White Stripes are one of best back-to-basics rock acts to emerge in a very long time. Hailing from Detroit, they are a bass-free duo Jack and Meg White. Their striking stage presence (dressed in minimalist red and white outfits) and their thrilling grasp of timeless rock music is what makes them so unique.

The buzz surrounding their debut album was amazing particularly their reception in the UK, where their music was lauded by The Daily Telegraph, The Sun and even Radio 4's Today programme (not normally known for its liberal music policy). The influential John Peel was quoted as comparing their importance to that of Jimi Hendrix and the Sex Pistols. I think their music offers a welcome respite from the deadening digital conformity of music in the new millennium.