The Strokes’ Nick Valensi Taking ‘Temporary Break

The rock band The Strokes has announced that guitarist Nick Valensi is taking a temporary break from the group’s scheduled tour, marking the first public acknowledgment of his absence from recent activities.

The announcement follows Valensi’s absence from several recent live performances, as well as a laser-enhanced appearance on CBS’ The Late Show With Stephen Colbert during the week of May 11, 2026. The band has not provided a specific reason for Valensi’s departure from the tour.

Steve Schlitz Joins as Replacement

To fill the vacancy during the tour, The Strokes have recruited Steve Schlitz. Schlitz is the former leader of the band Longwave, a group that gained prominence in the New York music scene around the same time The Strokes achieved success with their debut album, Is This It.

The band shared the news via Instagram Stories, noting the long-standing connection between the musicians.

Many of you will remember [him] from the early N.Y. Days. We’re lucky to have him. See you out there.

Internal Tensions and Band Dynamics

While the band described the break as temporary, previous comments from lead singer Julian Casablancas suggested underlying friction within the group. In a November 2025 interview on the Lonely Island and Seth Meyers podcast, Casablancas implied that he and Valensi were no longer on speaking terms.

New Album and Musical Direction

The tour coincides with the release of Reality Awaits, the first album from The Strokes in six years. The project was produced by Rick Rubin and is being released through Cult Records and RCA.

The band’s new musical direction is highlighted by the use of heavy AutoTune on vocals, a feature present in the first single, Going Shopping, and the new track Falling Out of Love, the latter of which was performed on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.

Reality Awaits serves as the follow-up to the 2020 album The New Abnormal, which reached No. 4 on the Billboard 200.

Upcoming Tour Schedule

The Strokes maintained a limited performance schedule in 2024 and 2025, playing only six times combined across those two years. However, the group is now preparing for a series of high-profile festival appearances.

Through late September 2026, the band is scheduled to perform at several major festivals, including:

• Outside Lands
• Bonnaroo
• Shaky Knees
• Sea.Hear.Now
• Summer Sonic in Tokyo