Curious as to what being in the Strokes during the band’s first flush of fame, when the novelty of the rock-star lifestyle had not yet worn off, was like? Check out The Guardian’s new profile of the band, in which various members take turns attempting to correctly gauge the level of debauchery that was gotten into, and that ultimately sidelined the band for a while. The relevant bits:
Fabrizio Moretti: “Touring and drinking and doing drugs has its very definite toll, you know? Physically and mentally.â€
Albert Hammond, Jr.: “It seems like they want you to slowly kill yourself and write the best stuff ever possible, but there comes a point where one just takes away the other one. Living so fast you’re not even doing music any more.†And: “It’s funny. You don’t want to live in [the sex, drugs and rock-and-roll] cliche but it’s just like, ‘Nope, that was it.’†And: “I was never much of a drinker. For me it was drugs.â€
Nick Valensi: “I’ve exhibited a lack of grace many times in my life. I’ve had my moments, like, ‘Wow, did I really complain that they brought me a Veuve Clicquot when I asked for Cristal?’†And: “I’m a fan of drugs in general. I just think it’s important to have some level of self-control. But, there are some types of people who just can’t.â€
Julian Casablancas: “I was living unsustainably and unproductively.†But: “I mean, I never wrote when I was drunk.â€
The Strokes: ‘All that Spinal Tap bullshit has gone out the window’ [Guardian UK]