Charley Crockett denies Satanic imagery claim in Twin Temple row
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Charley Crockett has denied dropping Los Angeles rock duo Twin Temple from his tour because of their "Satanic imagery," countering earlier claims after the row drew in fellow musician Jack White. White had offered Twin Temple a support slot at his Hollywood Palladium show on 29 September after Crockett removed them from his own tour, prompting Crockett to say he had "lost a lot of respect" for White and accuse him of exploiting the controversy to sell tickets; White responded on Instagram, saying Crockett was "trying to drag me into this here rodeo again" before posting the lyrics to a 1984 novelty rap song in reply.
In a since-deleted Instagram post, Crockett said he decided to cut Twin Temple about a month before their scheduled shows because their "production requests raised eyebrows" and their stage act was not suited to an "all ages audience," insisting the band were paid in full. He accused Twin Temple and their team of stoking the dispute for effect and exaggerating the scope of their removal, while criticising them for "dog whistling about religious and creative freedom." Twin Temple, meanwhile, have gone on to make their US late-night debut with a performance on The Daily Show.
- Crockett denies sacking Twin Temple over "Satanic imagery" claims
- Says he cut them over stage production, paid them in full
- Row drew in Jack White, who offered the duo a support slot
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Charley Crockett and Jack White are both prominent figures in American roots music, with Crockett known for his old-school country and blues style and White best known as the former frontman of the White Stripes. The dispute began when Crockett removed the Los Angeles rock duo Twin Temple from his own tour, saying their imagery was unsuitable, a move the band publicly criticised. White then invited Twin Temple to open for him at a show in Los Angeles, which Crockett took as a provocation.
The row has since played out publicly through social media posts and interviews, with both musicians giving differing accounts of why Twin Temple were dropped and accusing each other of using the dispute for attention. It matters because it touches on broader debates within the country and rock music scenes about artistic freedom, censorship and what is deemed acceptable content for wider audiences, drawing in fans and commentators on both sides.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Those sympathetic to Jack White and Twin Temple argue that a headline tour deserves the freedom to book acts on musical merit without policing their imagery or beliefs, and that dropping a band over religious symbolism amounts to a narrow, exclusionary standard dressed up as family-friendly caution. They see White's gesture as solidarity with performers who lost a paid slot and a public platform, and view his pointed questioning of Crockett's own past silence on political and social issues as a fair challenge to selective moral posturing rather than mere provocation.
The case against
Those sympathetic to Charley Crockett argue that any tour headliner has the right and responsibility to curate a bill that suits his audience, brand and staging logistics, particularly when shows are pitched as suitable for families, and that this is an ordinary business judgement rather than censorship. They note Crockett says he paid Twin Temple in full and has offered a fuller account of staging demands, and see his frustration with White as a reasonable reaction to being publicly cast as intolerant by a rival artist who, in his view, is capitalising on the controversy to sell tickets rather than engaging with the substance of his concerns.
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Originally published by NME as “Jack White responds to “cowboy” Charley Crockett’s “accusations”, country star says he’s “lost a lot of respect” for him”.