Jack White accused of abandoning Detroit music scene

British producer Kevin Nixon said musician just “passed through”…

Jack White and Eminem have been accused of abandoning the city of Detroit by British producer Kevin Nixon.

In an interview with The Times, Nixon – who managed Kula Shaker and the late Kirsty MacColl – criticised the stars’ lack of long-term support for their home city, as well as their reluctance to celebrate its music scene. “The music industry more than other neglected Detroit,” he said. “So many musicians have left here to start careers somewhere else. The record company executives from New York or LA just fly right over.”

Nixon, who moved to Detroit with his wife Sarah Clayman last year to found the Detroit Institute of Music Education, added of White and Eminem: “They just passed though. They didn’t build a movement. That’s why I decided to bring the music industry here.”

Last month, Eminem revealed an extended remix to ‘Detroit Vs Everybody’, a track featured on the Shady Records compilation released in 2014. The extended remix ran to 16-minutes in length and featured guest verses from a variety of Detroit rappers, including Black Milk, Guilty Simpson, Sino, Marv Won, Payroll, Hydro, Big Gov, Boldy James, Kid Vishis, Big Herk, Icewear Vezzo, Detroit Che, and Calicoe.

Meanwhile, it was recently reported that a never-before-released White Stripes live album and DVD is set to be released. The package will focus on the band’s 2005 tour of South America and comes as part of the Third Man Records subscriber-only service, The Vault. It will include the double LP Under Amazonian Lights, which was recorded live in Manaus, Brazil on June 1, 2005, as well as a DVD featuring footage recorded at the gig at Teatro Amazonas Opera House.

Jack White will also be headlining this year’s Coachella Festival in California. The event takes place across two weekends in April.