Julian Casablancas Talks Politcs, Music; Releases the Voidz's 'Human Sadness' Video [WATCH]

In an effort to discuss opinions on politics, comment on works by Martin Luther King Jr. and give his two cents on music, The Strokes/Voidz front man Julian Casablancas relaunched his website.

The newly designed official site introduces two sections titled "Politics," where Casablancas details works by Martin Luther King Jr., Noam Chomsky and Howard Zinn and "Master Mix Tapes," where he hopes to introduce and shine light on certain artist's discographies. "Regardless of your leanings, we find this information helpful in understanding our current world better," the page says. "If it's not consistent with your opinions that's fine, just sharing what we think is relevant and perhaps out of mainstream sight."

The "Master Mix Tapes" section intends to honor "just some the best of the best, universally cool super-champs, no big deal." It only makes sense that so far, mixes of songs by music legends Lou Reed, Bob Marley and Stevie Wonder are displayed on the site.

Aside from the website relaunch, Julian Casablancas + the Voidz's have released a new, thirteen minute apocalyptic video for "Human Sadness," incorporating each member playing to their death. "It just seemed like a fitting concept," Casablancas told Rolling Stone. "The world's gonna end and you decide to play music. That's basically what happened on the Titanic and in a weird, dark, 'sad' way - forgive me - it's kind of like life: dark. But you can look at life as 'managing denial."

Warren Fu and Nicholaus Goosenn directed the gritty video while each band member contributed clips and images that inspired them during the recording process. "Amir [Yaghmai] always wanted to do a solo in a swirling hurricane," Casablancas says of the Voidz guitarist. Jake Bercovici, "always jokes about being the 'man down' if we were in a war - the guy who gets shot and says, 'You guys just go on without me.'" However, guitarist Jeramy Gritter starred in the wounded warrior role.

Along with the apocalyptic, down-with-the-ship message portrayed throughout the lengthy video, a quote from 13-century poet Rumi (Casablancas' favorite) rests as an underlying theme and opens the clip. The line, "Beyond all ideas of right and wrong, there is a field/I'll meet you there," inspires the entire song. Taking a tip from Bob Marley, Casablancas paraphrased the words in the chorus of "Human Sadness."

Tags

Julian Casablancas, Julian Casablancas + The Voidz, The Strokes