Games

Album: Angles (2011)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Lead singer Julian Casablancas told the NME: "We had guitars on it originally, but it just sounded better to me without them. It definitely has a different vibe for us. There's a lot of weird stuff on that song; most of the weird sounds are drums that have been messed around with."
  • The song's ending originates from a piece of music that The Strokes came up with around the turn of the century (once titled "E Minor Madness") and features guitarist Albert Hammond Jr. playing lines "inspired by Daft Punk's Veridis Quo."
  • Hammond described the song to NME as "cold, strange, new, unique and fascinating."
  • Nick Valensi, who co-wrote the track with his bandmates Casablancas and Hammond, was dismayed by the guitars being dropped in favor of synths. He told Rock & Folk in 2011: "I couldn't find the perfect guitar for it. I tried my hand on a few synths and then Albert threw out all the guitars and kept all my synths. They all loved it. Except me. I didn't want synths on a Strokes album! I thought it was crazy! But they convinced me. Let's try this Yamaha, bring on this Juno! and the Moog! and the Mellotron! Now how are we going to do this live? Play backs, loops? S--t like that? I hate this idea."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

British Invasion

British InvasionFact or Fiction

Go beyond The Beatles to see what you know about the British Invasion.

Music Video Director David Hogan

Music Video Director David HoganSong Writing

David talks about videos he made for Prince, Alabama, Big & Rich, Sheryl Crow, DMB, Melissa Etheridge and Sisters of Mercy.

Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty

Rob Thomas of Matchbox TwentySongwriter Interviews

Rob Thomas on his Social Distance Sessions, co-starring with a camel, and his friendship with Carlos Santana.

Jeff Trott

Jeff TrottSongwriter Interviews

Sheryl Crow's longtime songwriting partner/guitarist Jeff Trott reveals the stories behind many of the singer's hits, and what its like to be a producer for Leighton Meester and Max Gomez.

Director Nick Morris ("The Final Countdown")

Director Nick Morris ("The Final Countdown")Song Writing

Nick made some of the biggest videos on MTV, including "The Final Countdown," "Heaven" and "Don't Know What You Got (Till It's Gone)."

Tim Butler of The Psychedelic Furs

Tim Butler of The Psychedelic FursSongwriter Interviews

Tim and his brother Richard are the Furs' foundation; Tim explains how they write and tells the story of "Pretty In Pink."