From the garage to the universe in one Stroke

New York band The Strokes started a revolution of sorts. The music – purveyed by singer Julian Casablancas, guitarists Albert Hammond Jr. and Nick Valensi, bassist Nikolai Fraiture, and drummer Fabrizio Moretti – is as vintage as the denims, the tight leather jackets and unkempt hair they sport, but other bands started jumping into the nü-garage bandwagon. Just as the rock scene was getting campier and campier with rap metal bands (POD, Linkin Park, forget it!), The Strokes made it plain that "the future of rock n’ roll belonged to its past." The new in-thing had shades of the old in-thing.

After the buzz and attendant hype created by The Strokes’ "Modern Age" EP in 2001, the band released "Is This It," featuring tracks that recalled The Who (Last Nite), NYC punks Television (The Modern Age) and the Velvet Underground (the rest of the songs). But the album started the garage rock revival: the norm became raw and dirty guitars, Salvation Army clothing and a devil-may-care attitude. The band even caused controversy with their song New York City Cops on the wake of 9/11. Not surprising since rock n’ roll – from the Stones to The Strokes – always entailed a bit of hullabaloo. The Hives, The Vines, The Stands, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and all the other "The" bands started coming out from their respective garages. The rock scene was alive again.

The Strokes previewed songs from their follow up album in Japan in 2003, playing songs like Reptilia, Between Love And Hate, 12:51, plus a Japanese version of My Way (which did not make the final cut). Unfortunately, the second album "Room on Fire" did not generate as much fanfare as the band’s debut.

The third album – tentatively titled "First Impressions of Earth" – is set to recapture The Strokes’ former glory. It will be released in January 2006. The carrier single "Juicebox" is likely to hit stores by November. The band-members even built their own studio in New York and changed producers in mid-recording. Young STAR recently had a phone interview, courtesy of Sony Music Philippines, with Casablancas who talked about how serious they were in recording that difficult third record.

Young STAR: What can we expect from the new album?

Julian Casablancas: It’s hard to say (at this point). The drums and guitar are more complicated, with a sort of a Delay (gadget/effects) just to give the instruments more space, so the music will be much louder.

Was the recording process different this time as compared to "Is This It" and "Room on Fire"?

We had more time to make comfortable decisions and we weren’t rushed unlike the first two albums. Hopefully, our songs sound bigger and fuller.

Any change in direction for the band?

I think it’s more of modern atonal rock stuff. It’s more aggressive hard music. To me it was just a cool way of (making the) sonic representation (communicate) the way you feel.

What exactly do you mean by the title "First Impression of Earth"?

These are my impressions. It is basically in the scope of time and history. We sort of just got here.

What were you listening to when you recorded the album?

I listened to Magnetic Fields and a (new wave) band called The The.

Who was the producer and what made him different?

Our new producer is David Khane who worked with Sugar Ray. He’s really cool because all he cares about is really the music and he’s not scared of being weird and original.

What are your favorite tracks so far?

I love You Only Live Once and that’s about it (laughs).

Any plans of touring Asia?

It’s in the works right now. We don’t know where we are headed yet. We are just concentrating on our album, shooting the video, and releasing the (first) single.

Can you describe the sound of Juicebox?

No, I just want people to think for themselves. I also hope people would listen to it and feel it in some subconscious level and just (make the song) resonate.

Any messages for the fans?

Hard work is important. (Wait.) Man, that’s so serious. I could say something political, but it can be too stiff. (I) just want everyone to have fun and listen to our record.