Julian Casablancas: 'Strokes aren't over'

The Strokes frontman Julian Casablancas has reportedly reassured fans that his solo LP Phrazes For the Young is not a sign that the band are finished.

The 'Last Nite' rockers have been quiet for several years and have not released anything since 2006's First Impressions of Earth. Guitarist Albert Hammond Jr, bassist Nikolai Fraiture and drummer Fabrizio Moretti have all also embarked on side-projects since the band's third studio album.

Casablancas dismissed rumours to NME that the group have called it quits. He said: "The Strokes are still going, we're rehearsing now. I'm finding it pretty damn fun to do different things rather than be locked down to one specific sound or whatever.

"We've been rehearsing for months! Five or six months, I think. It's going well. We're all just trying to get a real good recording identity that we're all super-psyched about."

He continued: "We've got lots of songs. We want to knock it out of the park! We're pretty much ready to go, but at the same time we're not going to rush anything. By early next year we should be done for sure. I hope The Strokes' best days are ahead of us."

As previously reported, Casablancas has recently promised that the upcoming tour in support of his new solo album will boast a "Disney"-esque spectacle.