I typed this as well as I could, it's an audio interview that can be heard here
I= interviewer J= Julian N= Nick
I: Who are you?
J: Hi, my name is Julian. My friends call me Jules, and this is Nick.
N: *laughs* We're ah, two-fifths of the Strokes.
I: Now, tell me the other names of the guys in the Strokes, please.
N: There's Fab, there's Albert, and there's Nikolai.
I: The full names, please Julian, the full names. I love your full name.
J: Julian Casablancas, Albert Hammond, Jr., ah, Nick Valensi, that does sound pretty funny, actually, if you say it like that, um, Fab Moretti *laughs*, ah and Nikolai Fraiture.
I: MMM, MMM, MMM, MMM, good! Now, you Strokes, is it time to smell the glove? Smell the glove!
N: um...
J: Actually, that's sort of the problem that we're having at the time. We're changing the plans because our whole careers we've done everything like, sort of like, our own way like, just, how we present ourselves and just, there's been all these like- Are you alright, man? It's just there's been all these like, articles and all this stuff it just doesn't represent- watch out there's a red light, dude. Red light!
I: Wait a second- hold on! That's Nick of the Strokes. What did Nick almost do there, Julian?
N: You've gotta lay off the Spinal Tap references, man. We're not interested in Spinal Tap references.
J: What's cool, I like about Spinal Tap and "Behind the Music", all those shows. They're like educational videos of what not to do, you know? As if, it's like, a real struggle against, like, record company and like, people like that. They really wanna, they wanna, they want you to sell out.
I: We can go across the road now.
J: Alright.
I: But, actually let me just rephrase that; smell the glove. Now there is a reference to your record there, isn't there Julian? Please, explain that. Smell the glove!
J: Oh right, that's the way it's released in Europe, I think.
I: Explain for people that haven't seen it. Please.
J: Well actually, the album cover is gonna be different in the US and Canada, I believe. Ah, did it come out over here?
I: No it hasn't, not 'till, I think, the fall. But what is the record looking like?
N: It's just ah, the cover is ah, a girl's ass. Just a profi-
J: It's the "big bang". That's not gonna be the picture in Canada.
N: There's two different album covers, you know, in different parts of the world. And in Canada, I don't think it's that ass shot. I think it's a different shot of some sort of ah, scientific ah-
J: It's a diagram of the "big bang".
I: So in Canada do we get to smell the glove? Do we get the glove in Canada? Do we get the glove on the ass in Canada?
J: As an import.
I: Why don't we get the glove on the ass? Like, what the hell's going on? Europe allows the glove on the ass, why not in Canada there, Julian of the Strokes? your album cover
J: Because, ah, we were rushed because we had to do all these interviews and all these like, shows so we didn't have time to choose the right cover.
I: And the cover you chose there, Nick...what the hell's going on with that cover? Looks like zoso-zeppelin thing what's that?
N: You don't like it?
I: What is that?
N: It's the "big bang" theory.
I: aaigh! I like to smell the glove, Julian!
J: I like it, too, but that's why there's variety. You've got two.
N: Sorry you don't like it, you know, but we like that one ten times better, you know so like, last minute decisions on deciding how the album looks.
I: Thank you for caring about me, Nick. And now, we care about you. Time to eat!
N: okay
I: Ah, Julian of the Strokes, here we are at Carlos and Budd's. Now we walked in here to a warm reception. You were saying something about the people that greeted you as you came in here. They weren't talking about you, but in general, you say you've had that kind of reaction in the Strokes.
J: It's not that kind of reaction, I think we're going to sort of change the way... like, this is probably actually the last interview we're going to do in a long time. Um-
I: It's not 'cause of me or anything, is it?
J: Ah no, no, you're nice. I'm just talking about ah, just the way we've been portrayed, you know, is not us. And if I heard of a band like that, I probably wouldn't like them. I don't know, I'd think they were assholes. I think the way to hear music is to hear the music first and then find out about the band later. And um, just you know, we're so over sensationalized that any asshole with a pen can just you know, take up your time and fucking portray you, it's not that it's a bad way, it's just not truth. And it's like, it's a shame that people aren't hearing the music and then appreciating it. Instead they're just being fed some bullshit.
I: But, you're getting paranoid about it, like you walk into Carlos and Bud's here and people are yelling and you think they're yelling at you.
J: No, no not at all I think, it's not that. It's just you've got to understand we've had a schedule that's just so packed with stuff that we didn't organize. But we're going to just sort of take it by the helm a little bit. Sort of make sure that we can function as a band. Like write new songs and get better and not be like- I feel like so many bands, I never realized what it was, but I feel like so many bands like, got all this success, like it hasn't happened yet. But if it does like that it sucks, it's not cool.
I: There is an element of make-believe in the band, Nick. There's an element of make-believe.
N: We're not in search of fame at all we're just like-
I: Excuse me, there's an element of make-believe in the band, isn't there, Nick? Swiss schools, elite modeling agencies...
N: Elite? what?
I: There's an element of make-believe in the band. That's pretty cool, meeting at Swiss schools, that's cool.
N: That's like, realistic. It's not make-believe, it's not pretend, it's not fiction. It's like, true, it's true to life.
I: I think it's really cool, though! Like Swiss, I've never been to the place they call "Swiss". But you guys have, and you met there. And your dad is like, John Casablancas! I think he's in some hot water now, ay? hahahaha
J: I don't know, no I think ah, I think, I don't know it's weird I lived with my mom, they divorced when I was young so I just, I think life stopped (?) a little more normal. That was the weirdest stage of my life, personally. 'Cause my dad grew up, he was Spanish, I think there was a war at the time so he was sent there and he just, he thought it would be, because I was fucking up in school, he thought it would be a good idea for me to go there. And um, you know, I think that was like, one of the things, everything in life you learn from. I don't regret it, I'm not ashamed of it, it's just, I think it sounds maybe, whatever it's...whatever.
I: An element of make-believe. Now, Nick, good cheekbones. Are good cheekbones important in a band?
N: No. Sort of like, secondary, you know? I mean it's like, those are the kind of questions we get asked all the time, I think and like, I don't know, it's like, it's things like that leads us to like, I don't know, like we make decisions like, I don't know we're trying not to have our like, photographs all over anymore because, really, I think it's like, I don't want to sound cheesy, but taking away from our music, like, in a huge way, you know?
J: It's not that, it's that our album is gonna come out I just want people, I think it's like when they hear the album I think they'll realize that we're not like that, you know?
I: The media likes nice cheekbones, doesn't it? And that's the problem, right?
J: No, it's not the problem, the problem is, is that, I think the music is good enough that when you just hear it, it'll say a lot. And then like, all questions afterwards will be interesting, and all questions now are not. That's the bottom line. People watching this, they don't know who we, they don't know what our music sounds like. So why the fuck are you- are we being interviewed? Because of fuckin' shit that we didn't control it's like, I want to see what the album says to people first before like, you know, I have to like-
I: Well I think you're being interviewed because you're an interesting person, there, Julian. And also, the ambition of the Strokes is quite unique. You have an ambition to be the next Skid Roe, right?
N: You're not far off.
I: That's what you'd like to be, the next Skid Roe.
J: Ah, yeah, yeah sure.
I: You said that and I think that's kind of scary because remember, Skid Roe kicked Sebastian Bach out of the band, Julian.
J: I mean, if I said that, I think I did say that, it was actually meant to be sarcasm.
I: And also you've got to be careful about saying that, remember Sebastian Bach chucked that beer bottle at a fan years ago and the entire first album, the royalties went to the fan remember that, Nick?
N: That was some killer footage, though. Him onstage like, chucking that fucking beer bottle at the person's face.
I: It looks great, but you guys don't want to end up on that VH1 special now do you?
N: I would never chuck a beer bottle at someone's face. Unless they asked me stupid questions.
I: And the drummer for Warrant is packing video boxes now, do you know that, Julian?
J: No, I didn't know that.
I: And there's a connection with Skid Roe there, too. The producer of Skid Roe, Michael Wagner, also produced Warrant. So don't say you're gonna be the next Skid Roe, please don't say that anymore. Retract that statement if you could, Julian.
J: It was meant to be sarcastic.
N: You're an 80's cockrock buff.
I: Well that's what we were thinking, perhaps maybe, you guys are named the Strokes, did you name your band after Stroker Ace or "Stroke Me" by Billy Squire?
N: Actually, it's funny, like, we only found out after we decided to call ourselves the Strokes we kept on getting all these, like, Billy Squire comments and like, "stroke me" comments. And I only found out that that was a song until like, after we officially became a band, I was a little bit disappointed.
I: One of the neat things, Julian, I think about the strokes is that you have an incredible crowd turnout of varied people. Morrissey came to one of your gigs at the Dragonfly. Now is that true? Because if it is, it's one of the rare Morrissey spottings out there.
J: Yeah, yeah, I didn't get to meet him, but supposedly he showed up at the show.
I: What was the scoop with that, there, Nick? Morrissey coming out, I mean what was he doing, what was he up to? I mean that is incredible, come on, get excited! Morrissey came to your gig, that is good, that is good, come on, he never goes out, his record company can't even find him, yet he can find the Strokes!
J: We're very, I mean we couldn't believe it at the time, it was like, two months ago, yes, it's crazy, it's all, everything, it's just crazy.
N: It's pretty, like, simple if you look at it from Morrissey's point of view, where like, there's a new band that like, plays good music and he likes their music so why wouldn't he go and see them play? Like, when they're playing the town he lives in why, why would he stay home if he likes the music?
I: Because he's a total recluse (?) so there's (something) for the Strokes, don't downgrade that, that is great.
N: He's a recluse when it comes to bullshit-
I: He didn't even show up to his own birthday party there, Julian, and he came to the Strokes gig. That's good. Strokes: one, Morrissey: nothing. Let's just pan over here to Matt, look what your label rep. is trying to help you out with, there.
J: Album release in CVA--
I: In Canada, album release.
J: Fuck that, man.
I: No, come on, Matt's trying to help you out.
J: Our album is coming out September 25th, it's true, yes.
I: You must feel on top of the world because there are people everywhere trying to help you out, I mean that must feel, make you feel good. I know you feel bad in a way but you must--
J: It feels great, don't get me wrong, it feels fucking great. I fucking, there's not a day goes by where i don't fucking count my lucky stars. Every day. But there's more to life than fucking trying to be popular, that's what our fucking music says so wait 'till it fucking comes out.
I: But I don't think you're trying to be popular, it think it's great that you made it to Australia, on a single you made it to Australia.
N: Don't ask me how, they called us up and said--
J: Oh no, no, i'm just laughing.
I: Thank you very much there, Julian. What about that little knee-slap? What were you thinking?
J: No, I was just laughing, you're a funny guy, nice guy, it's just funny that like, we were talking so normally and now it's like, I like it, it's cool.
I: Britain is a very picky place, I think the only Americans they like are like Ruby Wax, you know Ruby Wax, the comedian?
*pause*
N: No
I: Ruby Wax, the American comedian and they like you guys. I mean that's pretty hard to win over those British press people. Now, let's say some of us watching this are in bands, who would we sent our music demos to? Which new music express writers do you think are pretty cool out there?
N: I think it's sort of mean to like, name a bunch of names and give out a bunch of addresses and phone numbers, you know?
I: I mean, people might think this is good.
J: I would send them to Rough Trade, because they have good taste in music.
I: "We like pleasure, but it doesn't have to be _____." "We like pleasure, but it doesn't have to be fancy."
J: Um...pleasure...what are you talking about?
I: That is a quote that you said, Julian, this is a quote that Julian said, "We like pleasure, but it doesn't have to be fancy."
J: Okay let me tell you something, all the quotes that we say are not actual things that we say.
I: That's what I want to get to the bottom of. The Turkish bath house. Is that where you guys met?
N: Yeah, I guess so. Do you, oh is that from Q magazine?
J: You know, I'm glad this interview serves a purpose of like, of explaining why like, how silly all these articles are.
N: It's cool though like, all these like, things that we said in complete sarcasm that people like, actually may or may not have taken seriously like, you're throwing back at us now, it's actually pretty funny no one's ever done that before. But like, all these things that you're talking about, like, you know, were meant purely sarcastically.
I: Well I'm thinking totally seriously, actually, EVERYTHING about the Strokes, I believe including that Noel Gallagher came to one of your gigs. Number two. Morrissey: one-
J: That was awesome, man.
I: So, so you're more excited about Ghallagher than Morrissey? Does that tell a bit about his influences at all, Nick?
J: Well actually-
I: Does that tell a bit about his influences? Come on, answer that question. Does that tell about his influences, he's more excited with Noel Ghallagher than Morrissey. That's pretty bad.
J: No, just let me explain the reason why i said it was cool because I didn't meet Morrissey, and Noel Ghallagher, I was in the bathroom, and some guy came in and like, we almost got into like, not a fight but like, Noel Ghallagher just stepped right in and i just thought that was sort of cool, you know? That's the only thing I was talking about.
I: And this is not some gig in England this is like in Philidelphia in the middle of nowhere they came out to see you guys, right? Oasis.
J: We were playing a show that night early and they just came, I don't know like, I think, I never really listened to their-
I: Hey, don't go away, Nick!
N: I'm not going away.
J: I never really listened to their music, but I, you know, when you meet someone and they're nice to you, I'm not gonna like, you know, I never met him before. And i saw interviews like this and I thought he was an asshole, and i thought he was gonna be an asshole, but he was like a normal, like, guy.
I: You haven't met his brother, Paul Ghallagher. HE'S the asshole.
J: Right. No, Liam Ghallagher was there, I didn't really talk to him.
I: No, no, they have another brother, Paul. The fattish, older one. There's Noel, Liam, and Paul Ghallagher.
J: Oh, I didn't know that.
I: He's the one that rides their coattails. Were there any other good Noel Ghallagher stories there, Nick? Did you get any Noel Ghallagher stores?
N: Nope.
J: That's it, that's the one.
I: Did he give you any advice about Britain at all or going over there like, "Hey, you guys, I saw you in the paper, I used you as toilet paper." And they're using you as toilet paper like get back at them, don't appear in the press like (something).
J: No, it was more like "I like your music," "Thank you.", and we were drinking.
N: He gave us good advice he said, "Don't get caught up in drugs." and I said, "Thanks, Noel."
J: Yeah, that's true he said, actually he said, "I did drugs until I was 30, but now I've stopped. I had my fun and now it's different."
I: You had to wait for Noel Ghallagher to tell you that, what about your PARENTS?!
J: Dude, you asked me what he fucking said, dude.
I: Julian of the rock 'n roll band the Strokes, what two things do you have? What two things do you have, Julian?
J: Ah, what two things do I have? I think I have the ambition to progress and like, hopefully get better, and two: the realization that if you let the whole like, machine wrap you in itself, then you just ah, you're gonna get crushed.
I: No, no, no, Julian, you have BRAINS and BALLS!!!
J: Oh, that was a quote, that was a quote that they used.
I: I think you said you have brains and balls, Julian.
J: I didn't say it like that, I can guarantee you.
I: And there's nothing wrong with balls and I understand in San Diego there was some crotch-grabbing.
N: Is that right?
I: Were there some rabid fans in San Diego, Julian, that were grabbing your crotch, right in front?
J: Well no, it was more like, it was like a rowdy, it wasn't rowdy. When we started the show it was very calm and they didn't really know, they knew a little bit about us, and then, by the end of it there was this one chick who was like, touching pedals and like, grabbing everyone's legs and like, grabbing like, everything. It was just, nothing really.
N: There was a girl in the front row who wouldn't stop touching my guitar, she was like, reaching for the, every time i sort of came like, towards front of the stage, reaching for the strings on my guitar. And I just had to like, stop playing and kneel down to her and say, "Don't touch my fucking guitar ever again."
I: Oh come on, some guys pay for that, some guys pay for that and you're telling her not to do it?
J: We were not- actually a bodyguar- a bouncer guy
I: A bodyguard...
J: Not a bodyguard, a fu-
I: You're not using that name from your youth, are you? You never had bodyguards, did you?
J: No...and like, ah, and like, this guy came out and he was actually gonna take her out of the show and i was like "Just leave her" it's like, it was not a big deal, it's like, small shit, you know?
I: I like the stuff you do with the mic there, Julian. I understand you sung like, into the mic cord, like not acutally into the mic but into the mic cord, that's pretty good.
J: Well actually, it was the first song we played and like, the mic got unplugged and we couldn't, the mic just, disappeared and I was just like, holding the mic like, you know, just laughing, really. And a girl from the audience saw it and she just sort of went onstage, grabbed it, and handed it to me and I plugged it in right at like, the last moment of the song and the crowd, and I was just like "Yeah! Hell, yeah!" and they dug, actually they dug it. It was funny.
I: Word up to STROKES!
N: Word up.
I: You guys, Strokers, have a song called "New York City Cops", right?
J: Yes.
I: What do you think about that incident regarding New York City cops recently? The guy who got hammered at that strip club and then killed people drinking and driving on the way home.
J: I, um, i don't know. We haven't been in New York in a while, we've been touring and i didn't hear about that.
I: That's a terrible thing that happened. What about your cop experiences?
N: Um, well we've all had like, little experiences, like, here and there. But I don't think the song, that song, really like, talks about any incident in particular.
J: It was acutally, it was sort of, the song was more meant like a story and when it came to the chorus, that was the only part that I always thought was so, the one like, poppy like, true like, poppy, like, thing. I kept saying like, i wanna like let's kick it out, fuck it, it's too much. At the end I just, as a joke, I was just singing that and it just, sounded cool, and it made sense with the song. And so, that's how it came to be.
I: Come on, Strokers, give me some New York. Give me some New York Cop stories, I want some cop stories!
N: I don't, I don't have any.
J: I don't wanna like, you know what I mean? It's like, I dont' wanna like go back to new york and be like, fucking harrassed by cops, you know what I mean?
I: Okay, give me some good food stories, there, Julian of the Strokes. Food stories, Papaya King. Have you been to PaPAya King at all? The hot dog place.
J: Yes I have. They have good hot dogs.
I: Okay... how bout some other plugs(?) there for New York City eating establishments at all, Nick?
J: The thing about New York City is that, it's so, like food is just like, junk food especially is very easily accessible. So a lot of times you just, you know, eat McDonald's or something.
I: Come on, a name, Papaya King, Kanish, please, food! Hints! I don't know, I think, I think that um-
I: That's why people make all these rumors about you, because they don't know the real you. Now tell me about the real you, you were mad that people weren't asking about the real you, where do you like to eat?
J: Where do I like to eat? Um, I don't know I like to, I don't know, you buy shit from the grocery store and, I just, i don't know, or you buy pizza, or you buy McDonald's I don't know that's-
N: Sadly in New York. That's what's cool about New York, is that, i think the resturaunt business is so competitive that everything is just like, good, like, no matter, just walk into a random restaraunt and it's gonna be fucking amazing.
J: Acutally, I don't like, eat McDonald's now, but I'm jsut talking about before we left New York, before this whole circus started.
I: What does New York create?
N: Give me a second.
J: The thing is, is that there's so many different ki-
I: It creates the Strokes!
J: Yeah, that's, that's-
N: The answers, like, you already have six answer's that you're looking for...
I: I was just hoping you'd fill in the blanks to make this a bit easier if you know what I mean, there, Julian. No, what does New York City actually create?
J: I think it's a lot of different people, like, right next to each other that are culturally very different. And um, and it creates a lot of like, obviously like all the negative things are like, hush-hush yet obvious. But then, at the same time you realize that if you meet the right people, like you know those like cool people, like the right people in any crowd you run in then like, there's always like, good ones. For me, it's all about finding the right people, and like, you can have fun there. But if you, you know, if that's not the case then it's not, it can be a bad experience. I don't know, it's really, it's so varied, the statement that I say, so many different situations in that city that you cannot, you cannot like, summarize it in a rock n' roll interview like this.
I: Thank you for making an attempt at that, I do appreciate that. And winding up here with Nick and Julian of the rock n' roll band the
N: Strokes
I: the Strokes, I understand, Nick and Julian of the Strokes, that Lou Reed actually met you guys.
J: Actually, I dont' think he'd remember because he was signing books, I remember we were in a bar, I think, and someone said "Lou Reed is signing books at Barnes & Nobles". So we just sort of went there-
I: I thought you were at the premiere of "Blow" buying popcorn.
N: That was when I met Lou Reed.
I: Oh, two different Lou Reed meetings.
N: Julian met Lou Reed at Barnes and Nobles signing books and I met Lou Reed at the movie theater. How'd you know that I met him at the movie theater? I never even told that to anybody.
I: All in the press, man! Julian, your story?
J: Oh right, yeah, he was over and he was leaning with his posse around him. And I was just, I don't know, I was with Nikolai, I think, or Albert, I can't remember and we were just like "dude, man you go up to him and say something" like, I don't know, you don't know what to say, he looks so intimidating, that guy. I just grabbed one of his books off the rack and just said, you know "can you please" I don't know, it's a longer story, it's not very interesting. But it was just basically like, meeting the guy and having him sign a book and it was, it was really cool and weird and, it was funny. Actually, he signed I have it in my house now, it's a Lou Reed like, lyric book signed to the Strokes, it's pretty cool.
I: That should've been the album cover, not the zoso thing, there, Nick.
J: You haven't even seen that thing, dude. You haven't even seen it.
I: Okay, I was joking, ba-boom. Lou Reed, Julian, likes to tape shows, I heard. Julian and Nick of the Strokes, I heard that Lou Reed likes to tape shows, secretly go into shows and tape them for ideas. Are you worried he might steal some ideas from you at all?
J: No, I think that's the way that art should progress.
I: Have you guys ever met Handsome Dick Manitoba or played his bar or been in his bar at all?
N: I've been in Manitoba's. I've never met Handsome Dick, or played at Manitoba's, no, we never played there.
J: No, yeah, same.
N: It's not really one of the best venues in New York, it's sort of the cool hip place, but like, as far as like, trying to like, I don't know get a fan base or whatever, it's like, it's sort of like, filled with a bunch of locals, you know?
I: Because in New York City there aren't that many all ages venues left, are there? Like the Wetland's is closing, hardly anybody goes to ABC(something). what's there to do for like, the all-ages thing? You guys are very young yourselves! Like how old are you?
J: 22.
I: How old are you?
N: 20.
I: So what did you do when you were younger? It's really hard for the New York scene all-ages thing, isn't it?
J: Fake ID
I: How hard was that?
J: Pretty easy, you just get one, you know, different places you know? You get like a cheap one for like, ten bucks.
N: I used to use my older sister's driver's license.
I: Ba-boom. How 'bout sneaking people into gigs? do the strokes help sneak a lot of people into gigs? I read a bit about that on the internet.
J: Well we try, you know, it's like, if someone doesn't have ID, like, i try to like, look for someone that looks a little bit them, and like, you know, just give it to them. I use that trick with him all the time, you know, he's 20, you know? It's like, if they card us and he doesn't have ID that day, I just, like, I'm like, "I'll be right back" or I walk out and I just give it to him and i'm like "Thanks" and walk back in and then like ten minutes later he's like-
N: You're giving away our secrets, man.
J: Oh, I just, whatever, it's not a secret, it's just the way...I don't know.
I: Julian and Nick of the Strokes, there's Television, there's the Velvet Underground, there's Spacehog, but you know, there's one New York band that never gets the props they deserve...the Devil Dogs! Do you guys remember the Devil dogs at all, Julian?
J: Sorry, buddy, i was never, i never was like a big Devil's, i don't like, know that much about them.
I: Mid '90's, early 90's rock 'n roll band, the Devil Dogs?
N: Never heard of them.
J: I don't know was like, eleven, I don't know.
I: I'm crushed! The devil dogs! what about the Mooney Suzuki?
N: I like the Mooney Suzuki, they're friends of ours, they're really cool.
I: So, what do you think is going to happen to them? Are they gonna give up when they see how successful you are? No, I don't think so, I think, you know, maybe they'll be helped out.
I: What?
N: Like i hope that people like, I don't know, like if they see that we're gaining small, a small amount of success like, in certain places we go, I hope people get like, motivated to like, work hard themselves and do something worthwhile themselves. You know like, at a point like, in New York, when we would play like, the Mooney Suzuki was ten times more popular than we were and we were sort of like "Wow, we've got to get to the level where the Mooney Suzuki is and start like, playing these packed shows." And then I don't know, we just like worked really hard and ended up like, doing it and sort of going even further than that and, you know, hopefully going even further than we are now.
I: Julian and Nick of the Strokes, I kind of worry about you guys a tiny little bit. A few years ago, I did an interview with the band Jonathan Fire Eater, now when I did the interview over the phone, I had to pay for the interview, even though they were on Dreamworks. What the hell was goin' on there? Johnathan Fire Eater can be the great thing, and then I end up having to pay for the interview, like Steven Spielberg's record label and I have to pay for the interview. they're not gonna do that to you, are they Julian?
J: Definetly not. Actually, what happens to us, I can't predict, but, all I know is that, you know we're just gonna try to stay low-key, do our thing, I mean like, you know, obviously like, making, like doing music as a profession was you know, a goal or a dream.
I: So could've you had the smell the glove album cover in North America? Like how hard would you have to fight to get that? Would you have to quit? Did you almost quit over that?
J: It was our decision. Actually we were fighting, not fighting, but we were like, we asked them to change it.
I: Doesn't the name Jonathan fire eater scare you?
N: No, I don't know what happened to that band.
I: I know, and that's the scary thing! Ba-boom! They were on Dreamworks, man, they had the world!
J: Yeah, it's scary, because uh, I mean I feel like if you do you know, do too much of this stuff before the music comes out, we'll be like, it'll be bizarre, it'll just be bizarre. I like music you know, music is like, I just, something that like, when you hear the best kind of music, it like hits you in a way where you're just emotionally moved. That's where it's at, that like, that helps you out in life, that's more than a fuckin'... that's almost like a friend sometimes like a friend to like turn, and somehow, if it can somehow summarize the w- whatever I'll stop talking if you want.
I: But you Strokers look good, like amazingly good. Like which guitarist of yours has a white belt?
J: Albert.
I: That's a nice belt. Now, friends of mine in the band the Shmugglers went on tour to Europe and they met up with a band the Hives and both bands were dressed identically. Both bands had black and white belts. Have you run into any clones of the Strokes yet? Any strokes clones?
J: No.
N: I'd be interested to see like, how they, how they clone us. Like what it takes to have a Strokes clone, like I'm not sure what you'd have to do. But no, we haven't really like I don't know, I think we sort of like, stand out on our own anyways, people don't really like, people don't try to copy what we do at all.
I: So, future plans for the Strokes: we all know your album comes out in Canada on... Matt, come on, where's the list? Can we please have the, can we have the thing again? Come on, let's use it.
J: *in the background* No, no, don't, don't, don't, don't.
I: Oh, come on.
J: I'm saying "Don't" because we're not, that's not-
I: Because that might not be the right date, you mean?
J: No, because I'm not gonna, I don't know.
I: Come on, you don't wanna plug your own record? Come on, can't you accept a little sign? This is ridiculous! You don't want-
J: Our album is coming out the 25th, you know?
I: We thought we'd just, to wind up for the edit point(?), in case we don't use that again.
J: Yeah, it's coming out on RCA. Yes, it's true. RCA, the 25th.
I: How convenient is it that a motorcycle drove by and muffled you out?
N: If people are really interested in buying our record-
J: From God!
N: they'll, they'll find out when it's coming out.
I: Julian and Nick of the Strokes, is there anything else you'd like to add to the people out there?
J: I think we've tried, tried to say it through this interview, but nothing specific at this moment, you know? 'Cause ah, you guys are editing it so, you know, have fun. I don't know what to say.
I: Any shout-outs for Canada at all?
J: Sure man, Vancou-, we've been, we played ah Vancouver, and ah Toronto, and like, we're probably gonna play like, way more towns, but ah, so far what we've seen, we really had fun at the shows. The people, the people are cool people, I mean I appre-, I think that's something we appreciate.
I: Why should people care about the Strokes? Why should people care about the Strokes?
J: People shouldn't care about the Strokes until they hear our music and then decide for themselves.
I: Alright, thanks so much, keep on rocking the free world and: doot doodle oo doo
*pause*
J: doot doot
*pause*
J: doot doot
I: Yeah!
J: I said it, didn't I?
I: Ya did, thank you!
