Ross Harding has taken one of the most recognisable guitar riffs of the past 25 years and pulled it somewhere considerably darker.
The South African-born, UK-based guitarist and singer has released ‘Seven Nation Army (Dark Blues Version)’, a brooding reworking of The White Stripes classic that strips away some of the original’s swagger and brings its more melancholic qualities to the surface.
Harding was just nine or ten when he first heard the song, and like millions of listeners, it was that riff that caught him first.
But as his own music moved deeper into blues, rock and darker atmospheric territory, he began hearing something else within the song.
The result is less about recreating The White Stripes and more about asking what ‘Seven Nation Army’ might sound like if its blues influences were pushed to the front.
Finding the blues beneath the riff
Jack White’s original is built around a hook so dominant that it almost functions as the song’s chorus.
Harding keeps that hypnotic quality intact, but shifts the emotional weight.
His version leans into the tension and melancholy beneath the song, reshaping it through the darker blues sound that has increasingly defined his own work.
The track was self-produced by Harding and mastered by Lorne McGregor.
Rather than aiming for a polished studio production, Harding has retained a rawness that fits his approach to blues-rock, combining traditional influences with heavier rock and atmospheric production.
An accompanying DIY video goes behind the recording itself, mixing footage from the sessions with darker textures and visual overlays.
Building a ‘Dark Blues’ sound
Harding describes his music as Dark Blues, a style rooted firmly in the blues but drawing from grunge, classic rock and heavier guitar music.
His live shows reflect that range.
Depending on the setting, Harding performs as a solo acoustic artist, with the more restrained Blues Shadows Band, or with the full electric Dark Blues Revival Band.
The electric incarnation pushes much harder into blues-rock territory, while the acoustic performances give his voice, guitar playing and songwriting more space.
That versatility continues through his current run of UK shows, which includes headline appearances alongside support slots with Erja Lyytinen and Jack J Hutchinson.
Ross Harding UK dates
24 September – Ram Jam Records, Kingston upon Thames, Dark Blues Revival full band
27 September – The Motorsport Lounge, Llandudno, afternoon show
1 October – The Spring Arts & Heritage Centre, Havant, Dark Blues Revival
15 October – Half Moon, London, solo acoustic special guest to Erja Lyytinen
16 October – The Old Brewery Store, Faversham, solo acoustic special guest to Erja Lyytinen
10 November – The Coulsdon Club, Greater London, special guest to Jack J Hutchinson
15 November – The Seagull Theatre, Lowestoft, Dark Blues Revival full band
Harding is also preparing the first dates of his Dark Blues Revival Tour for 2027, with further shows still to be announced.
‘Seven Nation Army (Dark Blues Version)’ is available now on all major streaming platforms, with the accompanying video also available on YouTube.
