Jack White has recently formed a new band, The Raconteurs

"It was draining me, I had to get somewhere where I could breathe again," said White, 30, who is also a member of four-piece band The Raconteurs.

He said he had tried to help boost Detroit's rock scene but described it as "fighting a losing battle".

White now lives in Nashville, Tennessee with his wife, model Karen Elson, and their baby daughter Scarlett.

White said he had been working with unknown bands and acting as Detroit's musical ambassador.

"I did that part of trying to be non-egotistical, I tried to not make it about myself," he said.

The Raconteurs recently released their first album, titled The Broken Boys, and will go on tour this summer.