There aren’t many bands contending with The Killers for the widest breadth of sonic profile. Since the day that cage door opened, they’ve strayed worlds away from their grit-and-glam ethos of post-punk revival. The trek’s seen them over the washboard roads of heartland rock, through flashbangs of synth-driven pop, and the wildflower fields on the softer side of folk. And still, now 20 years removed from their Hot Fuss debut, they continue to fire off their early staples with the same love-scorned ferocity that had first lit the fuse. In celebration of the bi-decadal anniversary today, June 7, we reached… Read more »
Recording an album can put a lot of pressure on a band. Just ask the Strokes, who are getting ready to release their second album Room On Fire on October 20. Vocalist Julian Casablancas admits that he felt a lot of stress when working on the upcoming album, the follow-up 2001’s Is This It. Casablancas told MTV, “If you’re in a bar and a certain song comes on and the vibe is just different, it evokes the kinds of things that you want to feel, and if music can do that it’s a very special thing. It’s those sorts of… Read more »
“American Idol” winner Kelly Clarkson may have the magic to put RCA Records back on top. All the major record labels are pulling out their big-gun releases for the fourth quarter in hopes of hitting some high numbers to make up for the year’s extreme sales dip. RCA has been struggling overall because of a weak release schedule. The label has thus far scored hits only with Dave Matthews Band’s “Busted Stuff,” which has sold more than 1.2 million units, and critically acclaimed postpunk band the Strokes, whose “Is This It” has passed the half-million mark. Clarkson’s two-sided single release,… Read more »
Even though a bum knee kept singer Julian Casablancas from performing with his band on select dates of Weezer’s Enlightenment Tour, the Strokes will be back on their collective feet October 1 when they kick off a two-month victory lap around North America. The tour marks the one-year anniversary of the release of the Strokes’ debut, Is This It?, which has sold over 640,000 copies to date. The NYC garage poster boys are simply happy to be on the road again. “The album is being received a lot better then I dreamed of two years ago,” Casablancas said. “I really… Read more »
The Strokes may be the “it” band of the moment, but don’t expect them to be lining up studio sessions with “it” producers like Glen Ballard or the Neptunes. When the New York garage-rockers begin recording their second album later this summer, Is This It producer Gordon Raphael will again be behind the boards. “It’s not gonna be like, ‘Oh, now that we’re successful, we’re gonna work with all these super-producer guys that are going to make us a top-selling hit,’ ” singer Julian Casablancas said backstage at Saturday’s KROQ Weenie Roast. “That’s never been the goal for us. We… Read more »
Detroit blooze duo the White Stripes have chosen “Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground” as the third single from their latest album, White Blood Cells. The tale of woe, composed of sluggish verses that explode into a rough-hewn, feedback-tweaked chorus, follows previous cuts “Hotel Yorba” and “Fell in Love With a Girl.” A video for the song will be shot by Michel Gondry, according to a spokesperson for V2 Records. Gondry, who has directed groundbreaking clips for Björk, Cibo Matto and Radiohead, was the visual artist responsible for the living Lego style of the Stripes’ “Fell in Love With a… Read more »
Gorillaz heads the list of nominees for the 2002 Brit Awards, the U.K. equivalent of the Grammys that primarily honors homegrown talent, earning six nominations for Best British Group, Newcomer, Dance Act, Album (for Gorilliaz), and Single and Video (for “Clint Eastwood”). Dido, Robbie Williams – who led the 2001 Brits with three victories – and Kylie Minogue each earned four nominations, including one shared by Williams and Minogue for their “Kids” video. The Strokes, meanwhile, led all American acts with three nominations for Best International Group, Newcomer and Album, for Is This It, which debuted in the U.K. a… Read more »
Irish boy-band Westlife on Sunday scored their ninth UK number one hit with “Queen of my Heart,” the chart’s compiler said. The quintet’s rousing ballad ended hip-hopper Afroman’s three-week stay at the top with his homage to cannabis, “Because I Got High,” according to figures released by The Official UK Charts Company. All but one of Westlife’s ten singles have reached number one since their first release, “Sweat It Again” in April 1999. “We are grateful to all our fans for their continued support,” the band said in a statement on their website. “Queen of My Heart” is described by… Read more »
The Beastie Boys passed the mic on Sunday for the first time in two years while also passing along a message of worldwide peace and justice to their fans. Before a sold-out Hammerstein Ballroom crowd that had been jonesing for a B-Boys fix since 1999’s Tibetan Freedom Concert, their last public performance, MCA, Ad-Rock and Mike D performed tunes mostly from their last two albums – Hello Nasty (1998) and Ill Communication (1994) – at the first of two benefit shows raising money for those affected by September’s World Trade Center disaster. The aim of the New Yorkers Against Violence… Read more »
Toward the end of the Strokes’ short set, Julian Casablancas, lead singer of the New York band, looked out over the sweaty, enthusiastic crowd at the Troubadour and smiled. “The last time we were in L.A.,” he said, “we played the Dragonfly. And it was empty.” That was not the case on Saturday. The buzz band of the moment, the Strokes sold out the Troubadour, and ticketless fans were lined up outside the club offering up to $100 for a $10 ticket. All for a band that, to date, has released only two EPs. Those who were able to get… Read more »
