_{*Visual colors are an approximation and are subject to change. Variations in coloring may occur.}   

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Nigh on ten years ago, the White Stripes unveiled the most ambitious record of their career. Taking its name from the mis-appropriation of the British exhortation “Ecky thump” the Stripes’ Icky Thump would prove to be the final full-length studio album from the beloved Detroit duo. To celebrate not only the ten years since Icky Thump’s release, but also twenty years since Jack and Meg started the White Stripes AND the 500th release in the Third Man Records’ catalog, we are delighted to announce the release of our 33rd Vault package, Icky Thump X.

Deluxe Icky Thump 180-gram, colored vinyl 

The cornerstone of the package is the deluxe, “contained explosion” colored vinyl repressing of Icky Thump. Previously only ever available on boring black vinyl, this double LP, 180-gram vinyl dream is housed in a glorious tip-on sleeve with slightly modified artwork and sealed with a Victorian update on the original red/white sticker that was begrudgingly slit open by fidgety record collectors overly concerned with "condition." Remastered from the original 1” analog tapes in Nashville, TN, Icky Thump will be the first-ever Vault title manufactured at Third Man Pressing in Detroit. You will not believe your ears.

Track List: 

12" Icky Thump Extras Vinyl

The logical companion piece to Icky Thump is the collection compiling all nine of the non-album b-sides recorded for (and during) the release and tour cycle. Icky Thump Extras joins live covers (Hank Williams’ “Tennessee Border”), alternate versions recorded in the middle of a horse-racing track in Canada (“You Don’t Know What Love Is…”) with Beck-produced exclusives (“It’s My Fault For Being Famous”) and couples them with newly reimagined artwork from Grammy Award-winning designer Rob Jones. Consider this the first and last time any of these songs will appear on 12-inch vinyl, pressed on luminescent lunar-colored vinyl. Extras will also be manufactured at Third Man Pressing in Detroit.

Track List: 

The Red Demos

Prior to entering Blackbird Studios for the tracking of Icky Thump, the White Stripes did a full run-through of the tracks in demo form to workshop ideas and get thoughts on tape at their Nashville rehearsal spot. This would prove to be the ONLY time the band would ever demo an album before recording. Forgotten by all involved in the intervening ten years, The Red Demos is a startling insight into the germination of the songs that would soon be blasted out at arenas and festivals the world over. Of particular interest is the first ever release of the instrumental “Monkeys Have It Easy”, a title previously teased via the original Icky Thump press release in 2007. Cover art depicts a working mock-up of the unedited image used on the original album and exists as the ideal compliment to both that original issue and the mono mix of Icky Thump from Vault Package #1. The Red Demos will also be pressed at Third Man Pressing in Detroit.

Track List: 

You Don’t Know What Love Is (You Just Do As You’re Told)
A Martyr For My Love For You
Rag and Bone
Catch Hell Blues
Little Cream Soda
Prickly Thorn, But Sweetly Worn
Monkeys Have It Easy (previously unreleased)
Bone Broke
Icky Thump
Conquest
300 MPH Torrential Outpour Blues

Exclusive Polaroid Photo Book

To further push this package into “I Cannot Believe They Did That" territory is an exclusive book comprised of Polaroid photos, tracking notes and insight from Icky Thump session photographer and White Stripes’ confidante David Swanson. Comprised 100% of previously unseen and unshared material, the of-the-moment documentation of the album and its recording process by Swanson’s intuitive and discerning eye is revelatory.

Mystery Art Prints by Rob Jones 

To even further blow this thing out of the water is one of nine different 8x10 White Stripes images by Rob Jones. Randomly inserted so you have no idea which one you’ll get, these include classic updates on art and graphics from the original release era in addition to completely new ideas, all rendered in the highest quality silkscreen printing and suitable for immediate framing or burning.

"Rag and Bone" Enamel Pin Set

Not enough? Ok, take TWO enamel pins that when combined depict the horse skeleton imagery originally featured on the 7-inch artwork for “Rag and Bone” and understand full well that the addition of said pins will elevate any drab old potato sack to a best-dressed list ensemble.

Cross of St. Andrew Soft Touch Box

All of these components will be lovingly housed in a soft-touch coated telescoping box that reproduces the cross of St. Andrew used as an important graphic in Icky Thump’s issue ten years ago and rendered even more poignant now as the specific version of that cross (the Cross of Burgundy) forms the shape of an X.

Subscriptions are now open for Vault 33. Vault 32 is shipping now. 

As you well know by now, Third Man Records in conjunction with Columbia Records are releasing all of the AMERICAN EPIC music including the American Epic Sessions soundtrack album which is available on vinyl, CD and digitally today! To commemorate this occasion, we are proud to debut Jack White’s performance video for “Matrimonial Inclinations” shot exclusively for the American Epic series.

Jack is joined in the studio by bandmates and familiar faces Lillie Mae, Fats Kaplin, and Dominic Davis for an intimate recording of the song “Matrimonial Inclinations” cut directly to wax. Watch the magic unfold in the video below.

Produced by Jack & T Bone Burnett, the official American Epic Sessions soundtrack album featuring “Matrimonial Inclinations” and all the performances from the Sessions film, along with additional recordings not seen in the film, is out now on a TRIPLE LP 180-gram vinyl from Third Man Records and CD/Digital via Columbia Records. The documentary series including 12" audiophile vinyl versions of AMERICAN EPIC: The Carter Family, AMERICAN EPIC: Memphis Jug Band, AMERICAN EPIC: Mississippi John Hurt,  AMERICAN EPIC: Blind Willie Johnson and AMERICAN EPIC: Lead Belly, as well as thematic collections including AMERICAN EPIC: Blues and AMERICAN EPIC: Country is out now and you can order it here. For more information on all the music from American Epic visit americanepicmusic.com

'The Blues Series: The Story Behind The Color’ hits bookshelves today! Pick up a copy from Third Man Books here or your favorite local bookstore to read exclusive interviews on the Jack White-produced 7” singles series. Includes unreleased music from First Aid Kit and Gibby Haynes (x-Butthole Surfers).  

As previously announced, we are releasing the companion music to American Epic that documents the groundbreaking audio restoration of original 1920s and 1930s archival recordings as well as the Jack White and T Bone Burnett produced Sessions soundtrack that highlights contemporary performance recordings from everyone from Alabama Shakes to Elton John. Now, we are eager to share with you the visual component of this prodigious project.

Directed by Bernard MacMahon with executive producers T Bone Burnett, Robert Redford and Jack White, the AMERICAN EPIC series takes us on a journey across time to the birth of modern music, when the musical strands of a diverse nation first combined, sparking a cultural renaissance that forever transformed the future of music and the world. We are excited to invite you to take that journey by joining us for two American Epic screening sessions in both our Nashville and Detroit locations.

We will hold a screening for The American Epic Sessions, Tuesday, June 6th. In Nashville, doors will be open at 6pm with a special performance from celebrated roots musician Paul Burch before the screening. Following the screening, attendees will be granted a ticket that allows them to purchase a LIMITED EDITION white-colored vinyl of American Epic: The Sessions Soundtrack in the storefront (attendees must use their ticket immediately following the screening, they are not eligible for purchase any other day following the screening, limit one per person).  

The previously aired on PBS three-part historical documentary episodes of American Epic will screen on Saturday, June 10th. This part of the series features seminal blues, roots and country musicians Memphis Jug Band, Blind Willie Johnson, Lead Belly, The Carter Family, and Mississippi John Hurt. Nashville will have its Blue Room doors open during regular store hours 10-6 and be grilling out hot dogs with refreshments on our patio, and Detroit’s storefront will simultaneously screen the documentary. Both locations will have LIMITED EDITIONS of all the vinyl on hand (Sessions soundtrack, Best of compilations) exclusively to sell to attendees of the screening.

Both screenings will be open to the public and FREE admission, first come first served.  

If you are unable to attend these exclusive screenings you can still check your local listings and tune in at home on PBS (and on BBC Arena this fall). And fear not, you still have the chance to purchase all the music from this epic series by pre-ordering here and in both storefronts and local record stores June 16th.  

WATCH ELTON JOHN AND JACK WHITE TEAM UP FOR A SPIRITED PERFORMANCE OF “TWO FINGERS OF WHISKEY” WRITTEN ON CAMERA BY ELTON JOHN AND RECORDED LIVE AND DIRECT TO DISC IN EXCLUSIVE PERFORMANCE CLIP FROM NEW FILM THE AMERICAN EPIC SESSIONS 

THE AMERICAN EPIC SESSIONS, a new award-winning feature-length film produced and written by director Bernard MacMahon, Allison McGourty and Duke Erikson, ­will air in the U.S. on PBS on Tuesday, June 6 at 8 p.m. (check local listings) and in the U.K. on BBC on Friday June 9 at 11pm. 

In one of the many dynamic and unexpected musical moments captured in THE AMERICAN EPIC SESSIONS, Elton John composes a new song on camera called “Two Fingers of Whiskey,” from lyrics that Bernie Taupin has just given him. Elton asks Jack White to accompany him and record the song direct to wax.  Watch the exclusive clip of their performance.

On June 16, Third Man Records is slated to release a Triple LP version of AMERICAN EPIC: The Sessions on 180 gram vinyl as well as 12" audiophile vinyl versions of AMERICAN EPIC: The Carter Family, AMERICAN EPIC: Memphis Jug Band, AMERICAN EPIC: Mississippi John Hurt,  AMERICAN EPIC: Blind Willie Johnson and AMERICAN EPIC: Lead Belly, as well as thematic collections including AMERICAN EPIC: Blues and AMERICAN EPIC: Country, which you can pre-order here.