Ever wonder about Jack White’s process in the studio, or the experiences of artists like Beck, First Aid Kit, Tom Jones, Dwight Yoakam, Stephen Colbert, Michael Kiwanuka , Insane Clown Posse, and many more who recorded with him? The stories are right here.

“I love great books about records: ripping yarns about everything that happened on the way to my stereo, with no minutiae too small to matter. The Blue Series: The Story Behind the Color is the tale, in depth, behind every Blue single.” – David Fricke, Rolling Stone

As the brainchild of Jack White, the Blue Series started in tandem with Third Man Records, White’s Nashville-based record label founded in 2009. Built on the simple premise of 7” 45rpm singles all recorded in the same studio, with the same producer (White), with photos taken in the same locale (Third Man Records’ onsite Blue Room) and manufactured at the same pressing plant (United Record Pressing), a stone’s throw from TMR’s offices) the resultant 40 singles impressively run the gamut of artists and styles. Whether it’s the wildly popular like Beck, the classic veteran Tom Jones, the character Stephen Colbert, the polarizing Insane Clown Posse, or previously unknown performers making their debut releases, the Blue Series is the perfect snapshot of what Third Man, and by extension Jack White, have focused on and championed for the past seven years.

The Blue Series: The Story Behind the Color, Volume One standard edition is now available from Third Man Books. The standard edition is 282 pages of behind-the-scenes stories, information, and interviews about the Blue Series singles. This hardcover book also includes a 7” of unreleased Blue Series session songs by First Aid Kit and Gibby Haynes (Butthole Surfers) on black vinyl manufactured at Third Man Pressing, a ten song sampler of Blue Series music curated by the book’s editor Ben Blackwell, Foreword by award-winning Rolling Stone music journalist David Fricke, and exclusive interviews with Beck, Courtney Barnett, Stephen Colbert, Insane Clown Posse, Wanda Jackson, Kate Pierson, Dexter Romweber, Jack White, Dwight Yoakam, and more.

Listen to Blue Series producer, Jack White, the book’s author/editor, Ben Blackwell, and Third Man Books chief editor, Chet Weise, in conversation about the Blue Series book as featured on The Beats 1 broadcast!

- Includes extensive interview with Jack White covering the span of the Series, musicians involved, recording techniques, and the direct influence of the Series on his own career.

- In exclusive interviews, artists describe their Blue Series recording experience in a behind-the-scenes look at their own creative process and the creative process of producer Jack White. The immediacy of the recordings and unusual circumstances create stories rife with insight and interesting moments.

- Features unseen photos of the artists, including Jack White, plus an interview with principle photographer Jo McCaughey.

- Foreword written by David Fricke, who is one of the most recognizable names in music journalism. Mr. Fricke witnessed the Dungen Blue Series session and is the only journalist who has been in the studio during one of the recordings.

- Preface by TMR co-founder Ben Blackwell. The book also features contributions from TMR co-founder, Consigliere Ben Swank, long-time TMR Queen of Hearts Bonnie Bowden, and TMB editor Chet Weise.

- Over 100,000 copies of Blue Series 7” vinyl singles have been sold with digital streams and downloads combined actual consumption is over 1 million.

- Artists covered in the book include best sellers such as Beck, Tom Jones, Brittany Howard (Alabama Shakes), and others.

- Grammy winning and multi-platinum musician Jack White produced every session.

Author:

Ben Blackwell

Ben Blackwell is a drummer, journalist and record label executive. Originally from Detroit, Blackwell has been a member of the Dirtbombs since 1999, playing hundreds of live shows and on dozens of recordings. Blackwell’s writing has been featured in numerous books and publications and won him the 2004 Rolling Stone college journalism award. As an executive at Third Man Records in Nashville, he’s directly overseen the release of over 400 different titles and the pressing of over three million pieces of vinyl.