Photo: WENN
The Strokes guitarist and solo star Albert Hammond Jr has spoken out in praise of Arctic Monkeys and Yeah Yeah Yeahs - saying that the quality of their music inspires him to try harder.
Hammond has already released two solo albums, and is set to drop new EP 'AHJ' on 8 October via Strokes' frontman Julian Casablancas' Cult Records.
Speaking to Gigwise about what drove him to make the EP, Hammond said that 'hearing other people's songs becomes like a competition' - and that he had recently found inspiration in the likes of Arctic Monkeys and Yeah Yeah Yeahs, as well as his Strokes bandmates.
"It can just be a new random song that you hear, by The Sweet or whoever," said Hammond. "You can feel the competition within your own band as well - especially with a great songwriter like Julian. The other guys too, they're full of great idea."
He continued: "Arctic Monkeys, Yeah Yeah Yeahs - these are all bands that keep coming out with things that make me go 'shit - that's exciting'. You feel it when you're doing it yourself - when you finish a song you say 'shit, I'm glad we did that'."
Albert Hammond Jr's AHJ is due out next month
This week alone, the buzz around The Strokes' peers Kings of Leon, The Killers and Arctic Monkeys is intense as ever, with them each gathering excitement around new releases. We asked Hammond what it was about music of that era that had such staying power.
"I felt it when we started the band around 1999-2000," he replied. "When we came out, there wasn't really 'rock' like you know it now. When we were playing radio shows and travelling around, we realised that we were different to everyone else. There was something which just sparked something new and I feel like bands just started to make great songs and people fell in love with the idea of bands - how they hung out and what they said."
Hammond added: "I think that a good song and a universal song makes you part of a whole thing and makes humans feel connected. You feel good with the people around you, then 30 years later it's so universal that it will feel new."
Check back soon for more of our interview with Albert Hammond Jr
Albert Hammond Jr will release new EP, AHJ, on 8 October
Below: The making of The Strokes' 'Is This It'
