Since April 20, 2008, White Mystery has independently scorched it’s path in the earth, thanks to you! Here are statistics for what the band has accomplished so far, just shy of it’s 10th band anniversary.
Since 2008, White Mystery logged a lot of miles in a Pontiac Vibe. At least it’s fuel efficient! Francis White is responsible for the mileage you see below:
From clubs to auditoriums to outdoor festivals, White Mystery has played it all. See an *almost complete* list of venues in theshow archive here!
From Pitchfork, to MTV, the Chicago Tribune, NBC “Last Call with Carson Daly,” the Washington Post, WFMU “Best Show,” WXRT, Rolling Stone, and the FADER, White Mystery appears in quite a bit of press. See the whole publicity archive here!
One of the best parts of being in a band is hearing your music placed on television or on the movie screen. We are grateful to the shows, directors and music supervisors who chose White Mystery as the soundtrack to their films and TV programs!
White Mystery has hand-dyed and stamped thousands of shirts since 2008. Now that’s DIY! We went through the archive and photographed every single one for you in the gallery below. Which do you own in your collection?
From Francis L. White, “The dapper gentleman with the bow-tie is your great-great -great- grandfather, George T. Brooks (127th Pennsylvania Volunteers ((Fredricksburg, Chancellorsville-two of the worst Union defeats in the Civil War)) and later, the 4th PA.Cavalry)-his parents came from Dublin in the late 1770’s. To the right is his wife, Emma Brooks. To his left is his son-in-law, Lewis White. Not too much is known about the Whites. The Lebanon Historical Society “History of Lebanon” says the first White was an English surveyor mapping for the Union Canal, which passed through town. Lewis is a spitting image of his son, my grandfather, Francis Scott Key White. In front of Lewis is his wife, Mary Brooks White. To the right is her sister, Leuna Brooks, who never married.
Here is a link to the chapter in Bate’s “Pennsylvania in the Civil War” in the archives of the Chicago Public Library downtown. It’s remarkable that it is now available online.
The 127 Pa. Volunteers was our ancestor, George T. Brooks’, first Civil War regiment. I knew it was involved in the two worst defeats suffered by the North-Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville- but from looking at maps I had always thought that as a 9-month volunteer regiment, the boys were so green they were kept in the rear out of harm’s way.
I was wrong. The episode at Fredericksburg when Union troops had to use rowboats to cross the Rapahannock River and clear Confederate snipers from houses on the river’s edge (so the Engineers could complete a pontoon bridge) was one of the most desperate, and famous, incidents of the war. And the 127th supplied the men who did it.
This link to Bate’s book may allow us to look around for other items-such as the roster of names of it’s personnel (I remember reading it and thinking it’s the same names as in my high school yearbook).
And it may give a history of G.T. Brooks’ second regiment-the 4th Pennsylvania Cavalry.
After Chancellorsville, the 127th’s nine month enlistment expired and the men were mustered out at the end of May 1863. Bates describes it as being in Hall’s 3rd Brigade; Gibbon’s Division; of Winfield Scott Hancock’s II Corps. At one point they were part of a brigade commanded by Col. Norman Hall-the co-author of, “Mutiny on the Bounty.”
Thirty days later, on July 3, 1863 Hall’s 3rd Brigade was posted at the famous “copse of trees” in the center of the Union line on Cemetery Ridge at Gettysburg, which was the aiming point and objective of Pickett’s Charge. Union casualties there were over 50%. Our ancestor just missed it, which is probably why we’re here to talk about it.”
Page 2 of Bates’ History: They sustained 254 casualties in the fruitless charge up Marye’s Heights in Fredericksburg, and lay pinned down on the slopes until nightfall-just like we saw in the movie!
George T. Brooks was a Civil War veteran, and our great-great-great grandfather.
From our Dad, Francis L. White: “At some point, George T. Brooks sold his company to the Armor meatpacking company of Chicago. Come to think of it my law school is part of IIT which used to be called the Armor Institute due to the Armor Family’s charitable donations (how’s that for irony?). The only anecdote I heard as a boy was that when there was a fire in the bologna smokehouse George T. Brooks, who was not a tall man, picked up the company safe and carried it out of the building.
That smokehouse and a detached home, where my Great Aunt Cat lived (George probably lived there originally as it was right next to the smokehouse) were located on a railroad spur between Willow and 10th Streets, and I would walk by them on my way to school for 11 years.
Parallel to the tracks was a small creek that I would play around (planting clods of dirt and grass along it’s banks) which became a raging torrent that I waded through to get to the center of town during the Great Flood of 1972. I think it was called the Quitapahilla Creek.
In George Brooks’ obit I read that he also ran a cafe, “The Keystone Cafe” which may be the structure behind him in the photograph.
I was watching The Last Dance” just now, and they were showing early clips of the NBA Draft in which Michael Jordan was drafted by the Bulls. I mentioned that Jordan was actually the third pick, and that number two was a man named Sam Bowie, who grew up in my [Lebanon, Pennsylvania] neighborhood of Willow Street (he was years younger than me, but my Dad knew his dad). He was rated higher than Mike, but an injury sidelined his career permanently. And then the clips showed him.”
Here are the photos from Salem Lutheran Church with the headstone of the Brooks family that were removed by the city of Lebanon. Buried here were the great-grandparents to George T. Brooks, James and Jane, who immigrated from Ireland to Pennsylvania in the 1770s.
Our great-grandfather, Francis “Bubbles” White. Our grandfather, Francis White. Our dad, Francis Lee White. Lebanon, Pennsylvania, 1976, two hundred years after the Brooks arrived from Ireland.Great-grandpa Francis White was married to Jenny Houser, pictured here. Her family owned a store.This is Jenny’s sister, Katie Houser Wolf.Our paternal grand-father, Francis Brooks White; dog unknown.Our great aunts and uncles, the children of F.S.K. White and Jenny: Lewis White (with glasses), Mary White, Joan White (always pronounced “Jo Anne”), my Father F. B. White, and the baby of the family, Claude White. Our grandfather Francis F.B. White, Aunt Mary, great-grandfather FSK White, Joan, and Claude.On sofa left to right: Bruce Wike, Trisha, F.S.K. White, his sister, Catherine (“Aunt Cat”), Cindy Wike,and Renee. Wike was Aunt Joan’s married name. I can’t remember Aunt Cat’s. I do not think she had children.Our great-grandfather FSK White and his Sister, Catherine.
Amazing genre-benders Tank and the Bangas showered their glorious talent, love, and grooves on Senn High School in Chicago today. The New Orleans-based NPR Tiny Desk winners performed for 700 Chicago Public School students alongside Alderman Harry Osterman and Principal Mary Beck. Their set included jazz-infused slam poetry, freestyle rock, and gorgeous R&B vocals that inspired the entire audience.
At one point, the group asked for volunteers to dance on stage, which brought the house down! See the why in the video above.
•Concert produced by Miss Alex White, White Mystery. Instagram @whitemysteryband
•Photos by Diane Alexander White. Instagram @diane_alexander_white
•Microphones provided on loan by SHURE, Illinois
Photographer Nicholas Lipton released his book and art show, “White Knuckle,” on Friday, June 2, 2017 in Chicago’s Fulton Market. Hundreds of attendees viewed photographic prints of striking imagery, ranging from muzzled guard dogs to daredevils precariously balancing on their motorcycles. White Mystery DJed vinyl and art lovers enjoyed complimentary Pabst Blue Ribbon. Thank you to all involved!
Lagunitas lubricated the art opening of Nick Lipton’s “White Knuckle” photography exhibit and book release with complimentary beer Friday night in Fulton Market. Artists, creatives, friends, and family attended the gallery event with open eyes and open ears to experience edgy pictures plus tunes by lady DJ Miss Alex White of White Mystery. Thank you for your support, and Diane Alexander White for the photos!
The Andy Animal “Meltasia” festival takes place in Catskill, New York. It is a focused rock’n’roll weekend event that brings together the coolest of the cool underground tastemakers, like the Black Lips, Shannon & the Clams, Pentagram, Kool Keith, Bloodshot Bill, White Mystery, Mungo Jerry, and Black Oak Arkansas. In 2016, comedian Neil Hamburger was the host, hundreds of people camped in an abandoned zoo, and harmonica master Daddy Long Legs even played in a former monkey cage.
Very special thanks to Orange Amplifiers and Ludwig Drums for providing the backline to the main stage. You make rock’n’roll possible!
Press
“Most nutty, unbridled, non-commodified fun I’ve had in years,” Elmore Magazine
“Walking Dead’ Dale complains about noisy music fest Meltasia,” Brooklyn Vegan
One of the best parts of being in a band is hearing your music placed on television or on the movie screen. We are grateful to the shows, directors and music supervisors who chose White Mystery as the soundtrack to their films and TV programs!
