Its all about the music, Gordon Raphael, producer of the Strokes second album ‘Room on Fire’ tells me, but it wasn’t easy for him or the band when they started out in 1998-9.
Eighteen months has passed, since the release of their highly successful debut album ‘Is This It’ (also produced by Raphael). Their debut album was voted number one record of 2001 by Billboard, NME, Time and Entertainment Weekly.
The Strokes won the Best International Newcomer Award at the Brits in 2002. Media hype has surrounded the band for all the wrong reasons – namely celebrity girlfriends, celebrity hangers on and rock n’roll excess.
Fabrizio Moretti (drums) is currently going out with Drew Barrymore, Nick Valensi’s (guitar) girlfriend is a former Channel Four presenter, Amanda de Cadenet and Kate Moss, British supermodel showed up at one of their London shows. Francis Ford Coppola’s son, Roman Coppola directed the videos for their songs ‘Last Nite’ and ‘Hard to Explain’.
I had a chance to catch up with him at his low-key recording studio in Limehouse, east London, fresh from attending the 25th anniversary party of Rough Trade records, where the recently re-formed UK punk pop oufit the Libertines were headlining.
Amid the John Entwistle and Iggy Pop paraphernalia, I began by asking how the recording of the Strokes, latest album ‘Room on Fire’ came about.
GR: I met Julian Casablancas (singer) of the Strokes at Christmas 2002. Casablancas told me that the band were going to start recording their second album with Nigel Godrich, Radiohead’s producer. I thought to myself, if the band get into the studio with Nigel Godrich, I was going to be asked back – so I really thought this was the end of my story. I was completely surprised when I got a call asking me back, after they tried Nigel for several weeks.
SM: What is your favourite song on the latest album ‘Room on Fire’?
GR: I can’t say I have a favourite song, but ‘Under Control’ – is mind boggling. It sounds like one of the classic songs of all time. There are at least three guitar solos on the album too which I think are the finest I have heard on a rock n’roll record anywhere. Even better than legends like Eric Clapton or George Harrison.
SM: Have you got a lot of expectations with this album?
GR: I believe this record will appeal to a wider audience because of its musicianship. I think people who didn’t buy the Strokes debut album will buy this one which has a futuristic retro feel.
SM: How did you meet the Strokes?
GR: I had a recording studio in New York called the Transporterraum and [at that time] I went out looking for bands to fill my studio. I went to a small club, about 50 people were in the audience, two bands were playing: the Strokes and Come On. Afterwards I pleaded with both bands to come to my studio and record a demo.The Strokes came a day later and they gave me a chance to make a little demo.
SM: Did they have any expectations recording with you initially?
GR: The Strokes expected not to like it [the demo]. They had been in studios before and they were never happy with the results, so I was surprised they liked what they got. After three days of work and three songs, I was paid – a standard deal - $200 a song.
SM: What was it like working on their debut album ‘Is This It?’
GR: Working on their debut album was very exciting. I felt we were both creating something that the world was going to hear.
SM: What were you doing before the Strokes?
GR: Well I have been a musician all my life, playing and writing songs. I worked with Green River which had Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament from Pearl Jam and Mark Arm who started Mud Honey. I have also been having a really hard time getting the world to hear my music because my ideas are not in the mainstream. I have very radical ideas of what sound is and what music is. I don’t like pop music, I don’t like happy melodies. I like very dark stuff that makes you think and feel things that you might try and avoid like British singer songwriter PJ Harvey.
SM: Are you working on any other musical projects at the moment?
GR: I have been recording music since I was a teenager.I have always kept my best songs in my brief case and been ready to show people six or seven bands. I am promoting five bands from my label - Shoplifter Records – called Kill Kenada from Brighton, Miss Machine from London, my own band Crystal Radio, the Satellites from Mallorca and an amazing Russian girl who lives in the Bronx – New York, called Regina Spektor who the Strokes have taken on tour with them in the US. The Kings of Leon have also asked Spektor to tour Europe with them.
Room on Fire (Rough Trade) is released on Monday October 20 2003
For more information on the bands mentioned in the interview go to:
www.thestrokes.com