Taking Sides: Elastica vs. The Strokes

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Some magazine that starts with an "s" and has the same amount of letters as "shit" once posited- in one of its rare moments that I agree with- that the Strokes are the "male Elastica". Makes sense to me- both bands are accused by cynics of being over-hyped on both sides of the Atlantic (yet not charting all that huge in the USA), famous mostly due to their (cough) connections (Justine's snogging partner/Julian's dad), possibly suffering from smack problems, and going the soundalike route (Wire, VU). On the other hand, they both have pretty damn good debut albums that aren't going to save rock or change the way we listen to music but are good to dust off every few weeks or stick in the 5-CD shuffle for a party or whatever. Of course the paths of these two bands are apparently going to diverge since the Strokes are supposedly going to release a new album this fall, merely a year after their debut- whereas Elastica, well, you know.

― Nate Patrin, Sunday, 16 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Also: OMG WHO'S HOTTER JULIAN OR JUSTINE? XOXOXOXO

― Nate Patrin, Sunday, 16 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Elsatica's 1st album I like a lot. The Strokes I just find incredibly nothingish. Elastica for me.

― Norman Phay, Sunday, 16 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

i prefer ANAL CUNT.

― jess, Sunday, 16 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

The Strokes are better because they're younger. Twenty years from now we'll see (if anyone cares).

― Keiko, Sunday, 16 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Jess didn't answer my question. HE'S GAY!

― Nate Patrin, Sunday, 16 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Elastica because at least they didn't have dumb names like 'Nikolai Fraiture'

― geeta, Sunday, 16 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Justine was in Suede before Elastica. Hence dud. Oh wait, Elastica did a collaboration with Marky Mark E. Oh wait... she snogged Mr Bluroid. Actually I don't give a tosser. heh

― nathalie, Sunday, 16 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Elastica because at least they didn't have dumb names like 'Nikolai Fraiture'

"Mew" is not a dumb name?

― Nate Patrin, Sunday, 16 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

http://members.lycos.co.uk/undoneubb/HateFuckToy/StrokesJ.jpg

― Dom Passantino, Sunday, 16 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

What's this about a smack problem? what's your grapevine?

― Barnaby, Sunday, 16 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

The Strokes are not confirmed junkies or anything, though I think I've read asides from snarky journos who think they are (though it probably has more to do with that TIRED TIRED TIRED VU analogy than anything). As for Elastica: Ther e's this interview here that says something about a smack problem.

― Nate Patrin, Sunday, 16 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Smack problem with elastica is established fact and lots of the reason that their second alb (which suXored) took so long. also the elastica gurlz = hot and the strokes boyz = not. As for smack with the strokes, i wouldn't be surprised (look at the photo dom put up - mr 'casablancas' looks like he's aching for his next fix! gary coleman looks positively radiant in comparison) therefore the strokes suXor and gary coleman r00lz d00d QED

― geeta, Sunday, 16 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

also it wouldn't surprise me if one of the strokes guys is currently dating damon albarn

― geeta, Sunday, 16 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

1) Elastica's second album did not suck.
2) I do not understand your motivation for the whole hot/not dichotomy you are trying to lay out here.
3) The Strokes do not suck.
4) Didn't Gary Coleman have some scary-ass animated Saturday morning cartoon show in the '80s, or was that Emmanuel Lewis?

― Nate Patrin, Sunday, 16 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

mr 'casablancas' looks like he's aching for his next fix!
Or a brain. Or a record. Or a... whatever I don't care.

― nathalie, Sunday, 16 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

1) Elastica's second album did not suck.

There was a lot I was prepared to forgive when it came to Elastica, but this I cannot agree with. There was only one good song that hadn't already been released on the "6-track EP", and the rest was uninspired tripe.

I loved their last 7", though.

― electric sound of jim, Sunday, 16 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Elastica's second record DID NOT suck.

― M Matos, Monday, 17 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Coming soon to ILM: The Strokes vs. Echobelly

― zebedee, Monday, 17 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I would also like to assert that Elastica's second record DID NOT suck. Thank you.

― Elijah, Monday, 17 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

it did too!

(this is hardly the deepest conversation ever - anyone want to start listing reasons? i would start, but that means i might have to put myself through listening to the menace again)

― geeta, Monday, 17 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

All I have to say is to hell with the Strokes and Elastica. THE RAPTURE is a far far far far better band.

― cybele, Monday, 17 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Elastica's second album: If you take out the previously released songs (from the "6-track EP"), you're left with one good song (Mad Dog), maybe 2 alright ones and the rest is garbage. Sorry. I tried really, really hard to like it, too.

― electric sound of jim, Monday, 17 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

The Strokes = VU ? bollocks. Have none of you heard Television? I don't recall The Strokes directly cribbing i am the fly either.

Big SO TRUE for The Rapture. Awesome, genius brillant + more superlatives i'm just too tired to type...

― Andrew, Tuesday, 18 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

the strokes sound nothing like television (or VU)!! i have no idea where that comparison came from. they sound like the knack to me (except i like the knack better)

we need more bands that sound like cheap trick

― geeta, Tuesday, 18 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

If you took The Strokes album and coloured in all the scratchy grey and made sure that every track had several spine-tingling g-spot moments and crammed it full of joyous girl-harmonies and "Ooh"s and lyrical content which allows you to play 'spot-the-references-to- relatively-intriguing-well-documented-vaguely-incestuous-tangled- relationship-history-with-Other-Popular-British-Bands-Of-The-Day-And- Key-Members-Of-Aforementioned-Bands' and placed mirror perpendicular to it in (possibly scientifically improbable, i dunno, this approaching Physics) attempt to create extra dimension, THEN you might have the first Elastica album. And i like the Strokes album, but is not quite so fun&lush. The second Elastica album does not suck, in my humble opinion, it's more on par with The Strokes album in terms of genius (which is to say: sprinkled with it, but there are gaping holes...)

― Alex Linsdell, Tuesday, 18 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

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