Albert hits the ‘ultimate reset button’ with his alter-ego’s success

Now on his fourth solo project, Albert Hammond Jr has become the frontman he always wanted to be. The musician discusses taking on an alter ego and starting again, writes Holly Lennon

ALBERT Hammond Jr is now onto his second life.

The first, of course, was spent as the lead guitarist in one of the biggest rock bands of the millennium, The Strokes.

The second, as a solo artist and frontman, currently promoting his fourth album Francis Trouble.

The 38-year-old is keen to distance himself from the work of his band, insisting that the use of an alter-ego on the record acted as the “ultimate reset button” for him.

Francis Trouble is named after Hammond’s stillborn twin, written after he found out a lone fingernail from Francis had been born alongside him.

Despite the morbid nature of the record, the musician is surprising upbeat.

“It doesn’t feel personal, but I don’t know if I’m just a psychopath... the biggest thing about sharing isn’t that it’s personal, it’s that the more you talk about something, you kind of lose it, but other people gain it.

“It’s like taking photos, there’s no problem taking your photo but eventually, if you take so many photos, you kind of lose a bit of yourself in it.”

At this point in our chat, Hammond alludes to a quote by Lebanese-American writer Khalil Gibran, which he unearths further through the phone call.

“Here it is“, he says. “And in much of your talking, thinking is half murdered. For thought is a bird of space, that in a cage of words may indeed unfold its wings but cannot fly.”

The creation of Francis has helped Hammond distance himself from the traumatic event, but has also allowed him to transcend restraints which previously hindered him – including his identity.

Having been named after his father, Albert Hammond Snr (responsible for songs including Starship’s Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now and One Moment In Time performed by Whitney Houston), identity is a topic that has followed him his whole life.

Taking on the persona of Francis has allowed Hammond to escape his name, and past, which involved an all-consuming heroin addiction.

“That’s what the twin element of it was,” he explains.

“I like the idea of not having your name because your name has so much baggage, especially through being in the media and being the band.

“It’s something that you didn’t feel like you were just that.

“You were typecast – so the birth of the alter-ego was like starting again and it was more of a thematic ark that I could use making music. I’ve already started volume two – it’s the ultimate reset button.

“It’s exciting to have a new outlook on things.”

As part of Hammond’s second, sober life, he opted into therapy where he worked with psychotherapist Andrew Park.

‘‘ When you begin life again like I did, you’re starting from scratch