagery from throughout the touring years of both Jack White solo and the Raconteurs, and we're here to discuss the nitty gritty details of these iconic images brought to life through Matthew's keen lens. Also! Listen through to the end of the episode for details on how you (yes YOU!) could win a free poster of Matthew's design! Only the best art is up for grabs, and only the best content is here for your earbuds on the Third Men Podcast. Abracadabra!

Which are YOUR top Raconteurs tracks? This question is at the heart of the first installment of a new ongoing series called TOP SPECIAL-- wherein the Third Men Podcast examines and evaluates their top 3 tracks from a designated ban or time period. First up in this series are the Raconteurs, the wildly successful joining of Jack White, Brendan Benson, Little Jack Lawrence and Patrick Keeler - whose 3 studio albums will be the focus of our top picks. Will debates rage? Yes, they will.. Will stones shout? You'd better believe it.. Through thick, thin, gold, copper, platinum, we're here to bring you perspective, analysis and explanation for each killer cut. Helping your humble co-hosts on this journey is longtime friend of the show Luke Sinclare, last seen on the podcast remixing White Stripes records with us and having a blast doing so. And don't forget - we want to hear form you!

Even a second pod is a good pod, we only need to see your head nod...like a show online, about to begin. Here we go! It's part two of our Entering Heaven Alive album analysis and review, the conclusion to our look back at this modern day Jack White solo masterpiece. Last episode we discussed how the record came about, its recording and release - but this episode we'll be taking a deep dive into the songs that make this record such an incredible stand out in the history of our favorite third man. From the slow-build drama of A Tree On Fire From Within to the epic storytelling of A Madman From Manhattan, the fifth solo studio album from Jack delivers on just about every level. We'll also take a look at chart performance, critical reception, and rate the record - along with another installment of our Supply Chain Issues tour fan review segment! So make sure you take a train with the name of an alphabet letter, butter your toast, take of your shoes, and enjoy this all-new episode!

We're entering season 7 alive, with part one of our two-part album analysis and review feature on the latest Jack White solo album: ENTERING HEAVEN ALIVE! The year 2022 gifted fans with not one but TWO all-new solo LPs from the Third Man himself, and this abundance of riches left your humble podcast co-hosts with a simple question: where to begin? Well in true Third Men Podcast fashion, we've decided to dive in head first, out of order, and with our hearts on our sleeves - parsing the playful melodies, thought-provoking lyrics and eclectic sequencing of album entry #2 Entering Heaven Alive. In this episode we'll get into the inception, execution, and track-by-track analysis of this JWIII masterpiece, and invite you the listener to join us in the discussion! As Jack tours both this and FEAR OF THE DAWN around the world, our Third Man Segment for this and future episodes will be dedicated to your own reviews of both the songs and live performances of this new, exceptional batch of material. Get ready to love your pod-device like your mother loves me (wait a minute....) and dive into this all-new season of the Third Men Podcast!