Creating the sound of The Strokes w/ Is This It and Room on Fire producer Gordon Raphael

[@syfenx]

So this guy made me think all my speakers were broken as a teen

[@dBsInstitute]

😂😂😂

[@arcticmonkey505]

You should have stopped listening to music

[@NEEDSHES]

😂😂😂

[@AnnaLaug]

This guy didn’t make you a dense as a teen

[@wormRock21]

This guy made one of the best records in history and yet he seems so humble and nice, thank you for posting this

[@dBsInstitute]

Yeah, right? He's such a great guy!

[@zatch9362]

*two

[@hugomarquez3189]

Exactly, you realize it wasn’t just The Strokes recording in his studio, there were a lot of tricks of the trade he employed, not least of which the distortion, which is the sound of the album

[@emiliaukaszkiewicz1426]

This man has such a calming presence.. I could watch him for hours, such a cool dude

[@dBsInstitute]

So could we! Luckily for you, there's more incoming from Gordon this weekend on how he works with artists as a producer and more to come in the following weeks! Make sure to subscribe to our channel 🤗

[@arcticmonkey505]

Should have kept him as producer. Literally the reason why all the Strokes albums after First Impressions of Earth sucked fat dock, except maybe the one with Rick Rubin.

[@squash15]

@@arcticmonkey505 you might wanna listen to comedown machine again

[@julianlaverde1380]

@@arcticmonkey505 I think it works until it doesn't. The Strokes needed to move away in order to find new sounds. Otherwise, they would have been stuck into the same music style. Don't forget they were really criticized when Room on fire came out, people thought it was Is this it 2.0, also, it didn't sell as expected...

[@TheKrodes]

@@arcticmonkey505fioe is my least favourite strokes album, but i love comedown and angles

[@stephenmonkemeier9464]

I've never been able to put into words what I love about the Strokes and those first 2 albums, but this man explained it perfectly at 14:11 -it's composition. They're not just cool and edgy, the music is also complex and perfectly arranged. There were a lot of edgy bands back then. I think it's this aspect that makes the Strokes' music timeless and something I want to listen to over and over

[@MajorPatchouli]

Thanks for sharing :)

[@SEATACx]

Gordon! He was my uncle back in the day (married to my aunt). An extremely kind, thoughtful, and intriguing man. So exciting to see him pop up on KZbin like this. Hope you’re well sir!

[@rupman27isback]

Ask him what happened to the band "Come on" lol

[@dBsInstitute]

He's a great guy! We really enjoyed having visit us and our students

[@pranjallpahuja]

okay this is one of my favourtie interviews EVER. i love his story telling so much

[@dBsInstitute]

So glad you liked it! Gordon was so great to chat to while he was with us in Bristol! We've got more videos from this interview coming up so make sure to subscribe!

[@scmcdougal8917]

I didn’t know this info about Jules truly visionary

[@user-qw1lh2lc3c]

you should read Gordons book!! its absolutely wonderful!! filled with these types of stories about the strokes and beyond

[@rupman27isback]

@@dBsInstitute I hope so because there was no talk about "Room on Fire"

[@pranjallpahuja]

@@user-qw1lh2lc3c i didnt know about that!! ill check it out, thanks!

[@overdramaticgrandma]

He is extremely humble and chill which made this so enjoyable plus I love his storytelling technique & he's giving the perfect amount of detail imo

[@dBsInstitute]

Loved this talk with Gordon. What a legend!

[@wyrlismike]

i like that this guy truly has his own thing for producing. he was a big part of creating that sound

[@dBsInstitute]

Yeah, he really helped to capture their sound. We've also just published another video on the channel about how Gordon works with artists as a producer generally and there's more on the way. If you haven't already, subscribe to the channel!

[@shekeib]

16:42 "every note had to be under control" 🎵BUT I DON"T WANNA DO IT THAAAAT WAY 🎵

[@enshen2190]

I don’t wanna waste your tiimmee

[@paulmosman6468]

Idk why but these stories are fucking hilarious. The way julian casablanca is such a honest asshole? his lines are awesome. It just makes me think this would translate so well on screen. Gordon is a fantastic story teller also.

[@dBsInstitute]

Hey Paul. Glad you liked this one! Yeah, he's hilarious! More to come from Gordon on the channel so keep your eyes peeled! 👀

[@MrBrokentowels]

They should have made all of their records with him.

[@AB-sw4kb]

Nah

[@lonelittlejerry917]

@@AB-sw4kb Valid

[@rupman27isback]

Agree, Comedown Machine was a terrible album that I'll never forgive The Strokes for lol

[@gretameske7605]

@@rupman27isback yeah my impression was it was essentially a joke and an F - you to RCA so definitely their worst work in my opinion (but maybe that was the point?). I really love the sound of their first two records but their newest one, although very different in sound/style to their earlier days is one of their best imo and they wouldn't have gotten that with Gordon even though he is still great

[@rupman27isback]

@gretameske7605 agree with you 100%! When I first heard Comedown Machine. I also thought it was a joke 😆. I was waiting for the real album to come out lol I also love The New Abnormal. Also check out Albert's new solo album. Soo good

[@IRGhost0]

15:30 i’ve always said this too, listening to the strokes feels like listening to classical music.

[@AB-sw4kb]

Yeah, Is This It is like a string quartet but the string instrument is a guitar

[@dBsInstitute]

Great bit of insight, right??

[@muteussouza]

Thank you very much for this interview, since MTV's death the kind of content music lovers enjoy is all over the place on the internet, and an rich and detailed interview as this is such a gem, we need more material of this kind from as many producers or baskstage people you can invite, the 2000's bands are veterans now and this can really help give insights to new artists wanting to begin their careers or getting inspiration and motivation. Obviously this was not a common and predictable series of events, and the music market nowadays is considerably different with the advent of social media, but all we need to inspire musicians is to plant the seed of making music born from their hearts and care for it. Great job.

[@dBsInstitute]

So glad you liked this video and appreciate us getting Gordon down 🤗 We try and invite as many industry insiders as possible over to our campuses to speak to our students so keep an eye out for more insightful interviews on our channel!

[@Chuco029]

I find it so comforting to know that when Julien describes things, he says it in ways so that people have to go back with a freaking codex to decipher it. It shows how for him, the sound is a whole body experience and not just the ears.

[@hawsrulebegin7768]

What a lovely guy and great storyteller. He shaped a moment in rock history.

[@dBsInstitute]

He really did! It was so interesting having a guy who has helped make such a difference to music culture here with our students!

[@DukeFame88]

The early 2000s was the last great era of innovative rock music. I wish we got him to share more of his inspiration for the "sound". ..My guess is this guy loved Guided by Voices (Bee Thousand album)....Rob Pollard is a low fi genius.

[@Temmple]

I remember Gordon from a local Seattle band he was in called Sky Cries Mary back in the early 90’s. Such a smart nice guy ❤

[@dBsInstitute]

Yeah Gordon is a great guy. Hopefully we will see him again soon!

[@itstheprintshop]

This is honestly one of the most important things I've ever learned about composition. Thank you SO much. It really opened my eyes.

[@dBsInstitute]

So glad that you found this useful! We've got more coming from Gordon about his creative process and how he got into the industry as well!

[@ErnestoM.]

Really interesting, Gordon seems like a really cool dude, thanks to him for making such a great album possible!

[@dBsInstitute]

Yeah, he really is such a nice guy and super interesting! More to come from him this weekend on the channel 👀

[@atthewhiskey]

This is an amazing interview and story. The sound of the Modern Age EP & This Is It is one of my favorite sounding records ever. It's up their with the greatest of all time.

[@jimmyscott7414]

Such a classic album. So raw 🎶

[@deleted8800]

wow, this is my first time hearing this man talk. his impersonation of Julian and Fab is on point!

[@garryrptr]

I love the way he speak & tell a story

[@dBsInstitute]

He's great, isn't he!?

[@sratus]

One of the good guys.

[@aZeddPrattFilm]

Wow. Remarkable. I am so happy this happened.

[@frankbonarrigo6086]

So glad this nice guy found success

[@joeyjguerrero]

I found this very enlightening! Listening to 90’s Industrial music now. Thanks for posting it!

[@dBsInstitute]

So glad you liked it! More from Gordon coming soon 👀

[@DOGBUS]

loved it!! wish there was more about room on fire tho

[@dBsInstitute]

Glad you enjoyed the video!

[@NEEDSHES]

Oh my God what a wonderful humble person super talented ❤ I feel so comfortable listening to him recording one of my favorite bands)

[@dBsInstitute]

Yeah, he is such a lovely guy! It was so good having him down to our campus for this chat.

[@lexremillard2549]

what a cool dude. Always thinking outside of the box and creatively. Bad ass.

[@dBsInstitute]

Yeah he really is such a great guy!

[@rupman27isback]

What happened to the band "Come On"? And crazy that Gordon didn't care for The Strokes' sound immediately.. they're absolute legends. I love their sound!

[@NguyenDuy-ob8eq]

I'm wondering the same, does anyone know any track from Come On?

[@plothora]

ditto, would love to find some old recordings

[@theactorjohnlarroquette]

the only Come On I could find is the band from the late 70s

[@_hector_hidalgo]

I need to know that band

[@federicocaiazzo1912]

Gordon recounts the story of Come On in this Strokes’ podcast: kzbin.info/www/bejne/g3Oxfph4qbpnsLssi=j0sCoPjZ02-IRWNi

[@andrewnotion]

He's the best! Thank you Gordon for producing and recording the best rock album of the 21st century. The Strokes

[@BradcruiseUSA]

Wow this man is a legend. So humble. ❤

[@dBsInstitute]

He really is!

[@clydeg4274]

This guy looks like the guy who produced the strokes first two albums

[@dBsInstitute]

🕵️

[@chickenlickin3820]

great chat.

[@dBsInstitute]

Glad you enjoyed this! Gordon was such an interesting interviewee. Keep your eyes peeled for more from him about how he produces soon 👀

[@chickenlickin3820]

@@dBsInstitute will do thanks for all you do.

[@RSanchez111]

Great stories and great info

[@dBsInstitute]

So glad you liked it! Gordon is such a legend. We've got more videos from this interview coming up so make sure to subscribe!

[@avantgardo]

Beautiful man beautiful interview

[@noparkingnoparking]

this made my night

[@dBsInstitute]

Gordon is a legend, isn't he?? We've got more videos from this interview coming up so make sure to subscribe!

[@yeeeello]

woahhhh so he came up with the compressed vocals.. awesome

[@dBsInstitute]

An amazing contribution to their sound!

[@alejandroserrano7755]

Amazing interview! Such a cool dude. It’s always a treat hearing about these behind the scene stories.

[@dBsInstitute]

So glad you liked this! We've got more coming from Gordon soon and we have new speakers coming to our campuses all year around, so subscribe and keep your eyes peeled for more like this 👀

[@rionjames]

This is a great interview really insightful. Seems a really nice fella

[@dBsInstitute]

Yeah he is a great guy and so funny! Glad you enjoyed this interview.

[@matthewlegermusic]

Really great interview. Thanks for sharing.

[@dBsInstitute]

So glad you liked this one!

[@jn1346]

I’ve been waiting for this since I was 11 years old

[@dBsInstitute]

The wait is finally over!

[@jn1346]

@@dBsInstitute 21 years later !

[@pineoandloeb]

Amazing how this came back around!

[@dBsInstitute]

🙌🙌🙌

[@JackKeef]

Beautiful. The Cure does something like that with multiple melodies singing along with the Lead.

[@jeffreyhall76]

What a joy to hear from producers

[@noisebleed1980]

such a cool guy!

[@eancurtis9333]

Amazing this guy rules

[@M26Taylor]

What a fucking incredible interview!

[@dBsInstitute]

Thanks! So glad you enjoyed this :)

[@joshuacall4356]

Amazing talent and great dude.

[@dBsInstitute]

Couldn't agree more!

[@jiaqikang866]

This was such an interesting watch, thank you !

[@dBsInstitute]

Glad you enjoyed it! Subscribe to the channel and you'll see more coming from Gordon in the next few weeks!

[@bakainblack]

EYE OPENING.

[@dBsInstitute]

Really is super interesting isn't it!? More coming from Gordon about how he works as a producer this weekend!

[@johnwilmer2551]

this was gold

[@dBsInstitute]

So glad you enjoyed it!

[@cyprn6600]

Counterpoint in the strokes 👏

[@benjaminvega8112]

the man's a genius

[@izzygrey2981]

I got to work with him. He is so nice.

[@dBsInstitute]

Such a nice guy!

[@izzygrey2981]

@@dBsInstitute he's really good at getting the vibe and becoming part of the band.

[@JM-co6rf]

I love this interview.

[@junkdnareviews2515]

This was so interesting

[@craigmachen]

Damn, Gordon Raphael is a great story teller.

[@dBsInstitute]

He really is, right!?

[@twitcheyspleen]

this is great. thank you for this

[@JuanDanielSolar]

Me encanta, qué genial entrevista

[@roonyq]

Masterfully told.

[@dBsInstitute]

He's such a great speaker!

[@lowmello]

Is there a second part to this?

[@dBsInstitute]

Hey! There isn't a second part, however, in a Q&A session between our students in the room and Gordon, some of the questions were on The Strokes and we might release that from the vault soon. Hope you enjoyed the video!

[@Kitchyyy]

love this video

[@dBsInstitute]

He's such an interesting guy with great stories, isn't he!?

[@golfcoursemanager33]

still their best sound/records. IMO

[@mattemilo]

Great interview :)

[@WeeJobbie]

Should’ve asked what his favourite songs were, that was really interesting though

[@dBsInstitute]

Glad you liked this!

[@CharlieSheps]

Great interview

[@dBsInstitute]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@shadow_4111]

Super awesome 🤩

[@RonilBhatiaMusic]

lmao his fab impression is spot on

[@Drjackdempsey9644]

I saw The Strokes at The Mercury Lounge in 2000. I said to my friend Randy, that’s a Cure Bass rip off “Hard To Explain” Another song I said Lou Reed wannabe song. Didn’t think anything of them other than they had a pretty cool look. About a year later I was in Las Vegas in the back seat of these two rich hipster girls Mercedes and they played Last Night super loud. I perked up and said who is this? They said The Strokes.. I said wow this is great!!! It wasn’t until I went to Tower Records and bought the CD and saw their photo that I realized it was the Cure bass rip off band Lol. Needless to say Is This It? Became one of my favorite albums of all time, and it is in fact in my opinion The greatest rock album of the 21st century. The rest is history.

[@dBsInstitute]

Such an incredible album isn't it! 😍 It was amazing hearing from the man who was so important in crafting that sound. Hope you liked our interview with Gordon.

[@Drjackdempsey9644]

@@dBsInstitute Loved it. When the album first came out everyone I knew said the keyboard player from the psychedelic furs produced it lol anyway GREAT interview thank you

[@dBsInstitute]

@@Drjackdempsey9644 🙏🙏🙏

[@m.o.n.d.e.g.r.e.e.n]

love how theres just a huge genelec sub casually between them

[@dBsInstitute]

You should see what else we have knocking about

[@jonautry]

Subtext

[@creativeideator]

It's the granny style for me 😂This guy is so chill and excited about the work, he's the only one able to work with Julian it feels...I knew he was prickly, but after these concrete examples, working with him sounds kinda painful. lol

[@dBsInstitute]

We love Gordon! What a legend.

[@HugoArgentina]

Tim Blake Nelson should star his biopic

[@174trek]

This guy sounds remarkably like Justin Trudeau

[@Jopes17]

oh my god now I can't unhear it

[@michael_colucci]

i noticed the pink scarf 20 minutes in

[@MG-cc7ku]

What was that band he was talking about in the beginning, Come On? I couldn't find them anywhere

[@edwardsindustries-20yearsa54]

I think he was referring to 'Come', i recommend looking up 'Cimarron- Come', they seem to have a british invasion ish sound

[@startervisions]

I heard stories that Jules used to bear-hug everyone

[@dBsInstitute]

🐻

[@slowaves]

16:52 'cool' 💀

[@knuds11b8]

Every note had to be Under Control. Uhhhhh yeah

[@tobynsaunders]

He looks like he could be James Cameron's brother.

[@jaredbond7908]

Aw man, this is ruining my illusions of Julian as a nice person! He stood up and left the guy, without even eating lunch? All because the guy wasn't sure he was a better producer? Like... who would be so unreasonable? 😕

[@dBsInstitute]

😔

[@jezzylawson936]

Good to know his producing is better than his fashion sense

[@jamisonfrench]

The “jeans” comment followed by an unequivocal wtf. 🤣

[@dBsInstitute]

😂

[@GarethThomasTunes]

Good to have Julian’s arrogance confirmed by such a nice guy. (I met Casablancas on a festival tour and found him quite obnoxious!)

[@JM-co6rf]

I suspected Julian was a douchebag, but this confirms it

[@jonautry]

Spoiled rich kid

[@alf5617]

Potter, you fool

[@MinecraftYetirlox]

severus snape

[@drakegomer]

What a snooze fest of a crowd

[@TunelessBoon]

What are they meant to do? Jump up and down and wave their hands all about? 😂

[@drakegomer]

@@TunelessBoon I’m not asking them to hit the Nae Nae. They were just very non-reactive to some of the jokes/responses he was giving.

[@CappyRev]

They key is having loads of cash from rich parents

[@jonautry]

Bingo

[@stanknugget]

This guy looks ridiculous.

[@TheMusicalElitist]

Essentially just copy Television

[@AB-sw4kb]

and The Velvet Underground

[@alexgrantham4747]

Yeah The Strokes ripped off Television big time, but they were probably more consistent melodically and did bite sized pop versions of what TV was doing. I love both bands.

[@AB-sw4kb]

@@alexgrantham4747 yeah, it's not a true rip-off. also at the time of Is This It's release, they were asked about Television, and none of the Strokes said they knew who they were, which I find hard to believe. Television likes the rhythm section to be melodic, so they'll fit the bass and drums into funny little slots over their recordings, whereas for the Strokes, the guitars were the main focus for both rhythm and texture, even if the melodies were simple, the way they were broken up gave them a different sound.

[@alexgrantham4747]

@@AB-sw4kb Yeah I don't believe for a second The Strokes hadn't heard of Television back then 😂

[@TheMusicalElitist]

@@alexgrantham4747 My original comment was flippant but you're right: they had DEFINITELY had heard of them.

[@hatepaste]

Makes me hate the strokes even more. Thank you.

[@estebanb7166]

It’s ok. Everyone hates you.

[@glazedsargent]

His story about the dinner sounds like a strokes song