The Black Keys
Biography
The Black Keys is a two-man duo comprising singer/guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney, both of whom were in their early twenties when the band's debut, The Big Come Up, was issued in 2002. Hailing from Akron, OH, they harnessed a close-to-the-bone, raw blues-rock sound on the album, whole sole instruments were Auerbach's guitar, Carney's drums, and the occasional organ. From the start, Auerbach flaunted a fine, mature, lived-in blues voice for one so young, and the group's material worked in funk, soul, and rock influences from the likes of Jimi Hendrix and James Brown, which helped avoid undue repetition of the overdone chord progressions and stock riffs common to so many such acts. Before the year's end, the band had amassed a loyal following and inked a deal with Fat Possum.
The Black Keys' second album, Thickfreakness, was recorded in 14 straight hours during a single day in 2002. To prepare for its April 2003 release, the duo joined Sleater-Kinney as their opening act for a North American winter tour. Rubber Factory followed in 2004 and earned notices as one of the best records of the year. A live DVD arrived in 2005, followed by the Chulahoma EP and the full-length Magic Potion in 2006. Two years later, the Keys issued the Danger Mouse-produced Attack & Release, an album that was originally planned as a collaboration between the duo and Ike Turner (although Turner's death in December 2007 rendered the collaboration impossible). Attack & Release debuted at number 14 on the Billboard 200, propelled in part by the band's string of incendiary live performances (as well as several festival appearances that summer). Another concert DVD was issued before the year's end, and frontman Dan Auerbach rang in the New Year with the release of his first solo effort, Keep It Hid. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide
Selected Discography

Thickfreakness
2003

The Big Come Up
2002
Wow.... just found out about theses guys about a month ago, great sound. It is so refreshing to here some music that dosen't sound like everything else!
|
||
i think the black keys are the single most talented duo of my generation. dan is a mastermind as well is pat. anyone who disagrees with me needs to go to one of their shows. best show i have ever seen at the new daisy in memphis. well, anywhere really. carney broke three snares. enough said. and what is with people combining two bands like lenny kravits and zz top to produce the black keys? they obviously have influences but its pretty stupid to come up with they sound of a band in that way.
|
||
amazing band, they are just SO GOOD. can't really describe them.
Nico.ariza, the white stripes ARE well known, as well as being totally great. also, just cause a band's good doesn't make it famous. usually the opposite in fact |
||
i agree with nic goodson. if anyone has seen my comments on the white stripes page, you would see that i bashed meg for her lack of talent. however, her simplistic style and lack of talent evens out with jack's awesomeness and makes the white stripes sound just...just perfect.
and isnt this a black keys pag? lets talk about them instead people... and i think that one reason that people compare the stripes and the keys is their parallel names. the white stripes...th e black keys...yeah. |
||
The White Stripes aren't well known? Wow. They may not be as big as the Stones, but I think they're doing pretty good for themselves. I think Meg's drumming is key to the sound. The Black Keys are going for somehing different than The White Stripes....y o u can't put two bands side by side based on the number of people in the band. Lets see; 5 New Kids on The Block....5 Rolling Stones. I think that Donnie sings so much better than Mick. Kidding.
|
||
BLACK KEYS! Nico.ariza, take consideratio n that The White Stripes aims for minimalist rock, Meg is a great musician
|
||
Way better than the white stripes if you ask me. there drummer doesnt suck like meg white, she is god awful lol.
Jack white is quite a prodigy though. if he had a better drummer than the white stripes would so much more well known. |
||
No, this band isn't really like the white stripes, other than it's another 2 piece band.
|
||
ever since i heard strange times by them i just couldnt get enoungh.THEY ARE THE S**T!!!!, also i think a goood album can be made from dan and patrick sweany, idk think about it.
|
||
and moomoo, i think its more like zz top + white stripes = black keys. just sayin.
|
||
wow...before i made a white stripes station, i had never heard anything like this before (or really appreciated it). i love it! finally, pandora did something right!
|
||
It's great no matter who else sounds like them. i'm just grateful I heard them. I picked them up when I put in the Raconteurs. I would have never heard them if it wasn't for Pandora. As much as regular radio wants to stay alive, you'd think they'd play more than the same five songs from the same 15 bands.
|
||
hendrick - They really dont sount ALOT like anyone - The White Stripes is the closest any other artist can come to thier sound.
But they are quite unique especially for todays popular music atmosphere. They have a very raw, throwback sound of OLD....I mean OLD Blues, early 50's era rock n roll and a bit of modern alternative rock. They are simply awesome..... p u r e l y awesome Blues/rock. |
||
Hey Hendrick...I think they sound a bit like Lenny Kravitz, slightly Chris Whitley with the rawness.
|
||
Cool, raw, heavy blues... refreshing and hypnotic, has carried me on its groove lately. Like them better than the White Stripes lately. Attack and Release is their best release yet. No-one quite has their sound or minimalist approach.
|
||
Okay, I need you guys and dolls to help me out here. Who else do they sound like/ similar to? I've only seen the White Stripes thus far.
|
||
That wasnt actually me. i KNOW how to spell quite well actually.
Some moron has duplicated my name and is trying to irritate me or something by making posts under my name. He is a loser, I am not..... And these guys most definately do not suck, they are fantastic... . s e e n em last year at Bumbershoot. Blew it up!! Okay,thats all for now. |
||
Hey Baron...Just wanted to point out that you apparently don't know how to spell 'know', and that from what is coming out of my speakers right now, these guys are familiar with the conventions of music (e.g. chords, melody, timbre, etc) and use them rather well. Okay, that's all for now.
|
||
These guys suck!!!! I kniw everything about music and let me tell ya these guys suck!!
|
||
The Black Keys absolutely killed it at the Mile High Music Fest this past weekend. I am a believer.
|
| report abuse |





