Stop the presses. Today the greatest rock band of our era announced the official end of their career. Though we haven’t been privileged to any new material from the duo since 2007’s “Icky Thump,” I’d wager that Stripes worshippers such as myself have been clinging on to the shred of belief that the announcement of a new record or tour would inevitably pop up on the Pitchfork homepage one unsuspecting day. It was something thrilling to look forward to and the cold reality that it’s not going to happen, for lack of a better word, blows. Argue all you want about the merits of the band’s place in rock’n’roll history. The White Stripes created something unparalleled in the realm of modern music, something that’s influence is manifested in countless musical acts however subtle it may be. This is apparent even within our own local music scene. I mean, is it even possible to attend a Red Pens show without drawing to mind a White Stripes aesthetic? It’s a damn shame that Jack White will no longer blow minds with his blues-rock infused guitar solos alongside minimalist drummer-babe, Meg. At least the band’s decision to discontinue their musical project doesn’t seem to be fraught with bitterness or “artistic differences”. You can read their statement on the Third Man Records website. I can’t lie. My denial is forcing me to rationalize that they’re only saying this to make their comeback announcement that much more exciting. I guess time will tell. For now, this one goes out to the (tear, is this really real?) memory of The White Stripes. To Jack and Meg! Thank you for it all.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xi8KdTk0u0g.