The Strokes Are the 23rd Most Loathsome New Yorkers
Well at least according to the NY Press…
The Strokes
Rock Band
The music industry likes to blame massive file-sharing for their miserable status, but what they forget is that this era produced bands like The Strokes and touted them as the saviors of rock ‘n’ roll. Relying on the crude, formulaic approach jumpstarted decades ago by the likes of Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground, The Strokes are far from saviors of the ailing music industry.
Instead, they have swayed rock from being dangerous, thrilling—hell, even enjoyable—to stale, monotonous and wearisome. After straddling the indie/mainstream fence with their first release, we should have recognized they are no more “saviors” than the Rolling Stones, for whom they opened on tour. We can only pray for something as miraculous as the Apocalypse if they are able to sustain their careers to the age of those British geezers.
There is a place for simple, catchy rock; but for minimalist rock movements to succeed, substance must triumph over style, pretension sacrificed to essence. With the über-pompous Strokes, it’s difficult even to tolerate their crudeness from a jukebox muffled with the converse of bar patrons. Are they the saviors of rock ‘n’ roll? Maybe in the sense that their presence could result in the utter destruction of an archaic, out-of-touch music industry.
1. peter | 12:44 am on April 1st, 2006
how was chart friendly rock “angerous, thrilling—hell, even enjoyable” earlier? how did the strokes ruin that?
2. Channy | 12:48 am on April 1st, 2006
if your even thinking of starting a band stop right now unless you have a signed note from God or whomever/whatever stating your complete brilliance.so go home,The Strokes fucked it up for everybody.
3. Ian | 1:14 am on April 1st, 2006
What a bitter man. I wonder if hes as sad and lonely as i hope he is? Regardless, he’s a tosser, next topic,
4. Louise | 1:34 am on April 1st, 2006
that journalist needs a kick up the ass, the strokes never claimed to be saviours, and everyone who has seen them touring this year have found them far from stale, monotonous and wearisome
5. joey | 3:02 am on April 1st, 2006
WOW…this guy’s LOVIN’ the STROKES. (YEEEEEEAAH!)
But seriously, more people probably read this article compared to anything else he’s ever written…so he’ll probably keep it up. Oh and, “substance must triumph?”… “über-pompous”? Man, anyone who writes like that is just as guilty of pretension.
6. Amira | 5:33 am on April 1st, 2006
i’m sure he loves britney.
and maybe he’s just angry because they didn’t let him interview them or something.
it’s always good when you get storng reactions, it means you are rocking
7. Jak | 9:50 am on April 1st, 2006
What’s it gonna take to get Merlin Bronques on this list??
8. Anonymous | 9:52 am on April 1st, 2006
hahah
9. tobias funke | 9:58 am on April 1st, 2006
it sure is a shame that the strokes came along and took the focus off the fresh and exciting rock bands like creed, nickelback, and puddle of mudd.
10. Merrie | 11:25 am on April 1st, 2006
This guy has a lot of nerve. I agree with the “tosser” idea..
11. Bill Bradley | 1:11 pm on April 1st, 2006
yeah, lotta fucking nerve, i say. when every other band out there now is trying to copy their every twitch.
12. br | 1:49 pm on April 1st, 2006
mind the date…
http://www.papermag.com/?section=tipsfortoday
13. adele | 1:07 am on April 2nd, 2006
It was posted on March 31st…
14. goat | 4:24 am on April 2nd, 2006
obviously this guy couldn’t think of any other famous new yorkers to sledge. go listen to some rap or ur shitty christian grunge rock u fucking wanker
15. Amira | 5:07 am on April 2nd, 2006
So, Laura, what do you think of this?
Did the strokes disappointed you at the point to agree with this ‘journalist’?
16. daniel | 5:43 am on April 2nd, 2006
so the strokes are in a bit of a lull at the mo. thats cool, let the true fans be separated from the posers. Its testin time breh!
17. laura | 9:19 am on April 2nd, 2006
i don’t know what that guy is talking about. he provides no examples of his statements about the band.
18. Sven Winklewitts | 12:15 pm on April 2nd, 2006
I don’t think that guy has ever written songs, he clearly has no appreciation for it- like most critics. The Strokes have worked hard and have written some good tunes, thats the bottom line. Everything he wrote is just stuff he read from other critics.
19. Tess | 6:54 am on April 3rd, 2006
Lame.
20. Kylis | 10:52 am on April 5th, 2006
The Strokes are overrated and not very original. I think they’ll be as remembered as the Cars.
21. katy | 10:50 am on April 21st, 2006
um kylis no…blah with the tired overrated strokes thing and they’re too damn sexy too be mentioned in the same sentence with the cars
22. Johanna whatsername | 3:19 am on April 22nd, 2006
Well that was a lovely read, wasn’t it. Ha ha. Bitter much?
The Strokes are (I emphasise:) alright. But those ‘British geezers’? More loved than you’ll ever be, mate. For good reason too. Go stick it eh.
23. Anonymous | 8:00 am on May 8th, 2006
let them wear their skinny jeans