June 2001. The NME is moist with excitement as the band they have hyped beyond belief are finally releasing their debut single.To be fair, for once the hype seemed justified as both tracks on the CD turn out to be pretty decent:-
mp3 : The Strokes - Hard To Explain
mp3 : The Strokes - New York City Cops
The Strokes had first come to notice via a demo EP in January 2001 which sparked off a bidding war among all sorts of record labels. And in a move akin to that by The Smiths two decades previously, they chose to sign to UK uber-indie Rough Trade.
Looking back, what is most surprising is the fact that the single only reached #16 in the UK charts, and I suppose this shows how insignificant the specialist music papers have become in making a success of a new act. For real fame and fortune, you've got to get yourselves in the red-top tabloids and the weekly chat-trash mags....
I was lucky enough to catch an early-ish show by The Strokes in late 2001 at Glasgow Barrowlands and was delighted to see and hear that they looked and sounded good under the harsh lights and in front of an expectant crowd. I know that many folk out there are suspicious of the band, thinking they're a bit too contrived and calculating to be 'for real', but I'm happy enough to admit that I'm a fan of most of their stuff, and am looking forward to hearing the fourth album whenever it sees the light of day.
Happy Listening.
7 comments:
I love the rush of New York City Cops' chorus, it just flies.
That first album is about as contrived as Blur doing Parklife: they're obviously fans of the era they were recreating on it, that whole 76 New York CBGBs Punk thing meets Lou Reed. And they do it damn well. Some might say better than some of the originals...
This may just be the jaded New Yorker in me speaking, but The Stroke may just be, musically, the biggest waist of time I have ever encountered. Not sure what they ever did that I didn't hear before with more energy and originality. And the tired old rock and fashion world that they exist does nothing to enhance them.
I still love this song; remember picking up the 'demo' (though I see it as the first single) in Glasgow in February 2001 'the Modern Age.' Both treasured 7"s. That bit in 'Hard To Explain' where the music stops then starts again is sheer class.
Didn't see them live til late 2003 when they were supported by British Sea Power. Think the second album is underrated, but never really got into the third...
The Strokes?
Sorry I missed that meeting altogether. Give me the Television back catalogue instead.
'New York City Cops' is arguably the best song on the album and it was pulled from the stateside release, replaced with 'When It Started' and had a significantly less superior album cover which I truly believe can influence opinions. Either way I think it's a great album.
...and to Ed I'd like to say I don't like much from Room On Fire but Reptilia is possibly my favourite Strokes tune and although First impressions Of Earth is riddled with turkeys I think you should make o concerted effort to listen to it for I think it's their best work yet.
OK, will do!
Was fortunate enough to see them at King Tuts in June 2001 and although the music is a tad contrived this was by anyone's standard a great gig. To see them in such an intimate venue just as they were starting out was a treat in itself. New York City Cops is one hell of a track.
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