Double Page Spread Final

THIS IS L IT oads of people were into them, so loads of bands sounded exactly like them,”Alex Turner points out in admiration. The Strokes, over a few short years and three LP’s worth of history incrusted LP’s, have become an inspiration to the musical world and changed the lives of many.

Some of the creme of ‘08’s crop, including Reggie Youngblood and Dav Hayes, have publicity spoken of The Strokes great influence on the prodcution of their own great records. Since 2006, when the boys departed their separate ways for mediumly successful side projects; the only words on fans

lips have been ‘when are they coming back, give us that forth record. NOW.’ So what better than to exclusively re-introduce the ‘music scene changing behemoths’ themselves? Ogling around Nick Valensi’s partially coloured and chaotic ‘art recording studio’ it is clear the air of innovation is here.

?

THE

Oh yes people. After 3 years, 9 months, 13 days, it’s the triumphant return of...

STROKES

REVIBE Magazine - May 09

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“ WE JUST NEED TO GO ON A PUB CRAWL FIRST " The band soak up some spring rays.

There are demonic paintings on the walls and decapitated Les Paul’s blistering in the light from sky windows – quite literally the perfect environment for masterstrokes. As REVIBE sits down to discuss the album intensions, live dates, obvious stuff and fluffy dice; Julian Casablancas is showing off his mate’s guitar painting. Yes, painting. “I really think it’s bloody good ya know” he spurts out in American tenor. “When I got back from Brooklyn, he (Adam Westbury) just gave it to me, totally out of the blue. I really think it sums up the painted feel to our music. Should probably use it for album art.” Keyword alert: Album. “Ok, Ok, better get the news out now I suppose. We’re working on new material.” Barely 5 minutes into an interview with the revolutionaries and we get the answer everyone wanted. REVIBE bows to you. Daring to go deeper we ask about the nature of the material, everyone’s five and a half side projects, and what happens to them? “We want to go right back to ‘Is This It’. I think that was the best time before recording that, as a band. We’ve been gathering stuff together, trying to replicate things. Ya know, just be back to our best.” That’s good enough for my ears, and guaranteed to lullaby countless others. Just to hear the words ‘album’, ‘replicate’ and ‘The Strokes’ together oozes anticipation and excitement. Bringing back reminiscences of histories’ past, it hasn’t been since the year of ‘Is This It’ that there has been an album capable of such raw energy,

The Side Projects, Yay or Nay?

I

get that musicians must fulfil their musical ambitions, collaborate, mix, mash, fill their bodies with foreign substances that you might polish your floor with, write songs etc. But, let’s get it straight, side projects are just annoying reminders that the band you really want to crank out a new album, aren’t going to. For a while, this is certainly the case with The Strokes. I have this theory that as soon as one band member strays, the others REVIBE Magazine - May 09

get jealous and want to out do the other and then before you know it the lead guitarist has opened a new fusion restaurant with Mark Wahlberg. A situation, dilemma if you will, which has plagued music fans since John Lennon left The Beatles. Sometimes side projects work, but no matter how good they just make you want to yell at said member’s new individual myspace: ‘stop fluffing around mofo! Get back in the studio with your original band mem-

Words by Andrew Sebkhi

bers and return from whence you came - don’t forget you’re roots (cue ‘I’m still Jenny, Jenny from the block’)’. And when these roots/the block are/is The flipping Strokes, well, lets face it, you’re more awesome making music with The Strokes than anything you’ll make as a single Stroke - I mean how ridiculous does that even sound. Let’s break down what the members of The Strokes have recently been busying themselves with, from best to worst.

pulsating passion and your ‘best friend after only a couple of listens’ style that The Strokes single-handedly masterstroked. In fact, looking back, only the 1989 eponymous debut of The Stone Roses and Oasis’s 1994 debut ‘Defiantly Maybe’ have had such aftershocks in the industry. It’s a credit to the genius of The Strokes and one that makes you think how f’ing good it would be to have another dose. Julian: “I don’t think it’ll be a problem (the side projects – see below). We can all bring in the experience they’ve given us and improve our sound. Just get back to them sometime.” Continuing the band’s obvious commitment to the original cause; Fab ensures us that The Strokes have been in the forefront of the band’s minds. “I don’t think it’s a reunion, we’ve constantly in each other’s lives.” He declares. “We’ve been doing this stuff since 1998 really, you know, touring, making albums and stuff like that. I don’t know how other bands do it. We just needed a short little hiatus, if you will. But ultimately, we’ve got a good band together!” Simply put: it’s a sure good thing we have them back. Back and ready to roll. Back and ready to rock ‘n’ roll, the old fashioned way. “We just need to go out on a long pub crawl first. Back to the stingy little shit holes we bathed in a few years back.” As REVIBE continues to delve, it’s clear The Strokes want to emulate their past successes. The crave to ‘get back in the swing of things,’ via the miniature indie-trove pub circuit is courageous and stout. They have acquired all the bearings of a amazing band.. One that can definitely eclipse their breathtaking ‘good old days’. R Albert Hammond Jnr. Think ripping guitar solos, digestible guitar pop/rock tunes, catchy riffs. Yay. myspace.com/alberhammondjr

Little Joy Raggaeish, folkish, countryish, at times latin infused, random. The guitar heavier songs are quite Strokes-esque too. Yay. myspace.com/littejoymusic

Nickel Eye A bit hit and miss. Quicker paced songs= better. Nay. myspace.com/officialnickeleye

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