Julian Cassablancas new solo project Trailer

I guess this means The Strokes are done? At least for another couple years. I image everyone else in the band got tired of waiting around, or realized their last album was a disaster and did their own thing. To which Julian probably felt slighted and said... "oh yeah? I'll do it alone." That's just my theory.

I remember the best quote I ever heard about The Strokes was that: If they where a band in the 70's they would have made 2 more "Is This It"s and 3 more "Room on Fires" and all bought islands, but that they became victims to the speed of media. With the arrival of the internet as a main means for discovering and acquiring music, the ramifications of their sound was evident with in only a year or two. Not to mention everyone now had a voracious, almost insatiable hunger for music, especially new music, that could actually be fed. We ate up The Strokes and by 2004 they where old hat.

But I have to say, any lazy summer day is a good day for some "Is This It" and even "Room on Fire" I'm not sure why "Room on Fire" gets slighted... I think in a way The Strokes were damned if they did damned if they didn't. People seemed disappointed that "Room of Fire" was more of the same and not a big step towards a new sound, however by the time they did try to change up their sound on 2006's (It's been that long!) "First Impressions of Earth" it was seen as calculated, uninteresting, and plain bland.

Overall the trailer is loaded with signature Stroke style retro imagery, which becomes evident is the result of Julian's aesthetic, he has a reputation for working very closely on the videos made for The Strokes, and no doubt was closely involved in this one. I would argue that this visual flair went a long way in separating The Strokes from other bands at the time, and elevating them to that next level of fame. I know for me being 15 or 16 when I saw that video for "Last Nite" my head exploded. Then I went out bought the album, and it was over. So I can't help but be interested to see what Julian comes out with next. Perhaps after it's released I can frankenstein a Strokes White Album together using songs from Little Joy (which is suprisingly Stroke-y), Albert Hammond Jr and through in something off the apparently awful Nickle-Eye album. (Nickle-Eye can be the Ringo tracks.)