WHITE STRIPES - WHITE TACKLES KILT FEARS

THE WHITE STRIPES frontman JACK WHITE has taken 20 years to pluck up the courage to wear a kilt again, after being bullied for wearing the Scottish national dress during his school days. The American rocker - who is part Scottish - braced the stage in the traditional garment, complete with a sporran belt, during a gig with his new band THE RACONTEURS in Glasgow, Scotland, last week (ends24MAR05). But his performing outfit brought back painful memories of his tormented school-days. He says, "In my family background I'm part Scottish - but I've been putting off wearing a kilt way too long. "Last time I wore one was in the fourth grade at school when I was just ten. "We had a National Day and everybody in class had to dress in the clothing of their heritage. "When I turned up in a kilt I got laughed out of the building."