Nickel Eye

Nickel Eyeis the solo project ofThe Strokes' bassistNikolai Fraiture.The band consists of Nikolai Fraiture (guitar, vocals, electric bass, double bass, harmonica), Joel Cadbury (steel guitar), Jamie McDonald (guitar) and Brett Shaw (drums).

When The Strokes’ hiatus began lasting longer than expected, Nikolai reached into an old shoebox of poems and rants written years ago. With his free time, he began adapting them to music. Enlisting the help ofSouth,a UK band introduced to him by a friend, Nickel Eye recorded some demos at South Studios in Hackney, London. With some guest appearances byNick Zinnerof theYeah Yeah YeahsandRegina Spektor,The Time of the Assassinswas completed a few months later in New York City.

Due to the recent regrouping of the Strokes to focus on a new album, Nickel Eye has been placed on the back burner. However, Fraiture expresses deep desire to continue where he left off when he can.

The Time of the Assassins

Nickel Eye's debut album,The Time of the Assassins,released on January 27, 2009, viaRykodisc,is a "pretty stripped down" collection of guitar, bass, drums, and a touch ofmellotron.The album is written and produced by himself. It is musically inspired by some of his favourite artists, such asNeil Young,Frank Black,Leonard CohenandThe Kinks.The artwork is reminiscent of Lynd Ward'sGods’ Man,a collection of woodcuts considered to be one of the first graphic novels. The lyrics and theme forThe Time of the Assassinsfound their impetus during a road trip across the United States of America when Nikolai was nineteen.