Playing drums feels like coming home for me. Even during the White Stripes I thought: 'I'll do this for now, but I'm really a drummer.' That's what I'll put on my passport application.

In this quote, Jack White expresses the deep personal connection he feels to playing the drums, likening it to coming home. He describes drumming as something that feels inherently right for him, suggesting that it's not just an activity but an essential part of his identity. This statement reveals how drumming provides him with a sense of comfort and belonging, as though it’s something he was always meant to do, a natural extension of who he is.

White also reflects on his time with the White Stripes, a band where he was primarily known as the guitarist and vocalist. Despite his role in the band, he mentions that he always viewed himself primarily as a drummer. This indicates that, while the White Stripes was a significant chapter in his career, drumming was always his true calling, something he had a stronger attachment to. His remark, "I'll do this for now," hints that his involvement in other aspects of music, like guitar playing, was more of a temporary detour than his core passion.

The line about putting "drummer" on his passport application humorously reinforces his commitment to drumming as his primary identity. It’s a playful but revealing comment, suggesting that drumming is so central to his sense of self that it defines him more than any other role or label. It’s not just a job or a hobby for White—drumming is who he is, and he views it as an integral part of his personal story.

In summary, Jack White’s quote reveals the profound connection he feels to drumming, even if his career in music took him in different directions. It underscores the importance of finding one’s true passion and identity, and how that identity can remain constant, regardless of the roles or labels society might impose. His words show that drumming is more than just an instrument to him—it’s home.