Conan O’Brien - “And They Call Me Mad?”

We knew that a live album wasn’t the only recording Jack White and Conan O’Brien put to tape back in June, and now the latest release from Team Coco-White has been unveiled: “And They Call Me Mad?,” an “improvised take on the Frankenstein legend” by the former Tonight Show/Late Night host, is now available for pre-order at Third Man Records and will ship out next week.
In addition to the Jack White-produced, hysterically histrionic A-side, the 7” vinyl includes an interview between White and O’Brien on the flip side. As Hit Fix reports, 100 limited-edition 45s will be sold at Third Man HQ in Nashville next week, as well, with all proceeds from the $100 vinyl sales being donated to a charity for uninsured musicians victimized by this year’s Tennessee flood disaster.
Check out the album cover art above, order a copy here, and stream a snippet of hilarious “And They Call Me Mad?” audio here (top right corner).
T Bone Burnett, Jack White to Release Secret Sisters Debut LP, Single
Before today, I had never heard of Laura and Lydia Rogers, aka the Secret Sisters, but after one listen (thanks to our pal Ray Reed) to their LP, Silver Threads And Golden Needles, we have confirmation that a real treat is on the way within the year. Not only have the Rogers sisters teamed up with Jack White and a slew of Third Man Records cohorts (more on that in a sec) for their first 7” 45, but they’ve also been recruited by the great T Bone Burnett for the release of the aforementioned full-length debut.
“[Y]ou can hear the history of rural American music from the 1920s and a reverence for every musical genre since,” Burnett said of the Mussel Shoals, Alabama duo, adding later that he and fellow producer Dave Cobb enlisted plenty of vintage equipment to make the record “as close to ‘pure’ as it gets.”
While their LP includes originals, as well as a cover of Frank and Nancy Sinatra’s “Something Stupid,” the pair’s Jack White-produced single features renditions of 1958 Johnny Cash song “Big River” and traditional folk tune “The Wabash Cannonball.” White and the Rogers sisters weren’t the only performers in the studio for the 7”, however, as their backup band included My Morning Jacket’s Carl Broemel, Raconteurs/Greenhornes Jack Lawrence and Patrick Keeler, Jackson Smith (Mr. Meg White/son of Patti Smith), and others.
The Secret Sisters’ “Big River”/”Wabash Cannonball” 45 is due out August 16, via Third Man (pre-order here), and their debut album, produced by Dave Cobb (Burnett is billed as executive producer) will hit shelves October 5, via Universal Republic.
Laura Marling Covers Neil Young, Jackson C. Frank for Jack White-Produced 7”
Back in May, I posted video of Laura Marling’s flawless live version of Jackson C. Frank classic “Blues Run the Game” on her last U.S. tour. As it turns out, we’ll be getting another one-take performance of the cover, recorded this time in one of the coolest active analog studios in the country for one of our favorite indie labels: Jack White’s Third Man Records. Here’s the kicker, though: on the flip side will be Marling’s version of Neil Young’s iconic 1972 song “Needle and the Damage Done” (which she played for our friends at Paste recently).
The limited 7” vinyl is set for release on August 9 via Third Man, and can be pre-ordered online at Rough Trade right now (yeah, that’s the cover art above). As with most of Jack White’s one-off “Blue Series” releases, this should be available via iTunes, as well, next month. Meanwhile, give the live version of Frank’s song another viewing below:
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Jack White and Laura Marling Record Single
Well, this is great Monday news: Jack White and Laura Marling — writers of two of my favorite songs of the year so far — have teamed for a 7” vinyl single to be released via White’s Third Man Records. While at last weekend’s Glastonbury Festival, the Dead Weather drummer broke the news in an interview with BBC 1’s Newsbeat, revealing that Marling accepted an invitation to record at his Nashville studio during a nearby stop on her last U.S. tour.
“It was perfect - one take,” he said. “She’s gorgeous. Gorgeous voice and an incredible person. A wonderful girl… It’s really beautiful what she recorded.”
No release date or further details are known at this time, but I’ll keep an eye out for more info about what is now my most anticipated song of the year. Meanwhile, here’s a taste of Marling’s one-take skills.
**Update: We posted further details on this release.
The Dead Weather Drop 2 New Videos
Earlier in the week, the official Dead Weather YouTube channel awoke from its 4-week slumber with a new music video featuring Los Angeles artist Max Neutra live-painting frontwoman Alison Mosshart in Third Man Records’ signature colors (yellow, white, black) to the tune of Jack White and co.’s new single “Gasoline” (one of my favorite songs of the year so far). It’s a fun clip, excellent painting, and Neutra’s talents are pretty much undeniable, but I thankfully held off on posting it as only 3 days later we’ve got another new Dead Weather video.
Team Third Man gave Team Coco the world premiere of their equally artsy new video for “Blue Blood Blues,” crafted by Tim Wheeler and Christopher Mills from footage of the band performing live at their Nashville headquarters. Needless to say, this Jack White/Conan O’Brien bromance is still awesome. Watch both videos below:
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Conan O’Brien and Jack White Record Live Album

(Photo by Molly Moormeier of Team Coco)
“I’ve had a crazy six months,” Conan O’Brien said from the stage of Jack White’s Third Man Records tonight. “Six months ago, I was the host of The Tonight Show, the greatest franchise in the history of television. Then I started a live tour, going from small theater to small theater. And tonight I’m pressing a vinyl recording. I’m going back in time! Next week I’ll be on vaudeville. Then i’ll be a steamship captain.” So that’s what they were building in there: a live album.
After White’s introduction, Coco and his “Legally Prohibited Band” tore through a set of cover songs, which included “On The Road Again,” the Band’s “The Weight,” White Stripes classic “Seven Nation Army” (vid of CT performance), “Blue Moon,” Stray Cats’ “Rock This Town,” and Radiohead’s “Creep,” of course. Jack White helped Conan close out the show with Eddie Cochran’s “20 Flight Rock.”
Fun fact: In keeping with Conan’s joke about “going back in time,” the performance/recording was briefly stalled due to the first reel of analog tape needing to be switched. Buddy Holly would be proud.
**Update: Conan O’Brien - Live At Third Man can be pre-ordered here.