The Strokes: This is It

Author: Jessica Vandelay

 The band is comprised of singer/songwriter Julian Casablancas, son of John Casablancas, founder of the successful Elite Model Agency Group; guitarists Nick Valensi and Albert Hammond Jr., son of singer/songwriter Albert Hammond; bassist Nikolai Fraiture and drummer Fabrizio Moretti. Band members met at various prep schools during their formative years and in the late 1990s began playing music together.
In 1999 Casablancas christened the quintet the Strokes and word-of-mouth hype about their live shows thrust them to gigs at reputable NYC venues like Under the Acme, Arlene's Grocery, Baby Jupiter and Luna.  During 2000 booking agent Ryan Gentles became their manager after he booked gigs at the Mercury Lounge and Bowery Ballroom. Strokes mania erupted in the U.S. At the same time U.K. mania grew strongly with NME championing the band a la Oasis in the 1990s.  Rough Trade released the band's EP The Modern Age in January 2001, which led to RCA signing the band. RCA/Rough Trade released the band's debut album Is This It later that year. Some U.K. retailers objected to the sexy nature of the album cover in which a leather-gloved hand rests on a woman's nude rump and hip. The U.S. version of the album featured an abstract album cover and also excluded the song “New York City Cops," which the band felt inappropriate after the 9/11 terrorist attacks and instead replaced it with the B-side track “When It Started."  Read more about the Strokes rise to fame in popular magazines like Billboard magazine.

Throughout 2001-2003 the Strokes continued to enjoy success and a rising profile. Accolades included British magazine NME awards for Best New Act, Band of the Year and Album of the Year. In 2002 the band had a heavy tour schedule with bands like the White Stripes, Weezer and the Rolling Stones. In 2003 the Strokes worked with producers Nigel Godrich and Gordon Raphael on their sophomore album Room on Fire, which they released that same year and toured with the Kings of Leon and Regina Spektor.
In 2005 the single “Juicebox" was initially leaked from the band's upcoming third album and so the release date of the single was advanced online. It became another hit on both the U.K. and U.S. modern rock charts.  Read more about the Strokes' singles and album charters in music magazines like Spin, Rolling Stone and Wired.Between 2004-2006 band members made celebrity headlines with their personal lives as well as their music careers. Julian Casablancas and Nick Valensi married their respective girlfriends; Valensi welcomed the birth of fraternal twins and Fraiture welcomed a daughter as well.  Drummer Fabrizo Moretti appeared in many celebrity magazines because he was dating the movie star Drew Barrymore. Find out more about the Strokes' personal lives in magazines like People Magazine, OK and In Style magazine.In 2006 the Strokes released their third album, First Impressions of Earth. While the album debuted high on the U.S. and U.K charts, critical reviews were mixed. The band continued to successfully tour throughout 2006 and as of 2007 announced beginning work on their forthcoming fourth album.
Article Source: http://www.articleclick.com/Article/The-Strokes-This-is-It/1000659

About the Author:
For more music magazines, visit http://www.magazines.com/ncom/mag?view=1&btn=B&l=10&search=music
Jessica Vandelay is a free-lance writer in New York City.