Nikolai Fraiture
Encyclopedia
Nikolai Philippe Fraiture (born November 13, 1978 in New York City, United States) is the bass player for the American indie rock
band, The Strokes
. Fraiture grew up in New York City with his Russian
mother and French
father and speaks fluent French. Nikolai has an older brother named Pierre and a younger sister named Elizabeth. He met future bandmate Julian Casablancas
while attending the Lycée Français de New York
. Fraiture received his first bass at 18, when his grandfather gave it to him as a graduation present, but Fraiture gave it to Casablancas. It was a year later that he picked it up and began to play seriously. Fraiture also attended Hunter College
with Strokes' guitarist Nick Valensi.
where many of the songs are built around the bass guitar. Jared Followill from Kings Of Leon cites Nikolai as his main influence and that "Is This It" was one of the main reasons that he wanted to get into a band; he states, "The title track was one of the first basslines I learned ... I was just 15 at the time."
Nikolai plays a variety of basses, but is usually seen playing his Fender Jazz bass
. He has also appeared playing a black and white Rickenbacker
(such as the one in the "Last Nite" video), a Music Man Sterling
(such as the one in the "Juicebox" video) and a Fender Precision Bass
(seen as his backup bass during live performances). He uses an Ampeg SVT Classic amp for most live work and has an artist page on Ampeg's website.
Although Julian is the main song-writer for The Strokes, Nikolai has contributed to the songwriting process as well. He's co-written the song "Killing Lies" on First Impressions Of Earth
and earned his first full songwriting credit on Angles
where he wrote the song "You're So Right".
, enlists the help of South (a UK band introduced to him by a friend) as his backing band. Nickel Eye recorded some demos at South Studios in Hackney, London. With some guest appearances by Nick Zinner
of the New York City-based band Yeah Yeah Yeahs
and Regina Spektor
, The Time of the Assassins
was completed a few months later in New York. The album is musically inspired by some of Nikolai's favorite artists, such as Neil Young
, Frank Black
, Leonard Cohen
, and The Kinks
. The Time of the Assassins was released on January 27, 2009 on Rykodisc
.
Nickel Eye’s first performance was on October 15, 2008 at London’s Borderline venue.
Nikolai performed with dream-pop duo Beach House
during their appearance on Conan on December 20, 2010.
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
band, The Strokes
The Strokes
The Strokes are an American indie rock band formed in 1999 in New York City. Consisting of Julian Casablancas , Nick Valensi , Albert Hammond, Jr. , Nikolai Fraiture and Fabrizio Moretti ....
. Fraiture grew up in New York City with his Russian
Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
mother and French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
father and speaks fluent French. Nikolai has an older brother named Pierre and a younger sister named Elizabeth. He met future bandmate Julian Casablancas
Julian Casablancas
Julian Fernando Casablancas is an American singer-songwriter and musician of The Strokes. Casablancas pursued a solo career during The Strokes' hiatus, releasing the album Phrazes for the Young on November 3, 2009....
while attending the Lycée Français de New York
Lycée Français de New York
The Lycée Français de New York , literally The French High School of New York, is an exclusive French-medium school for K-12 students based in Manhattan, New York which follows the French curriculum of study and allows students to study for the French general Baccalauréat, the international option...
. Fraiture received his first bass at 18, when his grandfather gave it to him as a graduation present, but Fraiture gave it to Casablancas. It was a year later that he picked it up and began to play seriously. Fraiture also attended Hunter College
Hunter College
Hunter College, established in 1870, is a public university and one of the constituent colleges of the City University of New York, located on Manhattan's Upper East Side. Hunter grants undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate degrees in more than one hundred fields of study, and is recognized...
with Strokes' guitarist Nick Valensi.
Basses and bass playing
His bass guitar work is featured very prominently on many of The Strokes songs and is described as being the driving force that leads the melody or chorus. The most notable examples would be on their debut album Is This ItIs This It
Is This It is the debut studio album by American indie rock band The Strokes. Recorded at Transporterraum in New York City with producer Gordon Raphael, after meeting at an early show at Luna Lounge, a former venue on the Lower East Side in NYC, the album was first released on July 30, 2001 in...
where many of the songs are built around the bass guitar. Jared Followill from Kings Of Leon cites Nikolai as his main influence and that "Is This It" was one of the main reasons that he wanted to get into a band; he states, "The title track was one of the first basslines I learned ... I was just 15 at the time."
Nikolai plays a variety of basses, but is usually seen playing his Fender Jazz bass
Fender Jazz Bass
The Jazz Bass was the second model of electric bass created by Leo Fender. The bass is distinct from the Precision Bass in that its tone is brighter and richer in the midrange and treble with less emphasis on the fundamental harmonic...
. He has also appeared playing a black and white Rickenbacker
Rickenbacker
Rickenbacker International Corporation, also known as Rickenbacker, is an electric and bass guitar manufacturer based in Santa Ana, California...
(such as the one in the "Last Nite" video), a Music Man Sterling
Music Man Sterling
The Music Man Sterling is a model of bass guitar designed by the Music Man company. It was named after Sterling Ball, son of Ernie Ball, the founder of the parent company....
(such as the one in the "Juicebox" video) and a Fender Precision Bass
Fender Precision Bass
The Fender Precision Bass is an electric bass.Designed by Leo Fender as a prototype in 1950 and brought to market in 1951, the Precision was the first electric bass to earn widespread attention and use. A revolutionary instrument for the time, the Precision Bass has made an immeasurable impact on...
(seen as his backup bass during live performances). He uses an Ampeg SVT Classic amp for most live work and has an artist page on Ampeg's website.
Although Julian is the main song-writer for The Strokes, Nikolai has contributed to the songwriting process as well. He's co-written the song "Killing Lies" on First Impressions Of Earth
First Impressions of Earth
First Impressions of Earth is the third album by the American indie rock band The Strokes. It was released in January 2006 , having been preceded by lead single "Juicebox" some weeks earlier...
and earned his first full songwriting credit on Angles
Angles
The Angles is a modern English term for a Germanic people who took their name from the ancestral cultural region of Angeln, a district located in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany...
where he wrote the song "You're So Right".
Solo work
Fraiture's side project, Nickel EyeNickel Eye
Nickel Eye is the solo project of The Strokes' bassist Nikolai Fraiture. The band consists of Nikolai Fraiture , Joel Cadbury , Jamie McDonald and Brett Shaw ....
, enlists the help of South (a UK band introduced to him by a friend) as his backing band. Nickel Eye recorded some demos at South Studios in Hackney, London. With some guest appearances by Nick Zinner
Nick Zinner
Nicholas Joseph Zinner is the guitarist for the New York rock band Yeah Yeah Yeahs. He is known for his "unmistakable" wild hair, skinny physique, and pale appearance...
of the New York City-based band Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Yeah Yeah Yeahs are an American indie rock band formed in New York City in 2000. The group is composed of vocalist and pianist Karen O, guitarist and keyboardist Nick Zinner, and drummer Brian Chase. They are complemented in live performances by second guitarist David Pajo, who joined as a touring...
and Regina Spektor
Regina Spektor
Regina Ilyinichna Spektor is a Russian American singer-songwriter and pianist. Her music is associated with the anti-folk scene centered in New York City's East Village.-Early life:...
, The Time of the Assassins
The Time of the Assassins
- Personnel :*Nikolai Fraiture: guitar, vocals, electric bass, double bass , harmonica *Joel Cadbury: steel guitar *Jamie McDonald: additional guitar and solo *Brett Shaw: drums on all tracks except 6 and 10...
was completed a few months later in New York. The album is musically inspired by some of Nikolai's favorite artists, such as Neil Young
Neil Young
Neil Percival Young, OC, OM is a Canadian singer-songwriter who is widely regarded as one of the most influential musicians of his generation...
, Frank Black
Frank Black
Black Francis is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. He is best known as the frontman of the influential alternative rock band Pixies, with whom he performs under the stage name Black Francis. Following the band's breakup in 1993, he embarked on a solo career under the name Frank Black...
, Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen
Leonard Norman Cohen, is a Canadian singer-songwriter, musician, poet and novelist. Cohen published his first book of poetry in Montreal in 1956 and his first novel in 1963. His work often explores religion, isolation, sexuality and interpersonal relationships...
, and The Kinks
The Kinks
The Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, North London, by brothers Ray and Dave Davies in 1964. Categorised in the United States as a British Invasion band, The Kinks are recognised as one of the most important and influential rock acts of the era. Their music was influenced by a...
. The Time of the Assassins was released on January 27, 2009 on Rykodisc
Rykodisc
Rykodisc Records is an American record label. It is owned by Warner Music Group, operates as a unit of WMG's Independent Label Group and is distributed through Alternative Distribution Alliance.-Company history:...
.
Nickel Eye’s first performance was on October 15, 2008 at London’s Borderline venue.
Nikolai performed with dream-pop duo Beach House
Beach House
Beach House is a dream pop duo formed in 2004 in Baltimore, Maryland, consisting of French-born Victoria Legrand and Baltimore native Alex Scally. Their self-titled debut, Beach House, released in 2006, was critically acclaimed. This was followed by their second release, Devotion, in 2008...
during their appearance on Conan on December 20, 2010.