~--.- -----

TRINITY COLLEGE, DUBLIN, 18/10/09

Jackwhite,university~lecturer ---....,IsBritney Spears is more authentic than Bob Dylan? Jack

White thinks she might be. The White Stripe discussedthe authenticity of his musical heroes in a surpriselecture at Dublin's Trinity College on Sunday (October18), where he was awarded an honorary patronage from

the University Philosophical Society, whose past members haveincluded Bram Stoker and Oscar Wilde. Putting aside his guitar,White debated with students, speaking candidly about hismusical beliefs. "I don't know if Bob Dylan and Tom Waits are asauthentic as I think they are. Perhaps they're not," he suggested."Sometimes you start thinking that maybe Britney Spears orsomeone like that, who's doing exactly what they want to do inthe way that they best know how, is more authentic than any ofthose people you could mention." White also said he perpetuallyreevaluates his musical tastes. "I try to cleanse my palate andrethink music," he explained. "A couple of months ago I wastrying to listen to La Roux and trying to get into this song of hers.I try to open my eyes to something I wouldn't normally like."