Jack White wasn’t always a spastic, blues-spitting rock n’ roll maniac – just kidding, he totally was. Today Rolling Stone premiered a rare live recording of “Itchy,” from White’s pre–White Stripes groups, Two Star Tabernacle.
The track, featured on the latest installment of the holy-Christ-where-did-my-money-go Third Man Vault series, which runs subscribers a whopping $280 a year for mostly useless pressings by throwaway artists (with the occasional White gem keeping fans on the hook), will feature live sets from three bands White played in before the turn of the century. Below, the performance of “Itchy” at Detroit’s Gold Dollar is sloppy, electric goodness, but you can clearly hear Jack’s persona – as well as hints of the Rock Wonka he would become.
Two Star Tabernacle’s January 16th, 1998 set also features early versions of the White Stripes’ “Hotel Yorba” and “Now Mary”. Bandmates Dan John Miller, Tracee Mae Miller and Damian Lang are undoubtedly enjoying a moment of limelight with the song’s unveiling.
The 27th Vault package set also includes a September 16th, 1999 concert by Jack White and the Bricks features White Stripes cuts like “You’ve Got Her in Your Pocket” and “Candy Cane Children” alongside another unreleased White track titled “One and Two.”A November 25th, 1998 performance by the Go is also included, featuring White and his fellow member in The Raconteurs, Brendan Benson. Check out an early version of “Dead Leaves and The Dirty Ground” from the performance:
