Pitchfork

Photo by Thom Johnston

Having emerged relatively unscathed from a large state school with an active Greek system, the idea of a "frat rock version" of anything sends this reporter into a fit of sympathetic Natty Ice-induced Saturday morning dry heaves.

Yet, there it is: September 10, XL Recordings will issue the single for the White Stripes' Icky Thump standout "You Don't Know What Love Is (You Just Do What You're Told)" in the UK. The B-side is the "Frat Rock Version" of the same song.

But which strain of frat rock will it be? Fey horns and watery Afrobeat a la DMB, or one-armed riffage, drunken Def Leppard singalong style? The classic kind-- i.e. "Louie Louie", "Wooly Bully"? We're guessing the Stripes are poking fun at said swill-soaked subgenre. But having known a lot of frat boys who really dug the White Stripes ("that drummer chick is hot," I recall hearing a time or two from Buzzcut Pete and the like), they may be raising more ire than they realize. Still, school spirit, rah, etc.

Ooh, and the Stripes have mixers and cotillions aplenty at home and abroad. Easy on the pre-show jungle juice, eh, fellas?

Showing their Stripes:

09-13 Albuquerque, NM - Kiva Auditorium *
09-15 Austin, TX - Zilker Park (Austin City Limits Festival)
09-16 Austin, TX - Stubb's Bar-B-Q
09-18 San Diego, CA - Coors Amphitheatre *
09-19 Inglewood, CA - The Forum *
09-21 Berkeley, CA - Greek Theatre *
09-24 Anchorage, AK - George M. Sullivan Sports Arena *
09-26 Seattle, WA - Paramount Ballroom *
09-27 Seattle, WA - Paramount Ballroom *
09-28 Boise, ID - Idaho Center Theater *
09-29 Salt Lake City, UT - The "E" Center *
09-30 Jackson Hole, WY - Snow King Center *
10-02 Rapid City, SD - Rushmore Plaza Civic Center *
10-03 Fargo, ND - Fargo Civic Auditorium *
10-04 Lincoln, NE - Pershing Center Auditorium *
10-06 Chicago, IL - Aragon Ballroom *
10-07 Chicago, IL - Aragon Ballroom *
10-24 Glasgow, Scotland - SECC
10-25 Manchester, England - MEN Arena
10-26 Newcastle, England - Metro Arena
10-28 Birmingham, England - NEC
10-29 Cardiff, Wales - International Arena
10-31 Sheffield, England - Hallam Arena
11-01 Nottingham, England - Arena
11-02 London, England - O2 Arena

* with Cold War Kids