Sure at first glance, the rider attached to Jack White's live shows seems a bit ridiculous, but the White Stripes superstar is quick to point out that it is hardly asking for anything out of the ordinary in the music business. According to the latest gossip news updates, the Raconteurs guitarist is just a little bit miffed that his personal touring info was released, but explained that none of the smoking guns that "journalist" are focusing on carry the significance that they think they do. Sure the document might include exacting specifications for homemade guacamole and the complete banishment of bananas, but it's not like White is really responsible for demanding those things specifically.
Jack White has long enjoyed the reputation for being a bit of an eccentric -- among other things -- but the recent release of his tour rider made him look as much the A-hole as it did the mad man.
A few of the more ridiculous demands -- like an exacting guacamole receipt -- where provided in the March 2, issue of In Touch Weekly for all to judge and belittle:
"Eight large Haas avocados must be cut in half the long way, remove the pit -- SAVE THE PITS THOUGH -- and dice into large cubes with a butter knife...3 or 4 slits down, 3 or 4 across.
"This is a no bananas tour...Seriously.
"We don't want to see bananas anywhere in the building."
First White's management decided to address the story by letting Pitchfork know in an open letter that Jack White is a little too bust being a guitar god to sit down and write his own rider:
"Contrary to what some believe, Jack doesn't write the rider nor make demands about his favorite snacks that must be in his dressing room.
"We're not even sure he likes guacamole but we do know that the folks who work hard to put on the show do enjoy it."
After letting his team explain that White doesn't waste his time writing all the little lists of treats and fruit allegories for the venues, Jack decided to write his own open letter to the world -- explaining exactly what a rider actually was and wasn't (via NY Daily News):
"People WANT a rider to be a list of demands that a diva insists occur lest he or she refuse to play a note of music but in reality, it's just some food and drinks backstage for the hundred workers and guests who have to live in a concrete bunker for 15 hours.
"Anything on the rider is for the band and the crew."
So if there is anything to be taken away from all this...it's Jack White really doesn't have a problem with bananas.
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