The Strokes The Strokes The Strokes are an American rock band from New York City. Formed in 1998, the band is composed of singer Julian Casablancas, lead guitarist Nick Valensi, rhythm guitarist Albert Hammond Jr., bassist Nikolai Fraiture, and drummer Fabrizio Moretti. Following the conclusion of five-album deals with RCA and Rough Trade, the band has continued to release new music through Casablancas' Cult Records. Met with widespread critical acclaim, the Strokes' 2001 debut, "Is This It", helped usher in the garage rock revival movement of the early-21st century—and ranks number eight on "Rolling Stone"s 100 Best Debut Albums of All Time,
Julian Casablancas sang about drugs and sex, about the people around him — it was so matter-of-fact," Casablancas stated in a "Rolling Stone" interview. "Reed could be romantic in the way he portrayed these crazy situations, but he was also intensely real. It was poetry and journalism." Additionally, he has stated that Bob Marley, Nirvana and Pearl Jam are major influences on his work, the latter being the reason he started making music, upon hearing the song "Yellow Ledbetter". Julian, in agreement with several members of The Voidz, has named Stevie Wonder as being a composer with a “next level mind". Julian