An Ode to The Strokes: My Journey With The Band

Some bands feel like fireworks—bright, fleeting, and explosive. But The Strokes are different. They’re the kind of music that seeps into your veins and stays there, like a perfect melody you can’t help but hum. My introduction to them came almost accidentally through “Reptilia” on Guitar Hero 3, where its pulsing rhythm and sharp guitar riffs left a faint but unforgettable imprint. At the time, I was neck-deep in an Arctic Monkeys obsession, and it was through that rabbit hole, with a friend’s encouragement, that I discovered the band that would change my relationship with music forever.

What hooked me wasn’t just their energy—it was the way their music felt like a conversation between instruments. The dual guitar parts wove around each other like a pair of dancers, never stepping on toes but always in sync. The harmonies? They hit like bittersweet memories, a mix of grit and polish that feels both raw and refined. Every member played their role with precision, yet together they created something bigger—a sound so cohesive it felt like it could’ve only come from New York City itself.

By the time I dove into their catalog, I was fully consumed: reading interviews, devouring live performances, and learning every riff I could on guitar. Their music felt like a masterclass in balance—tight but not sterile, vibrant but not chaotic. I loved how everything tied together seamlessly, as if the band operated on some unspoken wavelength.

In 2022, I finally got to see them live at Lytham Festival, and it felt like a culmination of everything I’d come to love about them. After 12 hours on a coach and a sleepless night, I should’ve been drained, but the sheer electricity of their performance swept all that away. It wasn’t just a concert; it was a baptism in sound, an experience that cemented my connection to their music forever.

Alongside Arctic Monkeys, The Strokes became a cornerstone of my musical world, leading me to explore the artists that inspired them—The Doors, The Velvet Underground, Pearl Jam, Thin Lizzy, Marvin Gaye, and so many others. Writing this blog is my way of giving back, a love letter to a band whose music continues to shape my life in more ways than I can count.