Very fun oral history of their collapse here, I find it even better if you read it all in a kind of Spinal Tap voice:
“Did I specifically tell Ryan to stay away from Albert? I can’t remember the details, to be honest. I think heroin just kind of crosses a line.”
This is great and The Strokes are and always will be great
That’s good but…I can’t really how they really collapsed from that article as much as some people will continue to associate them and their success with a particular era.
But that hasn’t stopped them from continuing to live off the proceeds of their music and playing relatively large shows even in 2016/2017.
‘last great rock band’ oh fuck off
Ryan Adams sounded like a handful back in the day, didn’t he?
He sounds like that prick at a house party who always wants to play acoustic guitar and refuses to hand it over.
While on heroin.
haha, he does
someone still loves you guys
Love these oral history-type things. In all the contradictions you get a vague idea of the truth - this isn’t a love-in by any means, the main tone seems to be one of disappointment.
Fascinating that the perception of them is as a failure - that the record didn’t cross over like it should have, that they didn’t come back with the right things at the right time etc. I remember as a kid they were all we ever heard about.
Re: Ryan. sad that they demanded he get a different manager, rather than the guy who loved him/had ambition for him. Maybe that accounts for his aimlessness ever since?
I’ve never considered that the Strokes weren’t huge. I see them as the biggest guitar band of the early-00s, if not in terms of sales then the reach both in terms of influence and…breadth of their popularity. For me this is quite an interesting vox pop piece trying to frame itself around a non-existent angle. They made a defining, timeless record, and three other good records. Literally nothing about that band suggests underachievement to me.
misunderstood until the last. that will be their legacy. having said that, they still play to vast crowds all over the globe. and while their LP’s are averagely received, you can always guarantee a couple of corkers.
I liked your man Julian Casablancas attempt to be Ariel Pink a few years ago, that was fun
I like room on fire more. Automatic stop is my fave. Saw them at t in the park touring it. They were alright.
They were well young really, hardly a surprise they didn’t know what to do when they were being held up as ‘the last great rock band’ or whatever. Seems that most people around them pinned the same unrealistic expectations on them that the nme did. Making a 30 minute scruffy retro record doesn’t exactly reek of ambition does it?
Idk 7/10 good bunch o’ strokes.
Best thing any stroke has put their name to tbh
Every once in a while I put Tyranny on and I’m pleasantly surprised by how relatively good it is. A few dud tracks but considering the album sounds like it could and should fall apart at any second I think it works pretty well. And, as you mention, Human Sadness is an absolute corker.
The live show accompanying it, however…
Phrazes for the Young is bloody brilliant. If that was a Strokes record everyone woulda creamed over it.
Fucking love that album
Fucking love the strokes too though tbf
In fact, I woild rather hear a ‘bad’ strokes song that approx. 90% of all other music
imagine being sat in a room by the Strokes and told you’re a cunt?!
poor Ryan