Words by John McShane

As has been covered by a number of people recently (likely in greater depth and with greater eloquence), The Strokes are going into their second decade, rumors to the contrary be damned. It’s hard not to look back on their career-so-far without at least a twinge of nostalgia in a couple of ways: for that of a late-90′s New York that never actually existed, for a time before ‘witch-house’ when industry buzz propelled less dubiously-named styles (i.e. ‘Rock’), and for a time when these five were living out the first two reels of any competently-made rock band biopic. In any case, what better way to confront these attacks of memory than with a trip down memory lane that only Internet video could make possible?

(Note: a number of NBC-owned videos (their November 2003 residency on Conan; Julian performing ‘I Wish It Was Christmas Today’ on Fallon last year) are no longer available for viewing anywhere, so there are some holes in this history. Would it really be rock n’ roll without some holes and patches though?)

Modern Age era:

Is This It era:

Room on Fire era:

(Sad face for the Conan clips that should come right here: :’<)

First Impressions of Earth era:

Solo years:

Albert:

Fab:

Nikolai:

Julian:

Fourth LP: