The Strokes

• Julian Casablancas - vocals
• Nick Valensi - guitar
• Albert Hammond Jnr. - guitar
• Nikolai Fraiture - bass
• Fabrizio Moretti - drums

The Strokes were formed in 1998 when five friends decided to get a band together and play the clubs of New York. Sounding like a mixture of the 70's and 80's melded together in a decadently cool downtown music hall they soon attracted the attention of Ryan Gentles, booker of New York venue, The Mecury Lounge.

Producer, Gordon Raphael, helped them record their first demo, 'The Modern Age', which was picked up by UK label Rough Trade.

Since then The Strokes have just climbed higher and higher up the music industry's trouser leg, refusing to be ignored. They played sold out shows with the Doves and Guided by Voices and started recording their debut album before signing a record deal with RCA.

The album, Is This It, was released in September 2001 and was met with much acclaim from the music press and the general public. The single, 'Hard to Explain'/'New York City Cops', reached number sixteen in the UK Top 40 and The Strokes embarked on a sixteen date sold out UK tour.

Last year in many television programmes and music magazines Is This It was hailed as one of, if not, the album of 2001.

With their shaggy hair, skinny ties and drainpipe jeans, The Strokes have been labelled fashion icons and the kings of cool across the world and with plans for a follow up album it looks like The Strokes are going from stength to strength.