Sunday, 17 February 2013

The Fading Strokes of Influence



 
Today I was having a listen to 6 Music in the kitchen when the rather tedious, but strangely sexy Edith Bowman announced the imminent arrival of the new track from The Strokes called One Way Trigger from their forthcoming new album Comedown Machine

 

So, knife down, cider open and volume up as the Goulash could wait! … My disappointment could not have been more exaggerated if you tried as it had to be one of the biggest piles of shit if have ever heard in my life!! – synth pop of the highest order! (Think: Kraftwerk meets Girls Aloud and you might get the picture)

 

So, without further ado, as the less said about this pile of wank the better, let’s go back to 2001 and reflect on a band that was a focal point of that new, hip and cool music scene in New York – The Strokes! Not only did they release one of the best debut albums of all time – ‘Is This It’ the band had everything! – great lyrics, great production, hype, talent to back up the hype, two outstanding lead guitarists, charismatic lead singer, more hype and most important of all – influence!

 

Is This It represented more than just a cool looking bunch of outcasts in The Strokes – it started a new scene of Indie/Rock music paving the way for a new era of bands like The Vines, Kings of Leon, Franz Ferdinand, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, The Walkmen and Arcade Fire. The afore mentioned use of guitars was re-born and the art of guitar playing was well and truly in the ascendancy! Influence of the guitar was back up and running!

 

Sadly, for the true troubadours of this scene – The Strokes – the year is now 2013 and it has to be said – they are sadly still living off that time and most important of all – they’re name!

 

And, four rather scrappy, poor and in some instances dire albums later they simply haven’t ‘moved on’ at all. I’m not really saying there is a whiff of desperation about the chaps in The Strokes, but you do get the feeling they are slightly hanging onto past glories. Either that or they are honouring their current record deal in the faint hopes of securing one last big pay day as they push into their late thirties

 

Now, don’t get me wrong here people as I’ve always been a massive fan of The Strokes, but this whole scenario kind of reminds me of a famous Bill Hicks sketch when he talks about Elvis when he died. If you’re not familiar with it, he basically calls for Elvis to be shot dead sometime in the late fifties when he was (as some people put it) at the height of his fame and not over weight, high on coke and a drunken mess!

 

Bill’s point was that people will remember Elvis as a young, fit, handsome and talented man instead of the rather portly chap he was when he died.

 

Now, everyone knows that apart from a very small handful, not every band/artist can hold the title of being influential throughout ALL of their career. The Strokes are 100% proof of this fact!

 

Sad for them really as I rather like(d) them

 

 

 

Mol

 

 

 

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