The Used Explain How OutKast & R. Kelly Influenced 'Vulnerable'

When Fuse sat down with Utah alt-rockers the Used to talk about the just-dropped re-release of their 2012 album Vulnerable, lead singer Bert McCracken told us about a few unexpected influences behind that record.

"We love OutKast," McCracken says. "We love the feeling of a good OutKast song, how it feels upbeat and positive. [The Vulnerable track] 'Shine' was inspired b a couple R. Kelly songs," he laughs. "We love James Brown, too, and we wanted to make something positive that isn't silly and cliché, but is still bold enough to say, 'It's my time to shine again.'"

To get the backstory on Vulnerable (II)—which features 10 new tracks; six remixes and four unreleased songs—check out the whole interview above. McCracken even has a hot tip on where to score a copy for free! "We encourage people to go steal the record from Wal-Mart," he jokes.