"There are no sort of mirrors or shtick with what we do. I hope that what we inspire in people is that whatever it is you want to do, you can achieve it with enough hard work. I think that if we were ever to stop playing, we would at least have left this small sort of blueprint about how you can do the music that you love without ever having to compromise yourself but you'll still be able to be recognised."
In February 2002, The Strokes received the biggest public honour yet - winning the Best International Newcomer category at the Brit Awards in Earl's Court, London. Even though the boys dutifully accepted this prestigious industry gong, they remain sceptical of such accolades and occasions.
"I don't think it means much at all," opines Nick Valensi. "I don't think it's any gauge of how good your music is. Getting a platinum disc meant more to us because it meant a certain amount of people own our album, listen to it and have it in their CD collection. I've never been a fan of those occasions when all these rich and famous people pat themselves on the back to say a job well done and host a big celebration about how good they are. That's certainly not for me and I don't think it is for us. I'd rather just put that in the past and work on something new and do something better as opposed to just throwing a party for self-celebration."
Nikolai Fraiture is reflecting on how, for their own part, they have judged some things wrongly. "In Paris, we were to play a TV show but something happened with our record company (BMG) where they weren't very nice so we just left it alone. We didn't realise that about 40 or 50 kids had won tickets. Some kids had taken off work or school and travelled all the way to Paris to see this little thing we were supposed to do. So, we took the names and numbers of all the kids and we called each of them and told them we'd be at this bar in some neighborhood in Paris if they wanted to come and get their stuff signed or if they just wanted to have a beer and hang out.
"Primarily we are here to make music, but they are the people that come to see us and they are the reason we are able to come to Europe in the first place. Without them, it is impossible. The fans that come and see us are of every age and every colour and are so diverse, but the one thing they share is that they are all really excited about our music."
Those fans Nikolai so touchingly acknowledges have been setting some astonishing box office records. Two nights in London's Brixton Academy sold out in 45 minutes. At the show I attended in Glasgow's Barrowlands, tickets were changing hands for up to �150 sterling.
"I feel really good about the shows doing so well, but at the same time I feel really bad," reflects Albert Hammond Junior. "I've been a fan of many bands and if I left it too late and I'd have to do my fair share of lying to get in! I don't mind people doing that. I always feel like if you're able to get in then good for you! You broke it! I got no problem with that. But it has become really crazy. This is our second world tour and the whole tour is sold out and they're all the same sized venues, 1,500 to 5,000. That's just crazy that we go all over the world and sell out."
Part Four: No, there's more
On the evidence of the two shows I caught in Glasgow and the Olympia in recent weeks and judging by first hand reports from James Endeacott and Geoff Travis at Rough Trade about the second Brixton Academy gig, The Strokes have developed into a powerful live act.
They play everything from Is This It and three new songs in one great hour long flash of noise and melody and passion. Two of the new songs, the wonderfully titled 'Meet Me In The Bathroom' and the provisionally named 'Ze Newie' deserve a special mention.
"The first time we played 'Newie' was the New Year's Eve show at the Apollo in New York," explains Albert. "It was written a month and a half ago and since we were on the road from January 19th we've been changing it. It finally got fixed somewhat in Germany two weeks ago. 'Meet Me In The Bathroom' came from around the same time. The way our songs evolve is that when we get them to a good enough level, we play them live. We discard stuff, but if it's good enough to play live then we take it from there and we realise very quickly what is good or bad."
As it happens, 'Ze Newie' is very, very good, boasting a typically addictive razor sharp Strokes chorus. Another show-stopping Strokes newie is 'Meet Me In The Bathroom'.
"I love playing 'Meet Me In The Bathroom'," enthuses Albert. "I think it's a good song, it's a mixture of rock and something that is so melodic because the chord progression is an old jazz chord progression from the 20's. If you heard the same chords in a jazz song you wouldn't realise it could work in a rock song at all."
Even the hardiest cynics on the fence must admit that two great new songs so soon after a monumental debut album and punishing tour schedule add considerable weight to the argument that The Strokes are more than a one hit album wonder.
Now, refusing to succumb to the temptations of the summer festival circuit, they're planning a strategic retreat.
"I understand why we have to tour because people want to see live music," reflects Julian Casablancas. "It is probably the purest and the truest way to really enjoy music. But for now, we're going to take a few months off and work on some new stuff. Before each song, I feel like I don't know how to write a song, so I'll probably feel that way again."
Nikolai Fraiture shares Julian's sentiments wholeheartedly.
"For the summer, I think we have to work on more material because on the road it's very hard to create anything new. So we must take time off to do that. We'd love to do the festivals because they're so much fun, but I think in the long run it would hurt us more as a band. It'll be good to get back to a normal state of mind and way of life where we are going into the studio a lot and writing."
The Strokes are backed 100% by Rough Trade on this stance.
"We don't want The Strokes to milk their fame," maintains Geoff Travis. "We want them to go and write some new songs. We want them to make records for as long as they want to make records. I'm looking forward to the third, fourth and fifth albums. I hope that some of the mistakes that happen to bands like The Stone Roses don't happen to them and that we can help them to avoid falling into some of those traps.
"The psychological context of how you do your work is critically important. Very few bands have that network around them. I'm sure New Order appreciated it during their Factory years more than they could even say now. I thnk that is also true for Depeche Mode and all those other bands that have stayed for long periods of time with the best indies. It has helped them to make good work and it's really important."
Love of loathe 'em, here is another inescapable fact of Strokes' life. For all the time I've spent with them, they have always eaten together, drank together, acted the clown together and, in short, appeared as a rock solid unit of friends.