The White Stripes: the last great rock band

The Louisiana Club, Bristol, July 2001.
This was the first show after the 100 Club UK debut the previous week. This would be the most intimate gig on the tour. It was a sweltering evening and the first-floor venue was rammed Photograph: Ewen Spencer

I was invited by Jack and Meg to the Big Day Out festival in Sydney, Australia, in January 2002. I mostly remember going out on the town a lot. This is Jack leaving the festival Photograph: Ewen Spencer

It's 2003 and the band were now signed to XL Recordings in the UK and about to release their fourth album Elephant. While the album was being made, the band’s back catalogue had been licensed through XL and was being received by new and old fans alike. Jack is definitely not one for hanging around. His work ethic is admirable. This is in a bar in Notting Hill before the XL music conference where The White Stripes were to perform some new songs from the forthcoming album. Later that day Jack beckoned me into the stock cupboard at XL and handed me a new demo for Elephant, “for your ears only”. I ended up shooting the next album cover, Get Behind Me Satan Photograph: Ewen Spencer

This picture was taken at Reading Festival, 2002. Weezer had just played an epic set full of indie rock anthems that sent the crowd ballistic. I remember Jack pouring praise upon their performance as he watched from backstage. The White Stripes walked out and played for 35 minutes and left the crowd hysterical. Jack pulled off his T-shirt and threw it into the crowd... The rest is history Photograph: Ewen Spencer

London in 2003 again. Meg made her first vocal performance at the XL Recordings music conference Photograph: Ewen Spencer

Jack with his friend Albert Hammond Jr of The Strokes, at Reading Photograph: Ewen Spencer