The Strokes

The Strokes frontman Julian Casablancas talks to Kim Taylor Bennett about being inspired by Oscar Wilde Discuss this article

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It’s been three years since The Strokes released their third album, First Impressions of Earth. And in the interim, three out of five members have released solo records – but what has frontman Julian Casablancas been up to? Well, for one thing, he’s got a baby on the way…

Hello Julian! First off, we’d like to say congrats on your impending fatherhood…
Thanks. It’s weird – I love something I don’t know! In recent years you’ve released collaborative songs such as ‘Little Girl’ for the Dark Night of the Soul project with Danger Mouse, which includes pictures by David Lynch. Brian [Burton, aka Danger Mouse] sent me the song and asked if I wanted to sing on it. I said no, but I sang this melody over it and said, ‘Here, you can use this; if you want to have someone else sing it I’m fine with it.’ But he kept calling. I only saw the Lynch pictures after they were done and they were weird. I don’t think he does things that aren’t creepy.

You also sang on Saturday Night Live trio The Lonely Island’s Boombox [TLI are responsible for such classics as ‘D*** in a Box’ with Justin Timberlake].
I actually had a song on the side for them. I always loved their thing, but, musically, it was all R&B, which I don’t really like – although other people love, obviously – but I helped out with the melody.

You’re currently in LA ahead of your month-long weekly live residency. How are the nerves?
I’m only nervous because we’re trying to do these silly, over-the-top shows that I’m going to go broke doing and might end up looking ridiculous.

How do you find playing alone?
It’s not that weird, it’s just different. With [the band] everything you do has to be discussed. It’s nice to work with people who will respect your opinion.

Did the fact that everyone was doing solo albums make you want to go it alone?
Some of these songs I originally showed to the band and they didn’t seem interested. Plus everyone was doing their own thing. The band’s a tough crowd to please, so if they want to get outside that circle I understand. I would have preferred it if they’d worked it out internally, but I respect their decision. I guess I felt like I didn’t have much of a choice.

On ‘Ludlow Street’ you sing that New York’s been overtaken by yuppies. Will you jump ship?
I’m considering it. The weather [in Los Angeles] is a big thing. If you heard of a place where the weather was perfect every day, you’d think it was what heaven would be like. But I went back to New York recently. It was a Saturday night, I was doing an interview in a bar and I had to walk across the East Village to get home and it seemed so exciting. But that same thing that makes it so exciting, when you stay there for a long time makes it a little fatiguing.

Your solo album’s title was inspired by Oscar Wilde’s Phrases and Philosophies for the Use of the Young. What did you make of them?
They were amazing and witty, more like punchlines than philosophies, like the stand-up comedy of the day. The point I got from him was that he thought we were totally superficial. I half agree. Maybe it’s corny, but I’m a bit more hopeful than that sometimes.
Phrazes for the Young is available to buy online.