DIFFERENT STROKES
Albert has a new sound
Since starting in Glasgow’s DIY scene, Catholic Action have become one of the best bands the city has produced in recent years.
Their second album full of guitar-pop anthems ‘In Memory Of’ has been shortlisted for Scottish Album of the Year and cemented the band’s ability to produce pop nuggets with added edge.
The intimate show is not one to miss.
The album has been dedicated to Park following his passing in 2016. He explains: “He became more a mentor and a father figure because when you begin life again like I did, you’re starting from scratch.
“You’re relearning things that you would’ve learned as a kid.
“So he was definitely the adult man in my life – in my second life.”
After years of touring, Hammond is finally seeing results through chart positions and the number of people coming to his shows.
His three previous records saw him ‘learning’ what kind of frontman he wanted to be while onstage. Now, he knows.
“You always learn on the road what’s missing from certain songs or what I want to do. My three records beforehand was me learning in front of people what kind of frontman I wanted to be and what I wanted to perform and what kind of songs it needed to be.
“It started with me wanting to grow and realising if I didn’t finish the demos I would never grow. And I wanted to become more than that. It’s not that anymore. I’ve put out records because I wanted to be a performer that filled arenas.
“When I opened for The Killers before the new songs came out, it was like all of a sudden without even trying the way I felt and my presence and how they filled the room, changed.”
Hammond Jr will be performing in SWG3 next month. What can fans expect? “If you’ve seen me before you will walk away with a whole new side of me and if you haven’t, you won’t forget me.”
Albert Hammond Jr plays SWG3 on September 12.