Julian Casablancas on the Voidz, the Strokes and which way he’ll (probably) vote
Julian Casablancas sneered his way into instant rock stardom nearly a quarter of a century ago as the glamorously disheveled frontman of the Strokes. Since then many have repeatedly anticipated the Strokes’ demise only to see them continue to thrive, as with 2020’s “The New Abnormal,” which won the band its first Grammy Award, and that album’s subsequent tour, on which it played arenas filled with people who hadn’t been born when the band released its perfect 2001 debut, “Is This It.”
Even so, Casablancas in recent years often has seemed more interested in his other band, the Voidz, which just dropped its third LP, “Like All Before You.” It’s an alternately tender and forbidding set of electronic rock jams slathered with digital effects and suffused with thoughts of collapse both personal and political. Ahead of a Voidz show Wednesday night at the Orpheum Theatre, Casablancas — who’s 46 and shares two children with his ex-wife — discussed the album and some of its preoccupations over dinner on the rooftop of East Hollywood’s Hotel Covell.
You want a drink? Do you drink?
No.
Conscious choice?
Just by accident, somehow. No, it’s funny — I don’t drink anymore, but I finally like the taste. I used to just guzzle thoughtlessly, and now I’m like: Oh, I like this tequila a lot more than this one.
Just in time to not have any interest in drinking it.
Same with cigarettes. I’ll light someone’s cigarette and I won’t inhale it, but I feel like I can taste it and enjoy it way more than when I smoked.
Does vaping appeal to you?
I think the weed vaping back in the day was cool. I don’t smoke weed anymore either. But the current vaping — no. It looks like a pacifier to me.
You miss drinking?
I miss the feeling of euphoria at the beginning. But she is an empty seductress.
As someone who’s lived in both New York and L.A., do you think the two places embody wealth and power differently?
I guess I experience rich people in the entertainment industry here, and in New York I more see, like, corporate-y types. I’m not hanging out with them, I’m just saying I notice square, wealthy people out and about doing fancy things. I think I’m maybe more off-put by the artsy people [in L.A.].
You mean because you’re an artist.
Maybe, yeah.
When you were a kid, did being a rich guy seem cool or lame?
“Die yuppie scum” was one of the main slogans of my teen years, so in that context, it was not cool. But if you were to be successful in music, like a Jim Morrison or something, that would be considered cool.
“Die yuppie scum” resonated with you.
Sure. I was living in Yorkville, which is the Upper East Side, basically. We were stupid teen rebels. But I was more focused on trying to be a good musician. Built to Spill or Guided by Voices, they seemed like they could make a living touring as an indie band, which is not really a thing anymore. But back then it was kind of the goal. With the bands I liked — the Velvet Underground, Bob Marley — wealth wasn’t really glorified, though I guess success maybe implied it.
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This new Voidz album has a lot of songs that seem to consider divorce and the trauma of dismantling one’s family. Accurate or inaccurate?
Probably accurate. I didn’t really think about it at the time, but I was listening to it the other day, and I was like, Ooohhh. The lyrics were speaking to me on a deep level. The weird thing about lyrics is I don’t even — and it’s always been like this for me — I’ll say things I don’t even understand until years later, when I’ll realize how much sense they make. It’s like a message in a bottle to yourself.
Do you care about being understood by the audience?
I mean, the goal of lyrics is to try to be universal. Many different types of people are consuming it, and you want to be emotionally relevant, ideally, to most of them. You want to inspire.
Really?
I think the purpose of art is to inspire people. Is that controversial?
Inspire them to do what?
To imagine things the best possible way they can be. To give you the strength to work toward dreams. To give validation to your feelings that push you to improve your life.
I think that’s the opposite of how I listen to music.
Maybe you’re a sociopath. No, I mean, everyone’s different. But when music moves you, it’s powerful. It can give you a sad feeling but then you’re like: I’m gonna do that thing. [laughs]
This record has what I think is fair to call a reggae song.
“7 Horses”? I wouldn’t go there.
But you knew which one I meant.
Maybe the drums are comparable. But that’s because there’s a guitar in the drum track that we couldn’t take out. I would have if I could have.
The Voidz are often described as an experimental band. Not your word, necessarily, but if that’s the case, what is the experiment trying to find out?
It’s not really my word, but again: If you’re trying to imagine things that don’t exist yet, I guess it’s as good a word as any.
You’ve been a vocal Bernie Sanders supporter. Bernie rode pretty far into this election with President Biden, and I wondered what you made of that.
I question his strategic thinking. That would be his flaw. I understand the desire to not want Trump, so it’s not shocking. But I do find it confusing that Democrats who seem to know the corporate way things work still support the Democratic Party, which seems like such an evil-billionaire entity. That baffles me. At the end of the day, there’s something the Democratic Party does for Bernie, which I don’t understand.
When Biden dropped out and Kamala Harris stepped in, did you watch the upsurge of optimism among liberals with sympathy, amusement or dismay?
I would say complete indifference. I think the fact that they’ve got someone at the top of the ticket that no one voted for is in total alignment with how the DNC wants to operate.
Will you vote?
There’s an argument to be made on the eve of the day that it’s probably wise, even though I think the difference between the parties is minute in terms of policy. They both suck. But because of the chance that Trump could try to stay [in office] forever, it’s worth voting against him.
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When would you pinpoint the moment when money poisoned politics?
This isn’t a new thing. Since the dawn of civilization it’s been the human race versus a few power-lord douches. We haven’t had democracy since tribal times.
Given that view, you must find it pretty rich when Democrats bang the drum about preserving democracy.
Sure. Again, the technicality is that Trump might not leave. So that’s a bummer. But there’s another part of me that feels like then people will really have to f—ing wake up.
Does the project of trying to illuminate people feel exhausting or exciting?
There’s moments of excitement because it’s so simple. It’s right there — you just have to look further than like three clicks. But then nobody cares. They’re like, “All I got is one click in me.”
What about illuminating your children?
That feels easy because they haven’t been brainwashed, as much as their school is trying to brainwash them. And they don’t really read news yet. It’s very hard to not be bombarded with corporate news on your phone. Impossible.
What kind of music do your kids listen to?
Phonk.
Funk?
No, Russian phonk. P-H-O-N-K. It’s like weird social media music.
Do you try to turn them on to stuff you like?
I play songs for them. They have pretty cool taste, I think.
When you’re working with the Voidz, is there anything you miss about working with the Strokes? And vice versa?
Probably one direction more than the other. I don’t know if I can answer that without being offensive to someone.
I assume that means you miss the Voidz.
Sometimes, yeah.
By playing Strokes shows, do you ever feel like you’re contributing to an opiate-of-the-masses vibe?
No, because I think I put political thoughts now in Strokes songs too. I always have to some degree. I definitely think a lot of Strokes fans don’t get that about it so much, which is maybe why I’ve kind of stepped away a little bit. But it’s a very cool day job that I’m honored to have, so I don’t feel negatively about it. If it was wasting so much of my time that I couldn’t do anything positive, then I would. But I don’t let it get to that point. At least I don’t think so. I could be lying to myself.
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