Two members of New York indie icons The Strokes are set to perform together in public for the first time in three years.
The Strokes have vanished – presumed gone. The New York group who arguably kick started the indie revival with debut album ‘Is This It?’ have not played a gig together since 2006, with the band taking a well deserved break.
Since then the bulk of the band have indulged in solo projects. Guitarist Albert Hammond Jr revelled in his new found freedom with a well received solo album while both Fab Moretti and Nikolai Fraiture launched new groups.
Bassist Fraiture helmed the logically titled Nickel Eye, whose folk derived debut album was released towards the end of last year. Allowing the normally retiring musician to take centre stage it featured lyrics penned by Fraiture some ten years ago.
The group’s self titled debut album also demonstrated a love of classic songwriters, containing a version of ‘Hey That’s No Way To Say Goodbye’ which was originally written by Leonard Cohen.
Fellow group member Fab Moretti founded Little Joy, a band deeply indebted to scratchy 80s indie. However Moretti will be unable to join the band on their forthcoming tour dates with Regina Spektor as he is busy working on new material with The Strokes.
The band holed themselves up in the rehearsal room back in February to work on new material. The Strokes last released an album with 2005’s ‘First Impressions Of Earth’, and any new material is eagerly anticipated.
Although nothing has been heard of the sessions one immediate result of the rehearsals is a new duet between Fab Moretti and Nikolai Fraiture. The pair are set to play live at the Bob Dylan Birthday Bash in the Mercury Lounge in New York.
Also set to feature Jesse Malin, Adam Green and many more the event comes as Bob Dylan scored his first UK number one album with ‘Together Through Life’ recently.
Rolling Stone magazine reports the event’s organisers as saying that “rehearsals have been amazing”.
Bob Dylan Birthday Bash is due to take place on May 21st.
