by JOHNSON CUMMINS

"We are just trying to move on. Unless you're a gossip magazine, there is no real reason to ask about the fight that went on," says Von Bondies bassist Carrie Smith. Ouch! What Smith doesn't know is we here at the Mirror love gossip and would love nothing more to hear the poop on why White Stripes guitarist Jack White gave Von Bondies' guitarist/singer Jason Stollsteimer an early Christmas present of a broken nose and black eye.

This was no slapping match amongst two cardigan-wearing indie waifs, folks, as the "after" shot of Stollsteimer looks like White went completely Tie Domi on his ass. If you haven't seen the gruesome snap, I think one U.K. rag nailed it best when they compared Stollheimer's post-pummelling puss to an overstuffed kabob. Despite their press reps' begging that it not be mentioned, it's the big question they have to fend off in every interview. Unfortunately, if you're looking for the dirt, you won't find it in this fish-wrap as everybody concerned is keeping it on the Q.T. for reasons legal and otherwise.

Perhaps the biggest fight on the Von Bondies' hands right now is to avoid being a footnote in the White Stripes history book and return to just being a band. Their secret weapon could be their new barnstormer of a record called Pawn Shoppe Heart.

‘‘If I was at all worried about the quality of the record, I would be really worried that, oh no, we are the band that will be forever be known as the band that was involved with an altercation with Jack White of the White Stripes. But we are so proud of this record, we don't have anything to prove,'' says Smith.

Detroit's rock 'n' roll heritage is undeniable, with masters like MC5, the Stooges, the Amboy Dukes and even Creem Magazine hailing from the Motor City. Lately, the new breed of Detroit bands are taking the world by storm. The Von Bondies are part of this exploding rock 'n' roll scene that's pumping out stellar bands like Detroit Cobras, the Dirtbombs, the Paybacks, the Soledad Brothers and more.

Which moves us to the second question the Von Bondies get asked the most - What's the Detroit scene like? "To be honest, I'm probably more sick of that question than even the Jack White one,'' laughs Smith. ‘‘There is not a lot to do in Detroit, so a lot of kids just started playing in bands. About five years ago, all of these amazing bands like the Dirtbombs and the White Stripes used to play in these tiny little clubs that would hold like 150 people, and everyone in the audience was in a band or somebody who was going to start a band. It never became a competitive thing. There is no music industry in Detroit, it's just kids out having fun and being happy just to play for beers. Nobody was ever out to impress anybody. Then the U.K. media pounced on it and it really hasn't been the same since. There are still great bands coming out of Detroit, it's just different now. Detroit is just a really raw town. The weather is crappy, winter is horrible and it's such a rundown shell of a city that it kind of imparts this really raw, we-don't-give-a-fuck kind of attitude in the music.''

With the Gossip and Young People at Petit Campus on Sunday, Feb. 22, 8pm, $15

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