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.
Everyone Gets A Star
Albert Hammond Jr. Lyrics
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I want you to forever know
These guys have all got problems
These guys have all got their problems
Today, you've come, now go away
I know it gets so confusing
Sometimes it all seems to drag me down
So close, everything just falls apart
When will you stop and see me through
There's something else I'd rather do
Although you're getting angry
I know everyone gets a star
Today, you've come, now go away
I know it gets so confusing
Sometimes it all seems to drag me down
Then when I'm getting closer
So close, everything just falls apart
The lyrics of "Everyone Gets A Star" by Albert Hammond Jr. are a reflection of the human experience, particularly the struggles and challenges that everyone goes through. The lines "Won't you go back to where you go? I want you to forever know" suggest a sense of longing for a deeper understanding of oneself and others. The repetition of "These guys have all got problems" emphasizes that nobody is immune to difficulties in life.
The chorus of the song introduces a sense of hope, as the singer acknowledges that everyone is deserving of recognition, symbolized by the line "I know everyone gets a star." However, this sentiment is contrasted by the verses, which describe the frustration of feeling like things are falling apart despite being close to a breakthrough. The lines "When will you stop and see me through" capture this sense of longing for support and guidance.
Overall, the song captures the complex emotions of the human experience, ranging from frustration and confusion to hope and perseverance.
Line by Line Meaning
Won't you go back to where you go?
Can you return to the place you came from?
I want you to forever know
I want you to have a lasting understanding
These guys have all got problems
The individuals around me all have difficulties
These guys have all got their problems
The individuals around me have their own personal problems
Today, you've come, now go away
You arrived, but now you must depart
I know it gets so confusing
I am aware it becomes complicated
Sometimes it all seems to drag me down
Occasionally everything appears to be depressing
Then when I'm getting closer
Just as I am nearing success
So close, everything just falls apart
Nearly within reach, but everything suddenly fails
When will you stop and see me through
When will you cease and assist me?
There's something else I'd rather do
I have a preference for something different
Although you're getting angry
Despite you becoming irate
I know everyone gets a star
I am aware that everyone receives recognition
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ALBERT JR HAMMOND
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@dmaster5556
It's a bummer he still doesn't have the same live backing band that he had during his first two albums, but these other guys do a good job as well.
@clarkb5137
Great song. I remember buying his first album. Can’t believe that was back in 2007!
@5tereotype
yeah, is amazing!
@martymcfly9828
The precision of the drummer is magnificent.
@clarkb5137
I love this song!
@Blond0Sonic
wow! hadnt heard this for a while, still as gods as the first listen
@marceloazb1358
I love this songs dude
@johnhernandezgagero2191
has the strokes style. i hope they get together again and make an album
@ProjetStreetArt
+John Hernandez Gagero i heard they were currently recording
@richardortiz1611
+John Hernandez Gagero its been announced that the strokes are recording. i ended getting my hands on a little sample