The son of Gibraltarian-British songwriter Albert Hammond, Albert Jr. was sent to the elite boarding school Institut Le Rosey in Switzerland at the age of 13. While there, he met Julian Casablancas, who would go on to be a fellow band member.
In 1998, Albert met up with Julian in New York City and together they formed a band with Julian's former schoolmates: Nick Valensi, Nikolai Fraiture and Fabrizio Moretti.
His trademark is wearing formal suits, usually a different one for each show. Albert is usually seen playing an olympian white Fender Stratocaster, or bandmate Nick Valensi's Les Paul Jr. He is usually associated with the "rhythm" guitar portion of the majority of Strokes songs, and most solos are played by Valensi. The solos in which Albert does play are Last Nite, Trying Your Luck, Take It Or Leave It, Under Control, The End Has No End, Ize Of The World, and Vision Of Division. His solos tend to focus largely on more emotional, "bluesy"-type melodical work, and the guitar tends to have a cleaner, softer tone in comparison to Valensi's (with a noteable exception found in Vision Of Division). He often holds the guitar in a high horizontal position, similar to Bob Dylan and Ian Curtis.
Although vocalist Julian Casablancas is the major contributor to the songwriting process for The Strokes' music, Albert has been known to write a few pieces of his own. He has been credited to writing three mostly instrumental songs (Swiss Beats, Holland, and By The Way) for the bands' 2001 tour video entitled "In Transit". He had also written a song called "Elephant Song", in which Albert used when he was was required to record a song for his Sound 101 class in freshman year, using the school's recording equipment. The song was played at a few shows before the release of their first album. The Strokes were to later rerecord the song as a special giveaway for fanclub members.
Hammond released his debut solo album on October 9th in the United Kingdom. Entitled "Yours to Keep," the album features musical guests such as Sean Lennon, Ben Kweller, and even The Strokes' manager Ryan Gentles and lead singer Julian Casablancas. Bassist Josh Lattanzi and drummer Matt Romano serve as the backing band, with Albert the main singer and guitarist. It was produced by former Thin Lizard Dawn vocalist Greg Lattimer at the Electric Ladyland Studios.
Hammond played his first solo dates at the end of October in a few cities including New York City and Philadelphia. He is set to tour the UK and Europe in November and December 2006, and provides support to Incubus on their forthcoming US tour of January/February 2007.
Albert has finished working on his second solo album with the title "Como Te Llama?", which was released on 8th of July in 2008. The new CD gets 8/10 in NME! This 8th of July is incidentally the first date of his world tour, which kicks off at the Virgin Store in his hometown of NYC. Dates in LA, as well as Japan and Australia have been already scheduled. Cont.
Bright Young Thing
Albert Hammond Jr. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This big place I live
She was scared to go outside
Where it once felt so nice to me
Picked up a smoke, then you drag a little
I wanna choke so you won't belittle
Everyone knows that she'll do it over
You're pretty, won't you come play with me?
This time I'll be nice
You can't trust what I say to you
I know they're all lies, do you?
And if you ever had to
I would be going strong
What in the world was happening?
Dear, can I be wrong?
Picked up a smoke, then you drag a little
I wanna choke so you won't belittle
Everyone knows that she'll do it over
And over and over and over again
The lyrics of Albert Hammond Jr.'s song, Bright Young Thing, touch on themes of insecurity, addiction, and trust. The opening lines suggest the singer is lost and searching for direction. He refers to the place he lives as a "big place," which could be interpreted as the world at large or a metaphor for his own life. While he once found comfort in this place, someone he knows is now afraid to be there. This contrast highlights the singer's internal conflict, as he is grappling with a sense of unease and discomfort.
The second verse focuses on the singer's relationship with someone who appears to be suffering from addiction. He is frustrated with her behavior, describing how he wants to "choke" her so she won't continue to belittle him. This aggression likely stems from his inability to save her from her addiction. He sees her patterns repeating, and is powerless to intervene.
The chorus is a plea for companionship, suggesting that the singer is lonely and willing to be kind if given the opportunity. However, the final lines of the song call into question his own perception of events – he asks if he could be wrong about what is happening, suggesting that perhaps he is not as trustworthy or reliable as he presents himself.
Overall, the song is a reflection on the challenges of navigating feelings of disorientation and betrayals of trust. The singer is confused and unable to make sense of the world around him, and is grappling with the complex emotions that arise from watching someone he cares about struggle with addiction.
Line by Line Meaning
I wander, wandering all around
I am roaming aimlessly through this large area
This big place I live
I reside in a vast location
She was scared to go outside
She feared venturing outdoors
Where it once felt so nice to me
Whereas that place once provided comfort to me
Picked up a smoke, then you drag a little
Took a cigarette, then you inhaled slightly
I wanna choke so you won't belittle
I want to suffocate to avoid you disregarding me
Everyone knows that she'll do it over
Everybody knows that she'll repeat her action
And over and over and over again
Repeatedly
You're pretty, won't you come play with me?
You're attractive, would you like to have fun together?
This time I'll be nice
On this occasion, I'll be courteous
You can't trust what I say to you
You cannot have confidence in my words
I know they're all lies, do you?
I am aware they're all falsehoods, are you?
And if you ever had to
In case you ever had to
I would be going strong
I would remain tough
What in the world was happening?
What was occurring in the world?
Dear, can I be wrong?
Can I be incorrect, my beloved?
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ALBERT JR HAMMOND
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@krissstrongman
I wander, wandering all around
This big place I live
She was scared to go outside
Where it once felt so nice to me
Picked up a smoke, then you drag a little
I wanna choke so you won't belittle
Everyone knows that she'll do it over
And over and over and over again
You're pretty, won't you come play with me?
This time I'll be nice
You can't trust what I say to you
I know they're all lies, do you?
And if you ever had to
I would be going strong
What in the world was happening?
Dear, can I be wrong?
Picked up a smoke, then you drag a little
I wanna choke so you won't belittle
Everyone knows that she'll do it over
And over and over and over again
@eddietheguy12
Words can not describe how much I love this song.
@comedehlover
Yay! Same:)
@krissstrongman
I wander, wandering all around
This big place I live
She was scared to go outside
Where it once felt so nice to me
Picked up a smoke, then you drag a little
I wanna choke so you won't belittle
Everyone knows that she'll do it over
And over and over and over again
You're pretty, won't you come play with me?
This time I'll be nice
You can't trust what I say to you
I know they're all lies, do you?
And if you ever had to
I would be going strong
What in the world was happening?
Dear, can I be wrong?
Picked up a smoke, then you drag a little
I wanna choke so you won't belittle
Everyone knows that she'll do it over
And over and over and over again
@marblerosee
Man I really wish he'd come out with some more solo work. He's so fucking good.
@mirrorinsideout
There's a great new album out now
@veridicca
Adoro essa música. Viva Albert!
@marblerosee
Has been and always will be one of my favorite songs 🖤
@leacap10
This album is reaaaaallyyyyyyy good... albert rules!
@EverSinceThatNaomi
This is a song that has the ability to brighten my entire day :)
@amyoneelse
So many smiles here: )> what a great album I play it over and over and over again....