Rocker Jack White has lashed out at the editors of music bible NME for twisting his comments about Lady Gaga’s image in a recent magazine interview to look like an attack on the pop star's music.
The former White Stripes star insists his quotes have been misrepresented by numerous news outlets and have sparked a "tabloidesque drama" he is keen to end - fast.
White took to his website to admonish journalists who have attempted to set up an overblown feud between himself and Lady Gaga.
In the Esquire article, he was quoted as saying he felt Lady Gaga's image had "no meaning behind it", adding, "You can't sink your teeth into it. It's a sound bite. It's very of this age, because that's what people want."
In his statement, White explains, "I never said anything about her music, or questioned the authenticity of her songs in any way. I was in a conversation about the drawbacks of image for the sake of image, and that it is popular nowadays to not question an image in front of you, but only to label it as 'cool' or 'weird' quickly and dispose of it.
"I don't like my comments about Lady Gaga's presentation being changed into some sort of negative critique of her music. If you're going to try to cause drama, at least get the quotes right. I think journalists should also be held accountable for what they say.
"Especially publications like the NME, who put whatever words they feel like between two quotation marks and play it off as a quote. Maybe somebody with more lawyers can take them to task, but I'll just use the Internet and Twitter instead. I also think that kind of tabloid drama encourages artists to not express their opinions in the press, and instead give polite soundbites that don't stimulate thought about creativity and the consumption of art in its many guises."
He adds, "Peace to Lady Gaga and I fully congratulate and compliment her on her championing of gay rights issues and the momentum it's given to help create change."
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