The hilarious public spat between Guinness World Records and musician Jack White continues this weekend, after earlier in the week White called out the organisation as ‘elitist’ when they entered worlds longest guitar solo into their book but rejected his attempt for world’s shortest concert.
White and his former bandmate Meg in The White Stripes had attempted the world’s shortest concert whilst on tour in Canada, but after submitting the record to Guinness, White says “they turned us down, the Guinness book is a very elitist organization. There’s nothing scientific about what they do.”
“They just have an office full of people who decide what is a record and what isn’t. I mean, there is some stuff like Olympic records where they have a committee. But most of the records in there — who has the biggest collection of salt-and-pepper shakers or whatever — are just whatever they want them to be.”
But the guys behind the book remember things differently, telling NME that in fact, The White Stripes did hold the record for shortest music concert ever in the 2009 edition of the book. But following a torrent of submissions attempting to trump the record became ‘overly trivialised,’ they subsequently withdraw all categories, including similar attempts at shortest concert, shortest song and shortest performance.
Responding to his claims of ‘eltism’, representatives for the book reached out to White saying “many of us at Guinness World Records are enormous admirers of Mr White’s oeuvre; and we would be extremely pleased if he were to attempt any of the 40,000 records that are currently active on our database. ”
Now White has decided to step it up a notch. According to Pitchfork, the enigmatic frontman has decided to take Guinness World Records up on their offer and is gearing up to set the world record for “most metaphors in a single concert.”
Yes, you read that correctly, and Australian fans will get a taste of hilarity later this year.
According to a press release sent around by White’s own label Third Man Records, White will attempt to create the record during his world tour including dates here in Australia for Splendour In The Grass.
“The attempt may prove very exhausting and at times even dangerous, but the results could prove to be glorious and possibly even vainglorious,” said the statement.
“White and Third Man Records are certain that the extremely scientific and intricate analysis of the metaphors that occur will be examined in accordance with Guinness’ usually very thorough methods probably, or at the very least if somebody answers the phone at the pub.”
“Third Man Records encourages all attendees of said concerts to please not interfere or interject with any metaphors that they witness occur during the show as to not disqualify or worse yet, trivialize the metaphor in question. In addition all concert attendees are encouraged to entice as many metaphors to occur during the show that they possibly can as long as they don’t endanger themselves or Mr. White.”
Consider that a challenge.
