“I’m too old to be famous.” Paramore's Hayley Williams has discovered an unreleased album her 78-year-old grandfather Rusty recorded almost 50 years ago, and you can hear its first single now

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"I want people to see how it felt when things were real,” says Rusty Williams, ahead of the release of his debut album Grand Man

Rusty and Hayley Williams
(Image credit: Congrats Records | River Callaway/WWD via Getty Images)

Rusty Williams, the 78-years-old grandfather of Paramore vocalist Hayley Williams, is to release his debut album next month.

The songs on the album, titled Grand Man, were recorded by Williams senior between 1972 and 1983, but were never released, and his grand-daughter was apparently unaware of their existence until relatively recently. Having had the chance to hear the recordings, Paramore's frontwoman pledged to help her grandad get the album into the public domain, and it will emerge on her bandmate Zac Farro's Nashville-based record label Congrats Records on February 14.

The release is preceded by the record's first single, its opening track, Knocking (At Your Door), which one YouTube commentator has already pronounced "fire as fuck!"

Listen to the song below:

Rusty Williams - Knocking (At Your Door) - YouTube Rusty Williams - Knocking (At Your Door) - YouTube
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Speaking about his songs finally being scheduled for commercial release, Rusty Williams admits, “I didn’t expect anything, and I’m too old to be famous. But I just want to know someone liked what I did, and to be touched by whatever the hell they are listening to. I want people to see how it felt when things were real.”

The album tracklist is:

1. Knocking (At Your Door)
2. Can’t Stay Away
3. Angel Eyes
4. Wanted
5. Fade Away
6. If Only For A While
7. Never Gonna Stop
8. Lovers Only Come And Go
9. Every Time I’m High
10. The Only Way For Me To Say I Love You
11. Riverboat Gambler
12. Someone Who Happened To Me
13. Take Me Around The World

The album, and exclusive Rusty Williams merch, is now available to pre-order on the Congrats Records website.

Paul Brannigan
Paul Brannigan
Contributing Editor, Louder

A music writer since 1993, formerly Editor of Kerrang! and Planet Rock magazine (RIP), Paul Brannigan is a Contributing Editor to Louder. Having previously written books on Lemmy, Dave Grohl (the Sunday Times best-seller This Is A Call) and Metallica (Birth School Metallica Death, co-authored with Ian Winwood), his Eddie Van Halen biography (Eruption in the UK, Unchained in the US) emerged in 2021. He has written for Rolling Stone, Mojo and Q, hung out with Fugazi at Dischord House, flown on Ozzy Osbourne's private jet, played Angus Young's Gibson SG, and interviewed everyone from Aerosmith and Beastie Boys to Young Gods and ZZ Top. Born in the North of Ireland, Brannigan lives in North London and supports The Arsenal.