Strange new White Stripes’ Icky Thump/Batman connection

New! Listen to and Download the White Stripes new single "Icky Thump" via iTunes (Update: April 26, 2007)

Pre-Order Icky Thump on Amazon"

Question:What do The White Stripes and Batman & Robin have in common?

Answer: They both seem to attract attention from the Moscow Bugle.

Much to the relief of music fans everywhere, rock band The White Stripes announced the end of their self-imposed haitus, a new album entitled "Icky Thump" and concert dates on their web site, WhiteStripes.com, through a whimsical press release. You can read it here.

In it we learn that the Stripes recorded their new album in Jack White's adopted Nashville, that they spent more time recording it than they ever have on a previous effort (3 weeks) and some of the new song titles: "Catch Hell Blues," "Little Cream Soda" and "You don't know what love is (You just do as you're told)" among others.

This note has been posted all over the internet, on Pitchfork and numerous message boards. Everyone's got something to say about it, but so far, I haven't seen anyone pick up on the obscure superhero reference in the letter's closing byline:

"BY: Kitayana Ireyna Tatanya Kerenska Alisofaa
Reporting for the MOSCOW BUGLE"

Who is the intrepid reporter broadcasting this "music scoop?"

For the answer we must turn, believe it or not, to Adam West's crowning achievement, the 1966 Batman: The Movie, which pitted West's Batman and Burt Ward's Robin against a campy cadre of super villains that included the Joker, The Riddler, the Penguin and Catwoman.

Following a brutal fight with a giant rubber shark, a scene that has yet to be matched in on-screen hokiness (watch it here), Batman and Robin hold a press conference in Commissioner Gordon's office, hoping to sniff out some leads through the media.

At the conference Batman takes a question from a beautiful but impudent young Russian reporter who introduces herself by saying:

"Kitayana Ireyna Tatanya Kerenska Alisofaa
I'm from the MOSCOW BUGLE"

Great Scott indeed. Yes, the Stripes signed off with a fake identity used by Lee Meriwether's Catwoman in a 60's camp-fest superhero movie!

And to prove it, take a listen to this audio clip from the scene in question, (click the blue play button for audio).
Is this anything more than pure weirdness? An ode to a childhood obsession of Jack and Meg White? Simply another media allusion like the Citizen Kane lines in "The Union Forever"?

Anyone think the Stripes are comparing themselves to Superheroes? They get called "the Dynamic Duo" a lot as a poster on WhiteStripes.net pointed out.

Or does the dialogue in this audio clip hold all the clues necessary to unlocking the sweet, sweet rock music that we can expect on the Stripes next release? Take another listen.

BATMAN: "This young lady is a stranger to our shores. The request is not unnatural, however impossible to grant.

KITAYANA: Impossible?

*dramatic pause*

BATMAN: Indeed. If Robin and I were to remove our masks the secret of our true identities would be revealed.

COMMISSIONER GORDON: Completely destroying their value as ace crime fighters.

DETECTIVE O'HARA: Sure ma'am. Not even Commissioner Gordon and me'self know who they really are.

ROBIN: In fact, our own relatives we live with don't know.

KITAYANA: But your so curious costumes?

ROBIN: Don't be put off by them ma'am. Under this garb we're perfectly ordinary Americans.

KITAYANA: You are like the masked vigilantes in the westerns.

COMMISSIONER GORDON: Certainly not. Batman and Robin are fully deputized agents of the law.

ROBIN: Support your police. That's our message!

BATMAN: Well said, Robin. And no better way to end this press conference. Thank you, and good day.

Strangers to our shores....unnatural requests...perfectly ordinary Americans under masked garb...agents of the law...

I don't know about you, but these sound like fun, if not ridiculous-in-a-good-way, ideas for a rock album.

What do you think the next White Stripes Album is going to sound like?

Update 4/26/07: The new single, "Icky Thump" is up on iTunes. What does everyone think?

Listen to it and download it from iTunes here.

Pre-Order Icky Thump via Amazon"

White Stripes on Amazon | White Stripes on iTunes

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