Over the past few months, there's been a great deal of speculation about why longtime rhythm guitarist Nick Valensi decided to take a "temporary break" from the Strokes. Valensi played on the Strokes' new album Reality Awaits, and his most recent performance with the band was at Coachella in April. Last year, Strokes frontman Julian Casablancas mentioned that he no longer speaks with Valensi. But right now, speculation is all we have. The Strokes are touring without Valensi, and Valensi sometimes pops up onstage with other rock stars.
On Wednesday night, the Strokes played Dublin, with Longwave's Steve Schlitz filling in for Valensi, as he's done for the past few months. Valensi, meanwhile, was over in Paris, joining a different band onstage. Last month, Valensi joined Strokes contemporary Jack White at an LA show. And last night, Valensi popped up onstage when Duran Duran played Accor Arena.
Duran Duran are not exactly Strokes contemporaries, but Nick Valensi does have a connection to the band. Valensi is married to the photographer and TV presenter Amanda de Cadenet, who was previously married to Duran Duran bassist John Taylor. Duran Duran closed out their Paris show with their 1982 smash "Rio," and Valensi joined them. But there was some kind of technical issue with Valensi's guitar, so the show pretty much stopped for a few minutes while Simon Le Bon attempted to riff and stagehands tried to get Valensi's guitar working. You can see it happen below.
