Jack White is headed back to Studio 8H on Saturday night for his sixth career performance on Saturday Night Live. Ahead of the appearance, he’s shared two brand new songs, “G.O.D. and the Broken Ribs” and “Derecho Demonico,” that he’s likely to play. The songs are available right now on streaming services and will drop tomorrow on vinyl at thirdmanrecords.com and Third Man shops in Nashville, Detroit, and London.
Jack Black is serving as the Saturday Night Live host for White’s episode. The two Jacks first teamed up back in 2019 when White produced the Tenacious D single “Don’t Blow it, Kage,” which was released on Third Man. They jokingly referred to the project as “Jack Gray.” And at least one fan confused the two very different men by sending a photo of Jack Black in his Mandalorian getup to Third Man Records, and requesting an autograph. “We received this letter to Jack Black at Third Man Records recently. I’m guessing somebody got their wires crossed,” White wrote in an Instagram post. “I’m debating what I should do, any ideas?”
The two Jacks both have long histories on Saturday Night Live. Jack White first appeared with the White Stripes on the October 19, 2002, episode hosted by John McCain. They played “Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground” and “We’re Going to Be Friends.” He came back as a solo act in 2012, 2018, 2020, and 2023. The 2020 appearance came at the last minute when scheduled guest Morgan Wallen violated COVID protocols. White also took part in the SNL 40th and 50th anniversary celebrations.
Jack Black, meanwhile, hosted the show in 2002, 2003, and 2005 before returning last year to helm the show after a twenty-year gap. Saturday will be his fifth episode as host, meaning he’ll receive a green jacket and join the exclusive Five-Timers Club. If tradition holds, there will be a sketch where other members of the club make cameo appearances and present him with the jacket.
If there were a Five-Timers Club for musical acts, White would already be a member. Even without a green jacket, he’s hitting the road this summer for a series of largely overseas dates. It kicks off May 30 in Sigulda, Latvia, and wraps up September 20 at the Borderland Festival in East Aurora, New York.
