Why Do So Many People Hate The Strokes?

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BTW: I'm not tryng to offend. I'm just a caustic person.

― James Slone (Freon Trotsky), Thursday, 15 January 2004 17:16 (twenty-two years ago)

Would we be having this conversation if they didn't have so much "sex appeal"? I'm not going to get into a pissing match over their looks, but it was a big deal at first. "They Rock and They're Hot!" seems to have been the marketing scheme for the first album, and that does have a backlash built in.
As to how I feel about them, the first record started off great but after, no shit, 5 listenings I would cringe every time someone would play my copy. The new one I've listened to once. I'm going to give it a better chance but I am initially disappointed at the sameness.

― Speedy Gonzalas (Speedy Gonzalas), Thursday, 15 January 2004 18:30 (twenty-two years ago)

They're good looking kids and alright musicians I have to admit.

― James Slone (Freon Trotsky), Thursday, 15 January 2004 18:53 (twenty-two years ago)

The Strokes just sound bored. They've been called the new Elastica which might only be relevant if we're talking career trajectory, since Elastica was better.

Also, White Stripes>>>>>>>>>>>>>Strokes, but that goes w/o saying! =D

― Gear! (Gear!), Thursday, 15 January 2004 19:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Strokes fanboys are somewhat pathetic. You're so utterly offended by one off-hand comment.

I'm not offended, I was just pointing out that your comment was wrong (or at least an overstatement)...

In any case, I feel that the Strokes sound - for better or worse (better in my op) - sound absolutely like THEMSELVES....Sure they have their influences (GBV, early Blondie, Television, The Cars)...but one of the reasons I like them is that they have an instantly Identifiable sound -- the minute you hear a song by the Strokes, you know it's them....just like AC/DC or The Ramones or any number of great bands....

If anything, I think they get slagged because of the hype...if they were on Lookout and sold shit for records, they'd be everybody's great indie hope like Ted Leo or New Pornographers.

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Thursday, 15 January 2004 19:11 (twenty-two years ago)

if they were on Lookout and sold shit for records, they'd be everybody's great indie hope like Ted Leo or New Pornographers.
Probably...

Their fashion sense verges on obnoxious, but I guess hundreds of bands have exploited a "look" to varying degrees of success.
As for the music, I gotta say it's pretty enjoyable. Their ripping off _______, _____, & sometimes __________?? Who isn't?

Who cares?

― Will (will), Thursday, 15 January 2004 19:37 (twenty-two years ago)

Well, it doesn't do anything for me. I feel content with riffy quasi-punk bands like Television, the Velvet Underground, Lou Reed solo, NY Dolls (I'm only listing these because they're pertinent to the topic); I don't feel that the Strokes are adding anything. But yes, ultimately it's a taste thing.

NP: P. Smith "Wave"

― James Slone (Freon Trotsky), Thursday, 15 January 2004 19:57 (twenty-two years ago)

It has been mentioned on other threads but myself and many others like me just don't understand all of the hype. It has never been about hate.

well put. end of discussion. next!

― Jay Kid (Jay K), Thursday, 15 January 2004 20:10 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah, no shit! I'm not sure how hate factors in exactly.
The band I can take or leave.

― James Slone (Freon Trotsky), Thursday, 15 January 2004 20:15 (twenty-two years ago)

I've heard a lot more hate than hype about them. They get slagged by indie scenesters for being too trendy and contrived. They get slagged by the pop scenesters for being to boring and passe. For me, they're just right. They're damn fine musicians and songwriters, far ahead of most indie bands. But they're still just regular guys who like to rock. You can still sing along with them and imagine yourself writing a song like that. And to me, that's the appeal. If I had the slightest tinge of hatred for them it would stem from jealousy.

― BrianB (BrianB), Thursday, 15 January 2004 20:45 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah, but do their critics actually hate them. I criticize them, but I don't have the energy to actively hate them. And quite frankly, isn't their huge fanbase and mainstream critical accalaim enough to override the negativity? I mean seriously, where are these hurt feelings coming from? The band is a raging success; do you think they lose sleep over this widespread "hate".

― James Slone (Freon Trotsky), Thursday, 15 January 2004 20:52 (twenty-two years ago)

James Slone, you are soooooooo OTM I cannot believe it!

― Jay Kid (Jay K), Thursday, 15 January 2004 20:57 (twenty-two years ago)

There songs are too similar. All the same tempo, vocals, drumming, etc. I would enjoy them if they could mix it up a little more.

The comparison I never got w/the Strokes is Television. Someone please explain to me the similarity musicwise. I just don't see it.

― christhamrin (christhamrin), Thursday, 15 January 2004 20:59 (twenty-two years ago)

Think about how silly this is. People are getting all worked up because someone doesn't like their beloved band. You know, people look for different things in music. This isn't even about the Strokes; it's about a whole worldview that requires that everyone like the same thing. Some critics don't like the strokes. And what do you say to them? "Oh, you must just hate them because they're popular," as if disliking them weren't even a legitimate option. Well boo the fuck hoo, bah bah blacksheep. Tough shit, crybabies. All this defensive energy on a fabulously lucrative hit band that will probably be gone in two years. Sorry, but this is ridiculous.

No more posting for me; I feel like a loser talking about this.

― James Slone (Freon Trotsky), Thursday, 15 January 2004 21:00 (twenty-two years ago)

James Slone, you are soooooooo OTM I cannot believe it!

Thanks!

― James Slone (Freon Trotsky), Thursday, 15 January 2004 21:01 (twenty-two years ago)

What "hurt feelings" are you talking about? Among their fans? I don't know where that comes from. I guess it's the counter reaction to the people who do express hatred towards them. I don't really care enough to have hurt feelings, I just wonder why they get slagged so much. But you're right, I doubt they loose any sleep over it themselves, not because they're rich and famous, but because they make music they way they want to.

― BrianB (BrianB), Thursday, 15 January 2004 21:10 (twenty-two years ago)

Well, plus the fact that some of 'em are banging movie stars.

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Thursday, 15 January 2004 21:12 (twenty-two years ago)

It's not that some crit nerds hate the Strokes -- it's that most of the reasons they hate them are so baffling and backwards and usually hypocritical. "They have rich parents!" "Come to think of it, that makes them rich, and rich people should not come within even breathing distance of anything potentially feasible as 'punk rock'!" "Also they are not as good as the bands like [insert canonized-to-the-point-of-boredom band that you'd have to be at least 50 years old to have initially experienced at the prime young-and-lovin'-pop age]!" "Their last album sounded exactly like their first, which is somehow worse than when the Ramones did it!"

― nate detritus (natedetritus), Thursday, 15 January 2004 23:48 (twenty-two years ago)

People are getting all worked up because someone doesn't like their beloved band.

You're the one who keeps accusing all the people that are simply just disagreeing with you and then (gasp!) giving reasons why they disagree with you of getting worked up! I'm just trying to give you reasons why I like the strokes, and why your point about them sounding like every NYC band ever was simply just factually wrong.

It's like you trying to have it both ways - you obviously care enough to be on a strokes thread on ILM saying you don't like them, then when someone disagrees you're all blase and cool like, "Jeez dude, get a life...it's only music maaaaaan"

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Friday, 16 January 2004 00:03 (twenty-two years ago)

The Cars were from Boston anyway

― Silly Sailor (Andrew Thames), Friday, 16 January 2004 00:36 (twenty-two years ago)

To me they're ultimately just sorta dull, though I've gotten more annoyed with them since I wrote this.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 16 January 2004 01:01 (twenty-two years ago)

I sure can't get that bassline out of my head -- the one from that new song on the radio -- "Reptilia" is it? Goddamn that tune is catchy. If I can strap on some tunnelvision, the songs are awesomely fun.

― Ben Boyer (Ben Boyer), Friday, 16 January 2004 01:16 (twenty-two years ago)

the strokes are not a rock band like the faces or the who or the sex pistols or whoever. maybe they're trying to be, but that doesn't really matter. maybe this is the problem people have with them. i don't know, they have a lot of really great songs, and the production is really nice. i'm amazed that so much slander has been written (on this board and elsewhere) about the strokes because there really isn't enough interesting stuff to complain about. i'm not saying there aren't good reasons for disliking them, but for fucks sake, all the arguments against them can be summarized in a thread much shorter than this.

― justin (Justin M), Friday, 16 January 2004 02:19 (twenty-two years ago)

Yes, which is why i stopped arguing. I'm not sure why the thread exists.

― James Slone (Freon Trotsky), Friday, 16 January 2004 09:34 (twenty-two years ago)

Wow, what a thread. Man, Slone. Sorry you had to go through all that.

In my opinion, the Strokes are symptomatic of a bigger trend in indie and major label indie-styled rock. I'm not saying it's a bad thing, but let's just face it that bands are WAY more into being near cover bands these days. Just because most indie bands try to sound exactly like the Gang of 4, or the Pop Group, or Wire, or Laurie Anderson, , or Joy Division, doesn't mean that the Strokes are worse for sounding exactly like the Velvet Underground's "Coney Island Steeplechase." You simply couldn't have gotten away with that earlier. Did the Replacements sound exactly like Big Star? Fugazi like the Gang of 4? No. They borrowed creatively. This nation's younger brothers clearly aren't interested in that.

Plus, they look nearly exactly like the Sweathogs. That's just not cool. Sorry.

― Usual Channels, Tuesday, 20 January 2004 23:35 (twenty-two years ago)

Fuck the Velvet Underground. Seriously. Fuck 'em in the ear.

― nate detritus (natedetritus), Tuesday, 20 January 2004 23:42 (twenty-two years ago)

I think you've got it in the ear before.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 20 January 2004 23:44 (twenty-two years ago)

Why do I have the sudden desire to go on a carnival cruise?

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Tuesday, 20 January 2004 23:46 (twenty-two years ago)

Aural intercourse will make you think that.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 20 January 2004 23:47 (twenty-two years ago)

Aren't you supposed to be strip teasing on another thread Ned?

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Tuesday, 20 January 2004 23:48 (twenty-two years ago)

oh god no

― nate detritus (natedetritus), Tuesday, 20 January 2004 23:49 (twenty-two years ago)

I'M TAKING NATE WITH ME.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 20 January 2004 23:49 (twenty-two years ago)

oh come on don't say fuck the velvet underground thats just mean.
especially in the ear.......ouch that must hurt.
well anyway i think people should stop posting anything on this.
i kinda forgot why i started it in the first place.
oh well

― Dude (The Yellow Dart), Tuesday, 20 January 2004 23:51 (twenty-two years ago)

Also, Nate...why don't you like Velvet Underground?

It's like this:

1) Nate likes the Strokes.

2) The Strokes sound exactly like the Velvet Underground.

3) Therefore, Nate likes the Velvet Underground!

Logic is fun!

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Tuesday, 20 January 2004 23:52 (twenty-two years ago)

You're taking Nate on a Carnival Cruise?!

Boat Trip 2: Uncharted Waters

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Tuesday, 20 January 2004 23:52 (twenty-two years ago)

Starring Dan Perry

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 20 January 2004 23:53 (twenty-two years ago)

i like the strokes.
i'm not their #1 fan or anything.
i'm just saying that they are pretty much the best new group out there.
and i know that they pretty much just steal from alot of old bands.
like the velvet undeground, television.
some people even say the fall but i really don't see where they get that one from.
how come nobody said anything about brownies with peanuts in them?
just wondering.

― Dude (The Yellow Dart), Tuesday, 20 January 2004 23:55 (twenty-two years ago)

I like Brownies With Peanuts early stuff better...the major label stuff had that 80s drum sound I can't stand.

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Tuesday, 20 January 2004 23:56 (twenty-two years ago)

well the french kicks are playing every wensday in febuary at the murcury lounge.
i might go check that out. but than again i might not.
you know legal reasons.

― Dude (The Yellow Dart), Tuesday, 20 January 2004 23:59 (twenty-two years ago)

tell me about it....we live in a litigious society, sadly.

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 00:00 (twenty-two years ago)

I am mostly being facetious about the Velvets, though I do hold the extremely unpopular opinions that:

1) Loaded is their best album
2) The Strokes have the "never have done and probably never will do a rambling 12-minute art-prog-psych noodle that goes nowhere" advantage
3) The Strokes also sound far more like the Jam than they do VU

― nate detritus (natedetritus), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 00:02 (twenty-two years ago)

What??? You mean you don't hear how, say, 12:51 sounds just like Venus in Furs? Clearly you have no ears!

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 00:04 (twenty-two years ago)

what?

(oh, wait, you wrote that, not said it)

― nate detritus (natedetritus), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 00:06 (twenty-two years ago)

i like loaded but i think white light/ white heat is their best.
in fact it's my favorite of all time.
number 2 is radiohead - kid a
number 3 is......hey their celebrating joey ramones birthday paty at irving plaza.
i wonder who's gonna be there?.
all it says is special guests.
sounds pretty gay to me.

― Dude (The Yellow Dart), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 00:09 (twenty-two years ago)

"...a rambling 12-minute art-prog-psych noodle that goes nowhere..."

This, this is a terrible thing to say.

― Stupid (Stupid), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 00:09 (twenty-two years ago)

I've got more where that came from. "Albert Hammond Jr. > Sterling Morrison because ALBERT ISN'T DEAD"

― nate detritus (natedetritus), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 00:14 (twenty-two years ago)

He's no Doug Yule, though.

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 00:16 (twenty-two years ago)

oh god, I'm inching towards C-manity

― nate detritus (natedetritus), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 00:16 (twenty-two years ago)

They were on Conan the other night, or were in replay.

I didn’t find myself gripped with the near genetic sense of utter revulsion as with their first CD, instead, I experienced a sort of morbid fascination that developed into wonder: is there at work here a guileful sort of uber-theory, an overarching concern of recombinant homage being utilized to create a puirposelly self-immolating momentary subgenre?

I mean, the bass is clanky Fender Jazz w/Rotosounds ala New Wave a la Tommy Tutone. The drums are like Great Buildings/Gary Myrick LA no-muscle rock. The main guitar player went from Mission of Burma to his usual position as Tom Verlaine to the other guy’s Richard whatisname. The singer had his voice going through some processor that made it a gouged-mid-range distortion courtesy Bowie’s mix of Iggy’s vocals on Raw Power.

Etc.

But the references kept coming—after a while, I was dizzy with them. It wasn’t a pleasant experience, to be certain, but not the usual in any way. If there were evidence of a semiotic background in their CV, that might explain it.

I still wouldn’t listen to their CD, but would be i9ntrested to know if one of their girlfriends at the agency is into Adorno or something.

― Ian Grey (Ian_G), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 00:20 (twenty-two years ago)

Everyone sounds like everyone else ever!

― nate detritus (natedetritus), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 00:22 (twenty-two years ago)

Skipping 45 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

isn't it going back to houston? or something like that

― Dude (The Yellow Dart), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 02:55 (twenty-two years ago)

yay awesome

(locale altered for relevancy purposes)

― nate detritus (natedetritus), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 02:55 (twenty-two years ago)

~~DARE YOU QUESTION MY BECK KNOWLEDGE?!?!?!~~

― nate detritus (natedetritus), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 02:55 (twenty-two years ago)

okay--back from being morbidly interested in them on a wonk theoretical level to despising them again.

coney, the strokes--in the same sentence fragment, christ.

they probably get a limo ride to the mermaid pararde to check out the alternachick action

― Ian Grey (Ian_G), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 03:09 (twenty-two years ago)

i guess i should say something else about this.......sluts are nice

― Dude (The Yellow Dart), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 03:25 (twenty-two years ago)

And dude what is up with that Avril Lavigne chick and her skinny ties??

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 03:41 (twenty-two years ago)

yeah those ties are so skinny!
wha's up wit' dat?
nigga pleeze

― Dude (The Yellow Dart), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 03:43 (twenty-two years ago)

sorry about that last message....it just came out

― Dude (The Yellow Dart), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 03:46 (twenty-two years ago)

they probably get a limo ride to the mermaid pararde to check out the alternachick action

Yeah, you'd think they're rock stars or something

― nate detritus (natedetritus), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 03:52 (twenty-two years ago)

haha "stars"

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 03:54 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh, I forgot, you have to be constantly talked about and put on the cover of magazines and given slots on SNL and Letterman and Conan and have instant name recognition to be stars. Stoopid me!

― nate detritus (natedetritus), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 04:24 (twenty-two years ago)

i'd rather listen to the strokes than to limp bizkit or good charlotte.

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 04:37 (twenty-two years ago)

He burned ya there, Anthony

― applepie baseball, Wednesday, 21 January 2004 06:30 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm glad James Slone didn't return he was too too caustic for me

― Silly Sailor (Andrew Thames), Friday, 23 January 2004 11:41 (twenty-two years ago)

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