The Strokes: Their Fans Envy Coldplay's Success

Being hailed as saviors of a pop style has been a heavy load for the Strokes [pictured]. Singer Julian Casablancas says they'd rather focus on their music instead of their 'mission.'

Julian Casablancas is getting tired of people asking him where he's going. And he doesn't mean Madrid, his destination this day as he navigates the Milan airport, in the middle of a hectic European jaunt of press sessions and club shows to advance Tuesday's release of the Strokes' third album, "First Impressions of Earth."

All went according to plan with a debut album, 2001's "Is This It," selling a solid million in the U.S. and collecting international accolades. But a second album, 2003's "Room on Fire," stalled at half the sales, and even supporters started to question the band's will to lead while watching Coldplay do the hard work to achieve the status some wanted for the Strokes. To make matters worse, such other upstarts as Franz Ferdinand and the Killers walked through the commercial door the Strokes opened.

So now with the third album — historically a make-or-break career mark — it's hard not to ask: Are the Strokes going to step up and be a world-class band or not?

Read the full article here