Now that we know the Strokes have finally completed recording sessions for their first LP since 2006’s First Impressions of Earth, details are starting to emerge about their long-awaited follow-up. Earlier this year, they entered NYC’s Avatar Studios (and even posted some fun footage from the in-studio reunion), but — according to an interview with guitarist Albert Hammond Jr. in the latest issue of Rolling Stone — those sessions were scrapped before the band headed upstate to put LP4 officially to tape. Hammond said (via The Strokes News):

We spent the last 6 months recording in my studio upstate and we are beyond thrilled with the 10 songs we have for this record. We cannot wait for everyone to hear it. I’m positive that you’ll be as excited as we are.

So there you have it. Short and sweet, like the first two Strokes records, Is This It and Room on Fire. According to the article, Gus Oberg, who engineered Hammond’s debut solo album, Yours to Keep, helmed the Catskills sessions and is potentially listed as one of the album’s producers (Joe Chiccarelli was originally enlisted to produce earlier this year). Yeah, this is totally happening, people.

Shaky footage from their pseudo-secret warm-up gig proved underwhelming, but Venison is long gone, ladies and gents: The Strokes are back. After almost four years out of the spotlight, Julian Casablancas, Albert Hammond, Jr., Fab Moretti, Nick Valensi, and Nikolai Fraiture headlined England’s Isle of Wight Festival tonight, burning through a 16-track set, which included breakout hit “Is This It,” “Someday,” “Reptilia,” “Soma,” and loads more. Thankfully, some top-shelf video coverage hit YouTube this time around…

Professionally filmed for TV (complete with closeups and whatnot), watch the Strokes tear up “New York City Cops” and “The Modern Age,” their set’s first two cuts below. **Update: “Reptilia” has been added to the collection:

The Strokes’ Albert Hammond, Jr. has taken a break from his alleged stint in rehab for a cameo performance on the Sonic Youth-approved teen drama “Gossip Girl.” Things have been pretty tense in Strokes land of late, what with all the disagreements over their 4th LP, Hammond’s rumored drug addiction, and Julian’s scandalous dance moves taking over the airwaves.

It’s no suprise then that Hammond went all Richie Tenenbaum on us by cutting off his trademark curly hair. He kinda looks like Miguel Ferrer without those locks.

Watch here or below as Albert Hammond Jr. performs his solo track “In Transit” for the “Gossip Girl” gang:

In a recent rumor post on Gawker, Chris Wilson reported that “serious buzz” was spreading that Strokes guitarist Albert Hammond Jr. had been checked into rehab at the urging of his bandmates. A request for confirmation was not returned by Hammond’s reps and the rumor stayed, well, a rumor. Consequence of Sound reports today, however, that the story was true, according to UK rag Mail Online.

“Agy [Agyness Deyn] and Albert had a big row before she came to London for Fashion Week,” a source said. “He’s really cut up and his bandmates checked him into rehab last week.” Also, the Strokes were allegedly forced to stop work on their 4th LP while Hammond seeks help for substance abuse.

I’ll leave that question mark in the headline for now, as I don’t really trust some sites with the whole “a source said” routine, but we’ll update as soon as we get official confirmation.