I heard the White Stripes' cover of the Velvet Underground's "After Hours" for the first time, a few days ago. More surprising to me than the fact that there was a White Stripes song I hadn't heard was the fact that they covered the Velvet Underground; I'd never heard either Jack or Meg mention the Velvet Underground - not one sentence or even when listing influences or favourite songs/records. I guess any influence the VU might have had on the White Stripes shouldn't be totally surprising: there is the Bowie connection (of whom the White Stripes are HUGE fans), and the VU were part of the whole northeastern punk scene in which Jack and Meg grew up.
Say what you will about Meg's voice here, but her unapologetic crudeness is just part of her infantile charm that makes the White Stripes what they are. I'd rather listen to music with this kind of heart and soul, regardless of how scrappy it is, than cold, hollow, technical jerk-off sessions by greater-revered "virtuosos." However unquantifiable and subjective "heart and soul" are.
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