Watch The Used’s Acoustic Set for ‘Rolling Stone’
The Used‘s Bert McCracken and Justin Shekoski delivered a powerful acoustic performance in an exclusive video for Rolling Stone. The veteran rock outfit recently released their seventh studio album, The Canyon.
McCracken and Shekoski opened the three-song set with an old favorite, “On My Own,” the sweeping ballad off their 2002 self-titled debut. Over Shekoski’s steady strumming, McCracken delivered a remarkable vocal performance in which he jumped from a soft croon to a ragged wail.
The Used then performed a stripped-down versions of two songs off The Canyon, while McCracken also discussed the inspiration behind both tracks. Prior to tearing through the blistering “Over and Over Again,” McCracken said the song is about learning from past mistakes and what people can glean from computers. “Computers never get sick of failing – they approach every attempt with the same enthusiasm as the last one, and that’s what humans should be able to do.”
McCracken and Shekoski closed out the set with a poignant rendition of The Canyon opener, “For You.” McCracken said the song is a tribute to friends they’ve lost and hopes it provides solace to others dealing with grief. “So for anyone who’s lost anyone, I hope that you can feel what this song is about and how important it is to remember that mortality gives us the ability to be fucking courageous and brave and to love so hard.”
The Canyon marks the Used’s first LP since 2014’s Imaginary Enemy. The group recently kicked off a North American tour in support of the record, which wraps November 29th in Seattle.