ALT-J Gun References In Song Potentially Worries Band Member

Everything about this song and video is basic, but that’s apparently the point:

This is the chorus / verse, the one band member is worried about (see interview below), because he thinks there’s a possibility it will be used at an NRA convention.

Well your left hand’s free / And your right’s in a grip / With another left hand / Watch his right hand slip / Towards his gun / Oh no / I tackle, we tussle / And oh my days we’re rolling / My right hand’s gripped on his / Colt single-action army.

Alt-J resolved to write “the least Alt-J song ever”, taking a “joke riff” Joe had been playing in rehearsals and fleshing it out with the most perfunctory chords and rhythm imaginable. Whereas the band typically spend weeks agonising over every note, Left Hand Free was written “in about 20 minutes”. Needless to say, the US label loved it.

Thom: “I tried to make the drums as cliched as possible, there’s none of my personality in it.”

Gus: “I’m doing some kind of organ solo. I don’t know where ‘baby’ came from.”

Joe: “And I say, ‘Gee whizz,’ which I’m not sure is a phrase I’ve ever uttered before. I can imagine it appealing to American truckers with Good Riddance To Bin Laden stickers!”

“Oh God…” says Gus, a worrying realisation dawning. “Someone’s going to walk onstage to it at an NRA convention.”

Full Interview – The Guardian

NRA-LogoIf it was my song and Sarah Palin wanted to say some stupid shit at an NRA convention and walk on stage to it playing, I’d be kind of irritated.  Not “I’m going to say they can’t use the song.” or “I’m not going to cash the check.” irritated… but irritated none the less haha.  I can’t tell if the comment Gus was made in jest, or it’s actually out of gun / NRA fear.  My guess he was probably just cracking a joke to liven up the interview, and couldn’t care less who wanted to use the song where.

Hat tip: Taylor the girlfriend


Comments

4 responses to “ALT-J Gun References In Song Potentially Worries Band Member”

  1. Forrest Avatar

    So they’ll write it, perform it, record it, and cash the checks from it; but if someone likes it, they’ll be upset?

    Ehh… I mean, it’s kinda catchy, but it strikes me the same as all these actors who play soldiers or otherwise in movies and make millions with a gun in their hands saying guns are bad. Just a bunch of hypocrites being hypocritical. Nothing new there.

    Also, it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. If your left hand is free while you’re rolling around fighting over a gun in someone else’s hand, I’d think that 9 out of 10 times it would be your left hand grabbing the pistol since 9 out of 10 people are right handed and belly to belly your left would be on the same side as his right. But that’s their problem… I’m just not dumb enough to reach across my body in a situation like that. (You’d have a tendency to pull the pistol inwards, toward your chest by reaching across, reaching with the same side makes it easier to push it away from you while still attacking with your right hand.)

  2. Alt-J has sang about guns before. @1:45 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qg6BwvDcANg – They are British, most Brits are anti-gun just like old Tears Morgan!

  3. Doyletoo Avatar

    +1 Forrest.
    Catchy tune tho. Gonna go buy it.

  4. Roger Houston Avatar
    Roger Houston

    you mean annoyed like a worried band member, right? Lol.