Jack White made a surprise appearance in London last night (March 20) to launch his solo album ‘Blunderbuss’.

The ex-White Stripes man turned up at a playback of the album at the Debating Chamber at London’s County Hall.

After the album was played on vinyl from the rafters of the room, the Mayor Of Lambeth, Councillor Christiana Valcarcel appeared in full robes.

She then delighted the audience by introducing White himself to the front of the chamber. While he did not perform, he was quizzed by the Mayor and the audience in a rare interview. “You should be proud of yourself!” she told him, before commanding, “We’re talking about you tonight, it’s my turn to take you to task!”

Of ‘Blunderbuss’, White said: “It just happened one song at a time, like it always does, let the song be in charge and let the song tell you what you’re doing and you’re just a servant of the music at that point. When you think you’re in control of the song then that’s when you’re making a mistake I think.”

Picking up on the single ‘Love Interruption’, he added: “It’s hard to put love in a song because it’s been used for so long, thousands of times in plays, paintings, poems and if you’re going to say that word I think you have to really put a twist on it for yourself. If you’re going to use the word ‘love’, I wanted to provoke some kind of thought that’s what I wanted it to do for me.”

On the challenge of going solo, White explained: “I’m still in a couple of bands so I’m not missing anything by doing this. But I didn’t know I was doing it until I was doing it, four of five songs in I thought I guess this is turning into something.”

‘Blunderbuss’ is scheduled to be released on White’s Third Man label on April 23. He’s due to play his debut UK solo show at London’s HMV Hammersmith Apollo on June 22, ahead of his slot at Radio 1’s Hackney Weekend (23-24). Prior to coming to the UK, White will be touring extensively across the US.