The Strokes have quite drinking and smoking to record their new album.

The "Last Night" band are recording their fifth album in New York, and have cleaned up their act so they can concentrate on the new material, according to guitarist Albert Hammond Jr.'s father.

"They're back, strong and mature, a lot of them have quit smoking and drinking and all the good things that come with rock 'n' roll, or whatever people think comes with rock 'n' roll," Albert senior said.

Albert also acknowledged the band almost split when they were recording last album Angles - with singer Julian Casablancas taking himself out of sessions at one point - but relations between the group are now better than ever: "Fortunately they do love each other, and they have people around them who love them. Obviously we all take the wrong roads at times, especially when you're young. And some of us never come out of that road and end up in another world. The good thing about them is that, as I said, all these people that loved them and they loved each other and they finally realized that they had something going that was good."