Flavorwire

If the recent news of the White Stripes’ break up has left you weeping over your garage rock/blues  collection in dismay, take heart. We’re here to remind you that there are plenty of lesser-known grit-rock stompers in line to fill in for your Jack and Meg fix. From the frenetic, punk-inspired garage rock stylings of Billy Childish to the rambunctious Memphis reel of The Reigning Sound, these bands are sure to distract you from your woe for a while. And who knows? They might just fill that Stripes-shaped hole in your record collection/heart.

Wild Billy Childish

Just trying to track what the insanely prolific Billy Childish is doing at any time might leave you slightly out of breath. Not only has the man been a part of over 50 recordings with bands like Thee Headcoats, Thee Milkshakes, The Mighty Caesars, and the Natural Born Lovers — just to name a few — he’s also written 40 books of poetry, edited a fanzine, and had a serious painting career. Childish is one of Jack White’s inspirations (Jack even had Billy’s name written on his arm when he went on Top of the Pops), and his raw, blues-punk sound influenced everyone from Kurt Cobain to Kylie Minogue (seriously). Childish’s latest band is The Vermin Poets, a good group to keep your eye on.