Today’s offering for Strokes March Madness: Here’s a 2001 interview that Nikolai Fraiture did with a college publication cleverly called Univercity.

My favorite part is when Niko is asked whether the band would change its sound over time or whether they would stick to what they were doing (in 2001), he responded, “For the moment, we’re happy with what we’re doing. But we’ll have to progress and change. We don’t know how it will take place, but we definitely hope to move on.”

Here’s another photo from that glorious night at The Strokes show in November 2001. This time it’s a photo of a young Nikolai Fraiture — clutching a beer, sporting a workman-style outfit, and donning that classic pageboy haircut.

Every day in March I’ll be posting something from my Strokes archive. Please tweet or FB like if you enjoy where this is going.

If you have old Strokes photos and a story that you’d like to share with the world, email me at edit @ themodernage.org and we can make it happen together!

Here’s your chance to win one of three autographed copies of Nickel Eye‘s “Brandy of the Damned” b/w “Back from Exile” 7-inch single. Each record is autographed by Nickel Eye front man, Nikolai Fraiture (aka- bassist from The Strokes).

Just correctly send the answer to the following Nikolai trivia question by 11:59PM on January 19th to contest @ themodernage.org and you could be a winner! Winners will be chosen at random.

QUESTION: What was the name of the short film that Nikolai released in 2008?

As I’ve mentioned before, Nickel Eye’s debut album, The Time of the Assassins, will be released on January 27, 2009 on Rykodisc.

Nickel Eye is currently on tour, and local NYC-ers will have the opporutnity to check the band (backed by members of the British group South) this Friday at Webster Hall.

Tour dates below:

Date Venue City

January 14 Green Room Montreal, QUE

**January 15 Paradise Rock Club Boston, MA

**January 16 Webster Hall New York, NY
**January 17 Black Cat Washington, DC

*January 18 Khyber Philadelphia, PA

*January 20 El Mocambo Toronto, ONT

*January 21 Magic Stick Detroit, MI

*January 22 The Beat Kitchen Chicago, IL
*January 23 Majestic Theatre Madison, WI

*January 24 Fine Line Minneapolis, MN
*January 26 Marquis Denver, CO

*January 29 Troubadour Los Angeles, CA

*January 30 The Loft / UCSD San Diego, CA

*January 31 Detroit Bar Costa Mesa, CA

*February 2 Independent San Francisco, CA

* – Co-headlining tour with Low vs Diamond

** – Support for The Raveonettes

More pix and vid:

Nickel Eye (aka Nikolai Fraiture from the Strokes plus South):

The Muslims:

Video of “Parasites”:

Picy:

Strokes bassist Nikolai Fraiture performed tonight with his new pet project/band, Nickel Eye. They played a number of songs, including “Back from Exile”:

and “Brandy of the Damned”:

Unless I missed something, no other Strokes appeared at the Music Hall tonight.

The first song the band played was my favorite… airy, with beautiful harmonies sung by Joel Cadbury and Jamie McDonald of South. (They flew over from England in order to play the show!)

The crowd was far from packed, but there were a good number of people there—surprisingly the crowd looked pretty young (were all the older-timers out in Manhattan?) with a disproportionate amount of Asian girls up in the front.

One blonde girl, who I think likened herself to being the Brooklyn version of Miley Cyrus was hooting and hollering at Nikolai the whole time, shouting out things like “I LUUUUVVV YOUUUU NIIIKOOOOLAAAIIII!” and “YOU HAVE A GREAT A** NIKOLAIIIIII!” Charming, as you can imagine.

Nikolai’s established shy and understated demeanor hasn’t changed as a result of his new job as the leader. His Lurch-like hunch was still present as he strummed the guitar, his hair was coiffed in the same exact pageboy style for which he’s known. He was dressed in “typical” Nikolai attire—casual suit jacket and pants, button down shirt, big belt buckle and shoes. It was almost as if nothing had changed since the last time I probably saw him onstage in 2006(?) during the “First Impressions…” tour.

Yet there he was, singing his own songs with a new band… it was a little bit like the Twilight Zone to be honest.

However, Niko does has a bit of ways to go as a front man, the best illustration of this point was during the 4th song, which was a Bob Dylan-esque folky tune in which Nikolai played the harmonica. Instead of blowing hard into the ‘monica to get a full, rich sound, Nikolai seemed to tweak air into it with the type of force that one would usually reserve to blowing crumbs off the table.

But I’m sure you want to know, who’s solo effort is better? Albert Hammond Jr. or Nikolai Fraiture. That’s kind of like asking me to choose my favorite child, isn’t it? (OK, it’s Julian.) But seriously, I thought some of the tunes were quite good, and thought that Nickel Eye sounded much better live than the recorded stuff they currently have on MySpace.

Whereas some of the recorded tracks sound a bit too much like The Strokes, live they carry a different vibe and gravitas. When I listened to the songs live, I didn’t feel as though they were just discarded Strokes songs—the lyrics are a bit more introspective, linear, and…softer…instead of in your face, nonsensical, and jagged.

All in all a good night, and a job well done for Nickel Eye’s second live show.

According to the BBC, Strokes bassist Nikolai Fraiture has confirmed that the band will all get together in February of 2009 and start recording new music as a group.

Currently Niko is touring in the UK with his new solo project, Nickel Eye. His solo album will release on January 27, 2009. Can’t wait!!

The question is… where will the Strokes settle down and record? New York? LA? Some cabin in the woods of Pennsylvania?

Your guess is as good as mine.

Thanks to Henry for the link.

Looks like there’s some action the (former?) members of the Strokes front… Nikolai Fraiture’s side project, Nickel Eye, will have their debut New York show on October 22nd at the Williamsburg Hall of Music as part of CMJ, and then play a show at Pianos on the 24th. London folks will get a chance to preview Nikolai’s latest project in advance of us Americans, as Nickel Eye will be doing a show in the UK on October 15th at the Borderline.

Fabrizio Moretti‘s band, Little Joy, will also be playing in NYC in the near future in support in the release of the November 4th band’s debut album on Rough Trade. The band will play Mercury Lounge on November 13th and Maxwell’s in Hoboken on November 14th.

Will you be at either?