The Strokes are quietly plotting to take back control it seems as they plan for a “global” comeback. The New York City band announced their first gig in two years since releasing their much-loved Future Present Past EP, at BBK Live festival in Bilbao, July 2019.
The boys first smashed onto the scene with their debut album Is This It back in 2001. Since then the lads have hit one after another out of the park. The band, much more than just a constant flurry of FIFA songs, are one of the most influential of our time. Their garage-fuzz, Velvet Underground inspired sound has evolved and changed over the years, and the multiple hiatuses, but its original tight, pop quality remains.
The group set the tone for the alternative noughties with a worn-in appearance and ragged mops, the five of them almost entirely created the buzzword “indie”. They knew when to borrow and steal from their inspirations, and when to break their own paths – ‘Last Nite’ famously ripped off Tom Petty’s American Girl. They were the perfect cattle for music media to prod and idolise.
Jumping to 2019, Alex Turner’s idols have disbanded and regrouped multiple times in search of their own solo pursuits. Front-man Julian Casablanca, a tanned version of Marilyn Manson (if there could ever be such a thing) fronts the group, and comes fresh from his recent side project The Voidz, who released the fantastic futuristic mash-up Virtues early last year. Lead guitarist Albert Hammond Jr., known not just for his award-winning father, or even his collaboration with Elliot Aronow of Jacques-Elliott for a collection of ties in 2015, released Francis Trouble in the same year, chronicling his coming to terms with emotional trauma and loss through the medium of an alter-ego.
Impressively the band still holds their original line-up. This is despite several public spats regarding Ryan Adams and their members addictions to heroin – and that’s just the stuff we know about, who knows what’s happened behind closed doors. Let’s only hope they decided to get in the studio and follow up their EP with a full length LP. Rumour has it they are working with producer Rick Rubin – producer of Justin Timberlake and Black Sabbath to boot – but maybe all will become clear in Bilbao over the summer – pack your bags this could be a hot one, or a cold one, seeing as their now heading to London. Spain or England, take your pick.
Words by Nick Ikin
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