The Strokes’ Julian Casablancas + Savages’ Jehnny Beth Join Forces on ‘Boy-Girl’ Punk Cover

The Strokes frontman Julian Casablancas and Savages leader Jehnny Beth have teamed up on a one-off collaboration, covering Sort Sol and Lydia Lunch’s “Boy-Girl.”

Beth hopes the two artists’ take on the 1983 track will turn more listeners on to Sort Sol. “Sort Sol are cult in Denmark, and today very influential in the Copenhagen scene (Iceage etc…),” she said in a statement. “I would be pleased to make their name known better.”

Casablancas, however, was unfamiliar with the Danish post-punk outfit. “I had never heard the song before and still have no idea what the hell the words are talking about,” he said. “It sounds like a Danish dude trying [to] sound like he’s saying English sounding words.”

Director Warren Fu helms the song's video. It's a terrifically retro clip depicting the two singers bobbing along as they deliver the tune on an oddball set of backdrops: the Statue of Liberty, the Louvre, zebras and even some of the original “Boy-Girl” video footage. Check it out above and then compare it to Sort Sol’s version at the bottom of the page.

Casablancas and Beth will release “Boy-Girl” as a 7” single on Dec. 18 via the Strokes’ leader’s Cult Records and Savages’ Pop Noire Records (see the artwork below). It will be backed with Johnny Hostile’s remix of the duo’s cover. You can pre-order the disc over at the Cult website.

Casablancas dropped Tyranny, his debut with the Voidz, last year. He recently revealed the Strokes will soon head back into the studio to record a new album. Savages, meanwhile, will issue their highly anticipated sophomore effort Adore Life on Jan. 22.