The Raconteurs

When an impromptu jam session between long-standing friends Jack White and Brendan Benson heralded the track Steady As She Goes (a future Number 4 hit in the UK), the White Stripes man and the solo star were inspired to collaborate further. Joined by The Greenhornes' Jack Lawrence and Patrick Keeler, The Raconteurs recorded debut album Broken Boy Soldiers (2006) at Benson's home studio in Detroit and soon had the critics drooling. Named by Mojo magazine as the album of the year, it shot to Number 2 in the UK and Number 7 in the US, sending the group on a successful worldwide tour and winning them a support slot with Bob Dylan in North America. With the band relocating to Nashville, second album Consolers Of The Lonely (2008) was rush-released just three weeks after its recording with no promotion. Intended as a way of avoiding leaks and dealing directly with fans, the move caused excitement and controversy within the industry, with some critics perceiving it as a calculated snub. The band go by the name The Saboteurs in Australia because of a legal objection by an existing band from Queensland also known as The Raconteurs.