The Strokes star Albert Hammond, JR. has spoken out about returning to the studio with the band just a month after completing drug rehab, revealing he felt like he'd had "a stroke".
The guitarist admits he had trouble remembering songs and how to play them, but knew instinctively it was the right thing to get back to work after his personal problems in September, 2009, partly led to the group stalling work on their comeback album.
He tells Spin magazine, "It was hard - you have two good years of post-acute withdrawal. I was nervous and couldn't remember things. It's like having a stroke."
Hammond, Jr. felt compelled to work on the project in a converted barn at his new Port Jervis home - because he'd made such a poor start to recording the album, Angles, three months before.
He adds, "I guess you could say I wasn't really there when I started it."