“You’re insane”: The Strokes almost talked Julian Casablancas out of ‘Juicebox’
For one of the most exciting bands in the history of modern rock, The Strokes really did look like they fucked it for most of their prime years. Sure, Is This Is is a modern classic and was critically acclaimed to the high heavens, but it didn’t sell a quarter of what it was expected to. Today, Room on Fire is the connoisseur’s choice for the band’s best album, but at the time of release, it was welcomed like a fart in a lift.
By 2005, not only was the band’s future resting on their third record, First Impressions of Earth, being a hit, but their past, too. The band were in very real danger of being written off as a record label hype experiment gone badly wrong. They seemed to be a bunch of posh boys with all the musical talent of a Benetton commercial who fluked a decent debut record at a time when good rock music was basically non-existent.
They were going to be remembered as not only a joke and a flop, but worse. A con. What made it worse was the fact that, in the pantheon of the so-called ‘garage rock revival’ bands, The Strokes were having their commercial and critical lunch eaten by The White Stripes. At least, until the release of The Stripes’ 2005 album, Get Behind Me Satan.
The record was a stumble, especially coming after their masterpiece Elephant. This left the door open for The Strokes to prove that they could still bring the raucous indie-rock thrills that Jack ‘n’ Meg had got too caught up in marimbas to provide. On October 30th, they premiered their third album’s first single ‘Juicebox’ and well, they brought the raucousness, that’s for damn sure.
Was ‘Juicebox’ by The Strokes a good choice for a single?
Basically, everything about the ‘Juicebox’ single is ugly, aggressive and provocative. From the song itself, to its cover art, and especially its downright gross music video. If you like the idea of several different people vomiting, impied bestiality, and David Cross jerkin’ it like a man possessed, as the world’s worst radio DJ, fill your boots. Just don’t say I didn’t warn you.
The trouble starts with the song itself, however. While it’s a great bit of driving, noisy rock ‘n’ roll, it’s also by a mile the heaviest thing The Strokes have ever released and…strangely tuneless? Like a more structured, megabudget version of their native New York’s infamous no wave scene of the 1970s. An inspired idea, but one that was absolutely not what anyone was asking from The Strokes at the time.
Nevertheless, there was a way to see this coming. In a 2006 interview with Clash, Julian Casablancas described the experience of bringing the song to the rest of the band. He said, “The first people I played ‘Juicebox’ to thought I was joking. It was still on tour. I was like, ‘Yeah, what do you think?’ Nick [Valensi, guitarist] was like, ‘Alright, you’re insane’. I just liked the way the notes sounded. It was weird, and I thought it might sound a little ugly to some people, especially the first riff.”
Thing is, Valensi wasn’t wrong. It’s a frantic, noisy song that today is one of the most beloved in the band’s back catalogue. A sign, if one is needed, that sometimes you’ve just got to stick to your guns and let the world come to you. Two decades later, The Strokes are now one of the biggest and most beloved bands of their generation. Go figure!
