Jack White: White Stripes' breakup was Meg's decision; 'It’s something I really, really miss'

In an extensive interview with the New York Times, Jack White says the decision to break up the White Stripes was Meg White’s call.

“Some people can live their whole lives in limbo. I’d rather cut the lifeline so we can move on with our lives,” White told the Times. “There came a point where I said, ‘If we’re not doing this, we need to put an end to it right now.’ And that’s what she wanted to do.”

The White Stripes announced its breakup in February 2011. At the time, the group released a statement saying, “the reason is not due to artistic differences or lack of wanting to continue, nor any health issues as both Meg and Jack are feeling fine and in good health. It is for a myriad of reasons, but mostly to preserve what is beautiful and special about the band and have it stay that way.”

When asked why the band decided to split, White told the Times, “You’d have to ask her. I don’t know what her reasons are. Having a conversation with Meg, you don’t really get any answers. I’m lucky that girl ever got onstage, so I’ll take what I can get.”

WATCH: The White Stripes perform “White Moon” in the closing scene of the group’s tour documentary, “Under Great White Northern Lights”:

White tells the Times, contrary to what some believe, he was never controlling of Meg. “It was more like groveling. Even when we were touring 200 days a year, I would have said: Can we do this? Can we do that?” He added: “Meg completely controlled the White Stripes. She’s the most stubborn person I’ve ever met, and you don’t even get to know the reasons.”

White says that if he had his druthers, the White Stripes would still be together. “I’d make a White Stripes record right now. I’d be in the White Stripes for the rest of my life. That band is the most challenging, important, fulfilling thing ever to happen to me. I wish it was still here. It’s something I really, really miss.”

White says the breakup of the White Stripes allowed him to do a solo album, and he wouldn’t have made it if the band was still together. “I could have made ‘Revolver,’ and people would still say, ‘Where’s Meg?’” When asked if it felt weird to play the White Stripes songs without Meg, White told the Times, “Maybe it should. But it doesn’t. I wrote the White Stripes songs myself. It always felt like the two of us covering my songs.”

Last month, White told NME there was no chance the band would ever get back together. “I couldn’t see any reason to ever do that. I’m not the kind of person that would retire from baseball and come out of retirement the next year,” he said. “I mean, if we went to all the trouble of telling people we’re done, we meant it, you know?”

Read the full NYT interview with White here, and check out White’s video for his new song “Sixteen Saltines” here. White’s debut solo album, “Blunderbuss,” is due out April 24.