If You Were The Strokes...

How the heck would you follow up Is This It?

Now, I'm not saying that record was some sort of masterpiece, it was nothing more or less than a really good, not terribly groundbreaking, rock record -- yet it was hyped into the stratosphere.

What would you do? Me? I'd change my name and crawl under a rock for a few years before releasing my 4-track acoustic singer/songwriter record on a label that would only print 400 copies.

Not change my sound. Worked for the Ramones.

I liked their record too. I think it's a quintessential four star record. Not a classic or a masterpiece, just an excellent album.

My favorite song by them isn't even on the US release of the album -- New York City Cops. Good, simple, fast rock n roll. Why mess with perfection?

They 1st thing I would do is ask out a few sg's on dates, after that I don't really care

if i were the strokes, i'd admit that it's been done before, and by much better bands. i'd pat myself on the back (again) for putting out a good album. after that, i'd go join the black crowes, jesus & mary chain, and a few others who the press said were gonna "save rock 'n' roll", but didn't. the minute that is said about you, you're through! they are/were good...but not THAT good.

I'd do what they already did, keep sounding like The Velvet Underground minus the smack.

i'd continue trying to wash the british-rock-critic semen out of my hair.

I think I'd kill my trust fund , rich daddy having self for pretending to be gutter...

i'd do a covers record. ooops...i thought you said guns and roses....

Dude, EVERYTHING has been done before. The Strokes record was great but, more importantly, they paved the way for rock 'n' roll to be cool again and opened the commercial door for other bands like the White Stripes, Hives, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and others to get attention they otherwise wouldn't have. The Strokes impact cannot be overstated. They put the first nail in the coffin of the shitty Limp Bizkit/Korn type of music that ruled the airwaves at the time. I think their next album probably won't break alotta new ground but I think they've got more and better albums in them. Any way you slice it, they made an impact, which is more than 98% of all bands can say.

If I was the Strokes, I would break up that band as quick as possible before people realize how bad they suck.

paved the way my ass. there have been bands paving the way for some time to bring rock back. rocket from the cypt, supersuckers, turbonegro, hot snakes, hellacopters, murder city devils, glucifer etc etc... all those bands paved the way so the strokes could pick up speed and use those bands draft to fling em into the limelight. it's like saying nirvana started grunge. pshhh.. nirvana was a great band and still is but there were so many other bands that were ripping it up before nirvana was even together. they just hit at the right time. so to say one band started a trend is bullshit. the hives had been rocking before the strokes started...

the strokes do have songs that stick in your head all day long. i hate the band but i like the music.,

You knew what he meant. Perhaps "paved the way" wasn't the phrase, but "broke it through to the mainstream" is more appropriate -- just like with Nirvana, as you mentioned.

I'd do the world a favor and admit that my band is ripped off The Velvent Underground, dumbed it down, and converted the sound into radio-ready fodder and go off and get my own damn sound.

But first before we did anything, we'd have to have to break out the crowbars to pry the mouths of the critics and columnists of Spin magazine off of our dicks.

OK, so that only makes them like number 10,000 in the line of indie rock bands who have ripped off the Velvets. But if all The Strokes wanted to do was get popular, why would they rip off such an UNpopular band? It's easy to throw stones now, but at the time they came out The Strokes didn't look remotely like they would find a mass audience. If if they hadn't found that audience, I'll bet that most of the people who are criticizing them now would like them.

if i were the strokes i would clearly suck

But if all The Strokes wanted to do was get popular, why would they rip off such an UNpopular band?


So the people who have never heard of The Velvet Underground will hear The Strokes and say "wow, this is so original and new!".

Meanwhile many people who listen to The Velvets, will respond with "Oh no you don't you motherfuckers". That's what I said when I heard The Jokes and The White Hypes. They come prancing on to the scene and the media tries to sell them to me as if I've never heard of The Velvets, The Stooges, or the MC5.

So in response, I went out and started buying more of the original shit. I just got "Fun House" by The Stooges and that album wipes the floor with all these "indie rock on big radio" bands.

[Edited on Aug 08, 2003 by Kris7]

i would leave town and never come back

I would kill myself; or apologize for my lack of originality and admit that the only reason we got radio play was because "somebody's" father was " powerful" and had connections.

The "Williamsburg" phenomenon is getting out of control!

lol.

whats funny is that of all their songs thats the one I like the least, and yet it's the one I sing the most.

That's funny, I though that's what they WERE doing!

PS. 1982 called and they want their whitebelts back...now!