Love and Theft may have to change their name to Assault & Battery after Eric Gunderson's run-in with an attempted robber. Gunderson was arrested in March of 2012 after trying to carry a hunting knife through security at the airport, and while doing his community service, had a close call with a criminal.

“It was actually really frustrating because I really had completely forgotten that knife was in my backpack, and I always carry a knife, just usually not one that big,” he explains to 103.7 in Charlotte. “What really sucked was doing all that community service back in Nashville once I got home. Somebody tried to rob me while we were doing community service. I was forced to turn around and lay the little punk kid out. Right before [he] took my wallet [and] got away I nailed the kid in the chest with my elbow and he went flying backwards.”

Gunderson adds, “as soon as I finished [community service], they dismissed the case. My luck.”

Love and Theft released their self-titled second album on Tuesday (July 24). Gunderson's partner, Stephen Barker Liles, says they took a back-to-basics approach to recording the new material. “This album is recorded live with musicians, we didn’t add any tracks,” Liles states. “We sang with the band to make sure they didn’t brush over the vocals and stuff like that.”

The result is fast becoming a success, with the duo's current single 'Angel Eyes' already a Top 5 hit. After a three-year wait between albums, the musicians are thrilled. Gunderson admits, “We never really thought this day would actually come again."

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