One of the most enduring feuds in recent musical history has apparently been put to bed, with Jack White’s ex-wife Karen Elson revealing that Jack White and the Black Keys’ Patrick Carney are now friends.
Their falling out occurred after Jack White accused The Black Keys of being a rip off of The White Stripes; a two-piece blues-rock band who happen to have a similar name, sound and aesthetic. Then, in emails to his ex-wife, he whinged about Dan Auerbach from the Black Keys sending his children to the same school, writing: “My concern with Auerbach is because I don’t want the kids involved in any of that crap. You aren’t thinking ahead. That’s a possible twelve fucking years I’m going to have to be sitting in kids chairs next to that asshole with other people trying to lump us in together. He gets yet another free reign [sic] to follow me around and copy me and push himself into my world.”
In 2015, Carney revealed that Jack White attempt to fight him.
But, according to Elson this is all water under the bridge now. She responded on Twitter to a story by Consequence Of Sound suggesting that Carney working with Elson on her new record Double Roses would reignite the feud, writing: “it’s your friendly fact checker, no drama or anything close to what you’re writing about. These people are friends end of story.”
There did appear to be a thawing out recently, with Carney tweeting, “Talked to jack for an hour he’s cool. All good.” White replied, “From one musician to another, you have my respect Patrick Carney”, which isn’t exactly a warm embrace, but nor is it a fight challenge.
Carney is currently dating Michelle Branch, so he is right in saying it’s all good – at least from where he is sitting.
