Jack White and the White Stripes
The White Stripes’ first single and White’s collaboration with fellow upholsterer Brian Muldoon document two sides of his Detroit beginnings.
ListenLet’s Shake Hands · 1998
The White Stripes — “Let’s Shake Hands,” official music video.
Listen on YouTube ↗
1998 · Italy Records
Let’s Shake Hands / Look Me Over Closely
The White Stripes’ debut nearly stalled over a misunderstanding. When Dave Buick offered to make a single, Jack White thought he was being asked to pay for it. Buick meant to cover the cost himself. [2]
| Accession | OMMA-0004 |
|---|---|
| Artist | The White Stripes |
| Release | 1998 · United States |
| Label | Italy Records · 003 |
| Format | 7-inch vinyl single · 45 rpm |
| Issue | Original translucent red-vinyl issue |
| Runouts | A: I 003-A B: I 003-B |
| Recorded grade | NM · NM sleeve |
Release history and significance
Buick had noticed Jack and Meg’s carefully arranged red-and-white stage presentation in Detroit. When he mentioned the roughly $500 cost of making a record, Jack said he could not afford it and walked away. They met again weeks later, and Buick explained his offer. The duo recorded the songs in their living room. [2]
Released by Italy Records in 1998, “Let’s Shake Hands” pairs Jack White’s original with Terry Gilkyson’s “Look Me Over Closely.” Jeff Meier recorded the session, and David Italy—Buick’s production credit—appears as producer. The translucent red vinyl, paper sleeve and photocopied insert gave the debut a distinctly handmade form. [1]
Market context
A red-vinyl Italy Records 003 copy with the quotation insert sold for US$169 on 21 April 2011 after nine bids. Its disc was graded NM and the fold-out sleeve VG+, with edge wear, creasing and slight corner staining. [3]
Physical Description
Translucent red vinyl in the original thin-paper picture sleeve. A hand-cut white paper insert bears a typewritten quotation, attributed on the insert to George Washington, explaining the symbolism of the flag’s colours and white stripes.
Condition
The disc and picture sleeve are graded NM. The vinyl retains strong gloss without visible marks; the labels are clean and unmarked. The sleeve shows no significant edge wear or creasing.
Provenance
Acquired directly from an anonymous original owner on 11 March 2025. The owner reported playing the record once to check for manufacturing defects.
Sources
- Discogs, The White Stripes — Let’s Shake Hands, release 1348922. Original translucent red-vinyl edition, credits, insert and runouts.
- Alec Wilkinson, The New Yorker, Jack White’s Infinite Imagination, March 2017. Interviews with White and Dave Buick about the debut single.
- Popsike, archived eBay auction. US$169 result, 21 April 2011; red-vinyl copy with insert.
- The White Stripes official video archive. Official Let’s Shake Hands music video.
Catalogue text reviewed 13 September 2026.
ListenApple of My Eye · 2000
The Upholsterers — “Apple of My Eye,” from Makers of High Grade Suites.
Listen on YouTube ↗
2000 · Sympathy for the Record Industry
Makers of High Grade Suites
Jack White and Brian Muldoon took their band name from the trade they shared. Their three-song single connects White’s Detroit music-making with the upholstery work that had brought the two men together. [1] [2]
| Accession | OMMA-0106 |
|---|---|
| Artist | The Upholsterers |
| Release | 2000 · United States |
| Label | Sympathy for the Record Industry · SFTRI 611 |
| Format | 7-inch vinyl single · 45 rpm |
| Issue | Commercial issue |
| Runouts | Not documented |
| Recorded grade | M · M− sleeve |
Release history and significance
White became Muldoon’s upholstery apprentice at fifteen, filling a notebook with sketches and techniques. He later opened Third Man Upholstery, closing the shop in 1998 as music took more of his time. Their shared craft supplied both the band’s name and the imagery of this release. [2]
Released in 2000, the single pairs “Apple of My Eye” with Willie Dixon’s “I Ain’t Superstitious” and Jack Starr’s “Pain (Gimme Sympathy).” White sings and plays guitar and piano; Muldoon plays drums and worm-gear saw. They produced the recordings together, with White and Jim Diamond mixing at Ghetto Recorders. [1]
The duo later made another single and concealed copies in furniture Muldoon restored. Third Man’s 2014 announcement concerned discoveries of that second, 2004 record. Makers of High Grade Suites was the earlier, commercially issued release. [3]
Market context
Discogs separates the standard edition from the numbered “blood card” package. The standard-edition listing reports 367 copies and recorded sales of US$70–1,000, with a median of US$340, as checked on 14 September 2026. [1]
Physical Description
A black-vinyl 7-inch with one track on side A and two on side B. Its packaging draws on the two musicians’ upholstery businesses. [1]
Condition
The disc is graded Mint and the sleeve Mint Minus.
Provenance
Acquired by the Origins of Modern Music Archive in April 2026.
Sources
- Discogs, The Upholsterers – Makers of High Grade Suites, release 3158306. Standard 2000 edition; tracks, credits, production quantity and recorded sales.
- Nate Rogers, Jack White Is Getting Back to His First Love: Upholstering Furniture, GQ. Interview with White and Ben Blackwell, 10 February 2022.
- Third Man Records, Spotted! The Upholsterers 2nd Single. 18 December 2014; the separate 2004 record concealed in furniture.
Catalogue text reviewed 13 September 2026.