After the successful release of November’s debut collaboration ‘Crooked House’, championed by Rolling Stone, Mystic Sons and national and alternative radio stations throughout Europe, Alberta Cross and Band Of Skulls have joined forces again on their upcoming new single ‘Born In Amazement’, via Dark Matter / Austral Media and distributed by Kartel Music Group.
Meeting for the first time in 2009 after both being picked up by labels, and then countless times serendipitously over the years whilst simultaneously touring the world, it’s a surprise that their creative meetings of the minds hadn’t come sooner. Fans of Arctic Monkeys, The Black Keys and Queens of the Stone Age will find something to be excited about in this union of creativity.
Produced by Russell Marsden, Marc MacNab-Jack and Petter Ericson Stakee, "Born In Amazement" seeks to see the good in the world, past the conflict, the hate and the chaos, with childlike wonder.
“We were channeling Bowie… And the Boss. Singing until our throats were like razor blades. In a world full of conflict and chaos we try to remember we’re born with no hate in our hearts, and look at the world in wonder and amazement. Even if we lose our way, it’s worth searching for peace, fighting for love”, says Russell Marsden of Band Of Skulls.
Describing the lyrical themes behind the collaboration, Petter Ericson Stakee of Alberta Cross states: “I love the sleazy upbeat glam feel of this one. Marc Bolan would have been proud. Once again very lush to be creating art with these two dudes. Lyrically I feel like it’s bang on where we’re at in the world. Too much damn evil and no compassion out there for your fellow humans. This song still feels hopeful though. Let love win. Let love in. I hope we get to play these songs together at a cool festival somewhere soon... They’re made for that joyous experience!”
Marc MacNab-Jack, drummer for both bands, adds: “Tune two of the Alberta Cross and Band Of Skulls collaboration. This was a fun T-Rex, Bowie, Springsteen inspired mashup. Was super fun to make and felt great in the room with us all! Once again magic happened and we couldn’t be happier”.
Alberta Cross were formed by Swedish-born lead singer and guitarist Petter Ericson Stakee and his London pal Terry Wolfers in the mid-00s. Their anthemic Americana-tinged songs possessed a vulnerability and earthiness, they’ve consistently pushed the boundaries of alternative rock with their timeless sound and artistic vision, and it soon showed in how hugely their debut record ‘The Thief & The Heartbreaker’ began to connect.
What followed was a success on both sides of the Atlantic and the relentless grind of US touring that comes with it. They embarked on high-profile jaunts with Oasis, Mumford & Sons, Portugal The Man, Neil Young, Johnny Marr, Ringo Starr, Them Crooked Vultures (Dave Grohl, Josh Homme and John Paul Jones) and Rag N’ Bone Man and performed on distinguished TV shows around the globe, appearing on The Late Show with David Letterman, Last Call with Carson Daly and more, whilst their tracks were featured on hit TV shows such as Million Little Pieces, CSI, Sons of Anarchy and Californication with support coming from the likes of Rolling Stone, Billboard, NPR, UNCUT, MOJO, NME, BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio 6 and many more.
Since 2009, Band Of Skulls have released five acclaimed studio albums and have built a reputation as a phenomenal live act, both at home in the UK and in the US, where they have performed on the Late Show With David Letterman and Late Night with Seth Meyers. They have toured with luminaries like Muse, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Queens Of The Stone Age and Black Keys among others, as well as touring the globe as a headline act.