mer ▁in ▁an ▁inform al ▁band ▁with ▁vocal ist ▁Cas abl anc as ▁and ▁guitar ist ▁Val ens i ▁in ▁high ▁school , ▁and ▁continued ▁after ▁the ▁two ▁left ▁D w ight . ▁Nikol ai ▁Fra iture ▁started ▁playing ▁as ▁the ▁bass ist ▁and ▁the ▁band ▁was ▁formed ▁when ▁guitar ist ▁Albert ▁Hamm ond ▁Jr . ▁joined ▁in ▁fall ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁Their ▁first ▁show ▁as ▁The ▁St ro kes ▁was ▁at ▁the ▁Sp iral ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁on ▁September ▁ 1 4 , ▁ 1 9 9 9 . ▁The ▁band ▁released ▁The ▁Modern ▁Age ▁EP ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁under ▁R ough ▁Trade ▁Records ▁and ▁was ▁signed ▁for ▁a ▁five - album ▁record ▁deal ▁by ▁R CA ▁Records . ▁The ▁band ▁released ▁six ▁LP s ▁including ▁Is ▁This ▁It , ▁Room ▁on ▁Fire , ▁First ▁Im press ions ▁of ▁Earth , ▁Ang les , ▁Com ed own ▁Machine ▁and ▁The ▁New ▁Ab normal ▁with ▁t ours ▁and ▁festival ▁sets ▁in ▁the ▁North ▁America , ▁Europe , ▁South ▁America , ▁East ▁Asia ▁and ▁Australia . ▁Following ▁the ▁completion ▁of ▁their ▁album ▁contract ▁deal ▁with ▁R CA ▁Records ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁the ▁band ▁has ▁continued ▁to ▁release ▁new ▁music ▁through ▁Cas abl anc as ' ▁Cult ▁Records . ▁ ▁Little ▁Joy ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁Mor etti ▁joined ▁with ▁Los ▁H erman os ▁guitar ist , ▁singer , ▁song writer ▁Rod r igo ▁Am arante ▁and ▁B ink i