Nikolai Fraiture

Nikolai Philippe Fraiture^[1] (born November 13, 1978 in New York City, United States) is an American musician and bassist for American rock band The Strokes.

Early life

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 16, when his grandfather gave it to him as a graduation present, but Fraiture gave it to Casablancas. It was a two years later that he picked it up and began to play seriously. Fraiture also attended Hunter College with Strokes' guitarist Nick Valensi.

Solo work and side projects

Fraiture's side project, Nickel Eye, 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.

In 2008 Fraiture composed the music and starred in the movie "A Kind of Dream" with wife Illy Fraiture. The movie was a 30 minute black and white silent film written and directed by Danny Velez.

On Saturday, May 19, 2012 for the 37th Season Finale of Saturday Night Live Nikolai played bass alongside Arcade Fire and guest/musical host Mick Jagger.

Personal life

Fraiture married Ilona "Illy" Jankovich in 2004. They have two children: a daughter, Elysia, and a son, Phoenix.

References