Julian Casablancas - “I Didn’t Want To Go Solo”

Julian Casablancas - “I Didn’t Want To Go Solo”

Julian Casablancas has revealed he never intended to go solo. Speaking on O2’s Evening Show with Steve Harris, The Strokes’ frontman revealed that solo efforts by his bandmates was the catalyst to releasing his debut solo effort, ‘Phrazes For The Young’.

Asked about striking out on his own, Casablancas said:

“No, I never really wanted to, but as everyone [else] was kinda going outside the circle… yeah, it was nice to work outside The Strokes”.

On the experience of recording without his bandmates, Casablancas admitted it was a double-edged sword.

“[It was] completely freeing, possibly too freeing…There’s pros and cons with both ways. The Strokes is a tough musical jury. If something is going to survive in the band, it’s got to please five incredibly picky dudes.

“That’s the great thing about the band. It can also be stifling because you might have a vision for a part but you can’t express what you want it to look like in its final stage. It’s tough to get to that final stage because before it works, people say, ‘I don’t like it’.”

In the revealing three part interview, Julian talks about his touring plans, how the new Strokes record is shaping up and his favourite song and album by the New York ground-breakers.