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Strokes guitarist focuses on own career
By John Benson
Is this it?
That’s the question The Strokes guitarist Albert Hammond Jr. recently asked himself. For the past 15 years, the Los Angeles native enjoyed life in the limelight and fast lane as a part of New York City’s darling garage-rock act but something was missing.
That’s when he decided to again pick up his solo career, which in the past wasn’t so much a calculated effort as a product of convenience. There was 2006’s “Yours to Keep” and 2008’s “ øComo Te Llama?”
“I’ve always wanted this since I was a kid,” said Hammond, calling from upstate New York. “It was my dream. It’s always been my thing, but the first solo record wasn’t even about making a record. I never left my house. I just finished demos. That was exciting, and I ended up going on tour.
“The second record, I was a mess, but it had cool songs. I never gave it a chance. I was just somewhere else. When I got back to [my solo material], I finally have this thing where I feel like I’m ready to just go out and try to make it. It’s not like I’m just dabbling in a hobby. I want to have a career.”
That leads us to Hammond’s recently released third solo album, “Momentary Masters.”
Unlike The Strokes, which for good or bad, have ridden the same jingly-guitar sounds motif for more than a decade, the guitarist’s new effort doesn’t shy away from exploring other sounds. There’s the Mellotron-friendly “Power Hungry,” the aggressive “Caught By My Shadow” and the poppy “Born Slippy.”
The latter track imbues a Vampire Weekend-esque vibe while Hammond’s vocals keep it well grounded under the alt-rock umbrella. Fans of The Strokes will find hints of the group in a cover of Bob Dylan’s “Don’t Think Twice,” which Hammond recorded in his bedroom, and the tight “Losing Touch.”
Naturally, therein lies the rub for Hammond, who said he didn’t actively attempt to distance himself from The Strokes.
“When you’re in a band that’s successful, you’re constantly trying to find success in something that you do,” Hammond said. “And I feel like with this record, I just had my chance to do that. I felt like I could establish myself as a solo artist.”
While the future of The Strokes is uncertain – Hammond said they have a few dates coming up but no plan after that – the guitarist is focused on his solo career. This includes a tour that features a Wednesday show at Pittsburgh’s Brillobox and a Thursday show at Cleveland Heights’ Grog Shop.
Hammond is champing at the bit to play new material such as his favorites “Coming to Getcha,” “Drunched in Crumbs” and “Power Hungry.” As far as playing Strokes tunes, that’s not a place where Hammond feels comfortable.
“It doesn’t make sense; it doesn’t feel like it’s mine,” Hammond said. “It kind of feels sad. Let The Strokes do it. If I was 60 years old, and I was still on the road, maybe, yeah, you play a few because everyone has memories.”
He added, “But I don’t feel I’m there yet. It’s too soon to feel so nostalgic like that.”