Just under  a month until Comedown Machine is released, here is a round-up of the latest news and photos.

Uncut Review

A very short review appears in the new Uncut magazine.

News round-up

The Strokes Trying Your Luck is due to be featured on a compilation CD aiming to raise money for suicide prevention charity CALM. You can find out more about donating to the cause here and read an interview Eric from The Strokes News did with Ben Tallon.

There are now Comedown Machine bundles available on The Strokes official webstore. Note this doesn’t work for people in the UK and Ireland due to Rough Trade being the bands record label, hopefully they will do their own bundles soon.

Gallery Update

Nick played Petty Fest San Francisco last night (27 February)

Nikolai, Fab and Albert were judges at the Garden of Dreams Foundation Talent Show in NYC (27 February)

Fan Project

Strokes fan Gabe (@arcticbuckley) is making a fan documentary about the band. He is looking for fellow fans to contribute to the film by talking about those five guys from NYC. If you are interested contact him via Twitter. Below is one of the trailers he made last year (view the other one here), with new ones planned soon.

News round-up

• Nick Valensi is playing Petty Fest San Francisco on February 27. He played at the LA version back in November last year doing a great rendition of Tom Petty’s American Girl. [Via The Strokes News]

• Nikolai now has a new Facebook page you should all check out. Nikolai recently played bass on two new projects, with Harper Simon (check out his new single Bonnie Brae). He also played with Adam Green and Binki Shapiro on a track that doesn’t appear on their rather excellent debut album. That song is Collage and can be heard here

• Julian sent out an update regarding Cult Records which he owns and their two recent signings The Virgins and Har Mar Superstar. You can sign up to the label’s mailing list at the official site.

New Single All The Time airing next week

As previously mentioned All The Time will be sent to radio stations next week. Zane Lowe will be playing it as one of his hottest records on Wednesday 13 February. Zane will also be conducting an interview with one of the guys. More info here.

Gallery Update

Nick’s birthday celebrations in Las Vegas 11 Jan 2013

Julian in Manhattan 04 Feb 2013

Photos from Colin Lane’s Tumblr

So it seems like there is still no word on The Strokes next album, lots of rumour but nothing solid. Lets hope 2013 brings us what we all want, a new album and a tour.

I’ve updated the gallery with lots of candid photos of the band from late last year and more recently this week

Candid gallery update

2012

Albert at the Killing Them Softly premiere (26 Nov)

Nick & Fab at the Carrera Cocktail Party (06 Dec)

2013

Fab & Kristen Wiig in NYC (07 Jan)

Julian at the ‘Charles Swan III’ screening (09 Jan)

Live gallery update

Nick, Fab and Albert play Petty Fest NY and LA (Oct & Nov 2012)

The second day of the Pearl Jam Festival provided yet more collaborations. I honestly love it when The Strokes perform with other people it always add in an extra element of fun and the guys clearly have a blast.

Julian joined QOTSA on stage during Sick Sick Sick – the song that he performed backing vocals and guitar for back in 2007. QOTSA singer Josh Homme returned the favour and came out for New York City Cops, as well as Eddie Vedder singing on Juicebox again.

Finally Julian (having a busy night) sang backing vocals on Pearl Jam’s Red Mosquito.

Overall sounds like another great night and I’m sure anyone at the concerts this weekend had a blast. I’m so jealous of anyone who went BTW ha

Videos

New York City Cops with Josh Homme

Download: video / audio

Pearl Jam’s Red Mosquito with Julian Casablancas

Download: video / audio

I haven’t found a video for Sick Sick Sick yet but will add it to this post if I do

Photos

Once again thanks to  Jeff Ansari for a lot of  coverage of the weekend

The Strokes at PJ20 on Sunday
Julian on stage with QOTSA 
Live Photos: Summer 2011: Pearl Jam Festival Day Two

Interviews

1.48 into this clip you can see Nick and Albert talk about Pearl Jam, Nick who I think along with Julian is the biggest fan of the band in The Strokes is clearly ecstatic to be playing at the festival

Interview with Q Magazine (issue date June 2011). Have to say not one of my favourites from this year, think Q were deliberately creating drama to put a depressing spin on things. Hey that is the way the media works though – drama sells and the Strokes do have a tendency to say headline grabbing things, even if they later regret it.

Magazines : 2011 : Q Magazine (Click for full article)