Slash in happier times

After years of working with overzealous ego-maniacs, Slash has decided to step away from band work to focus on an album of collaborations. Due to Saul Hudson’s standing as, uh, Slash, one would expect that Slash & Friends, his forthcoming release, would be stacked with a who’s who of rock royalty. True to form he’s wrangled the likes of Dave Grohl, Flea and Alice Cooper. However, the long-locked axe wielder was straight up denied by Jack White! Well, not really. White said he’d play drums or guitar with Slash, but no vocals. Slash seemed pretty bummed, noting “He was one guy that I wanted to work with.” That couldn’t have made Grohl or Flea feel all that hot. The denial marks the first time since Slash was six years old that somebody said “Hmm, Slash, thanks for the invite but I think I’m just gonna chill, play with some legos, work on my side project, my big time band, my record label and a few movies I got asked to do, but thanks anyway for the invitation.” If you see Slash today on the street, give the man a hug. (via NME)

In this whirlwind of a recession-affected music climate, Jack White easily takes the cake in putting together some ridiculously sweet promotions and conceptual ideas to coincide with his musical projects these days. However, in the case of his Third Man Records, the records and novelty stores that have popped for very brief periods in a couple select locations, it can’t help but feel like all for nothing sometimes. These cool stores are open and warm our hearts for less than a week, only to become surreal memories of things we must have dreamed up. So it’s good to see that the L.A. Third Man venue at least gets to live on in name for this live Dead Weather EP that was recorded there in August. The EP features four album tracks and a cover of Pentagram’s “Forever My Queen.” The iTunes download will also score you four videos from the band, and if you happen to be in London on Friday you can talk about them in the new brief Third Man location for the day and a half that it will be in existence. We’re not even sure if record store clerks have time to become pretentious in a day and a half… (Via: P4K)

Currently on tour in Europe with his 378th band the Dead Weather, Jack White made a surprise stop at Dublin’s Trinity College last night. But he wasn’t there to perform, acting instead as a surprise guest lecturer to the University’s Philosophical Society, a group that according to NME, once counted Oscar Wilde, Bram Stoker and JB Yates as members. White was bestowed with honorary membership, spoke “candidly” on music and waxed philosophic (obviously) on the idea of authenticity. Names that came up? Dylan. Waits. Spears? “I don’t know if Bob Dylan and Tom Waits are as authentic as I think they are,” White said. “Perhaps they’re not…Sometimes you start thinking that maybe Britney Spears or someone like that who’s doing exactly what they want to do in the way that they best know how, is more authentic than any of those people you could mention.” Serious brainlight!

Keeping up with all of Jack White’s projects is a job in and of itself. When not hanging out with The Edge and Jimmy Page, dressing up like Elvis and giving advice to Dewey Cox and playing drums in that band Dead Weather, White’s been making serious moves with his Third Man Records imprint. Just recently, the King of Detroit blew fan boys minds when announcing the Vault, a super elaborate fan club that gives members limited edition LP’s, swag, and whatever else White connjurs up.

The latest word from Third Man finds White unveiling two, super rare outtakes from the very first White Stripes release, the “Let’s Shake Hands” b/w “Look Me Over Closely” 7-inch. The alternative takes of the songs will be exclusively available to members of The Vault. If you find yourself longing for the scuzzy garage blues of the early Stripes, signing up for The Vault may not be a bad idea, especially since membership closes next Thursday, October 22nd.

You know, in addition to constantly churning out new jams and bands for us to sit with and think on, Jack White gives us a lot to write about as well. The latest: NME is reporting today (via the Detroit News) that White recently donated $170,000 to restore Clark Park, the Detroit baseball park where he played as a Michigan youth. According to Morris “Mo” Blackwell Jr, White’s former coach, White was no slouch on the diamond: “He was good” Blackwell Jr. told the Detroit News. “Smooth left-handed swing.” That last bit needs to be the name of the next White Stripes full-length.