Andrew W.K.

Andrew W.K.
Background information
Birth name	Andrew Fetterly Wilkes-Krier
Born	May 9 1979 (1979-05-09) (age 28)
Origin	Stanford, California, U.S. (born) Ann Arbor, Michigan (raised)
Genre(s)	Rock Glam metal Hard rock Piano rock
Occupation(s)	Musician Producer
Instrument(s)	Vocals Guitar Bass guitar Drums Piano Keyboards
Years active	1998-present
Label(s)	Hanson, Mercury, Island, Bulb
Associated acts	Wolf Eyes, To Live and Shave in L.A.
Website	Official Site

Andrew W.K. (born Andrew Fetterly Wilkes-Krier on May 9, 1979 in Stanford, California) is a rock musician from the United States.

Biography

Andrew W.K. was born in Stanford, California, and grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan. At age 4, he began learning classical piano at The University of Michigan School of Music. He attended the private college preparatory Greenhills School for middle school before attending the alternative Community High School from 1993-1997, where he studied jazz keyboards. His father is Professor James Krier, a well-known legal scholar at the University of Michigan Law School and co-author of the widely used Dukeminier & Krier Property casebook.^[1] Andrew, known for his long rocker-style hair, apparently had his hair cut short in 2005 and now wears a hairpiece to maintain his public image. ^[2]

Early work

In 1993, when he was 13, Andrew joined the band Reverse Polarity and his first public recording "Mr Surprise" came out on a compilation released by Westside Audio Laboratories label out of Ypsilanti, Michigan (now known as Ypsilanti Records). Over the next 5 years he was in many different bands in Michigan the most famous of which was Lab Lobotomy. The Pterodactyls, Music Band, Mr. Velocity Hopkins, Kathode, The Portly Boys, Kangoo, The Beast People, Stormy Rodent, a later iteration of Scheme, the Malt Lickers, Isis and Werewolves, and Sucking Coeds. In 1994 he also started a solo project titled "Ancient Art of Boar", or "AAB", which ended in 1998. Andrew's first release under the name "Andrew W.K." was in 2000, on the now-defunct Michigan record label Bulb Records. ^[1]

In 1998 his first official solo record (under his own name) Room To Breathe was released on Ann Arbor label Hanson Records. The release was cassette-only and only 35 copies were made. Another tape, titled "You Are What You Eat" was supposed to be released shortly after, but the masters went missing. ^[3] That same year, he appeared on the Hanson Records compilation Labyrinths & Jokes. The track appearing on the compilation was a portion of the soundtrack Andrew made for "Poltergeist", a movie made by Aaron Dilloway and himself. The whole soundtrack also went missing for over 10 years, but it too has recently re-surfaced. ^[1] In 2000, he released his first EP, AWKGOJ on Bulb Records. He released one more EP on this label, Party Til You Puke, before moving on to Island Def Jam^[1]

Solo career

Andrew released his first album on Island, I Get Wet, in 2001. The album is known for its recognizable cover art: a photo of Andrew W.K. with a large stream of "blood" running from his nose, down his chin and onto his throat. I Get Wet soon rose to the #1 position on Billboard's 'Heatseekers' list. Andrew W.K. joined Ozzy Osbourne's Ozzfest that summer. The track "Party Hard" was featured as the lead track for EA Sports video game Madden NFL 2003 as well as the lead track for the Girls Gone Wild Music Volume 1 CD. The opening track, "It's Time To Party", was featured in commercials for the video game Nascar Thunder 2004, Hotwire.com, Coors Beer, Expedia.com, and several movie and TV soundtracks. "She Is Beautiful" was used the Disney remake of Freaky Friday starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan and also in early Nintendo GameCube advertisements. His track "Don't Stop Living in the Red" is featured in a Target commercial. It was also featured during KSDK-TV's coverage of the St. Louis Cardinals in 2005. He also recorded an original song for KitKat chocolate wafers entitled "Gimme a Break". In 2002, he re-recorded his song "We Want Fun" from AWKGOJ for the soundtrack of Jackass: The Movie that also had a video made, filmed and directed by Spike Jonze.^[1] In late 2003, W.K. released The Wolf. The album featured Andrew playing all the instruments on the recording (he had his full live band play on I Get Wet). It spawned the singles "Tear it Up" and "Never Let Down" in the US (both had videos made, but only Tear It Up had a full retail single released) and the song "Long Live the Party" was a minor hit in Japan. ^[1] "The Wolf" has many overdubbed instrument parts. It has been said that one guitar track on one song could have as many as 100 overdubbed parts on it..^[1]

The Cover to Who Knows?

The Wolf was not as commercially successful as "I Get Wet". On tour for "The Wolf", Andrew was injured on stage and broke his foot. After the concert, he signed autographs from the ambulance. Not wanting to let his fans down, he performed the remainder of the tour in a wheelchair.^[1] A live-concert DVD entitled Who Knows? was released in February 2006. Similar to his audio recording the DVD combined many sources into single events - a technique Andrew refers to as "Synch Stacking". Andrew presented five screenings of the movie in New York City and Hollywood, in February and April, 2006. He also attended a screening of the movie at the University of Michigan Law School, presented by his father.^[1] In March 2006, during an episode of Sex Pistols' guitarist Steve Jones' radio show, "Jonesy's Jukebox", Andrew W.K. debuted a new song "Vagabond". An album Close Calls with Brick Walls was released in Japan and South Korea in July 2006. The album contains 18 tracks (the Korean version includes an additional 4 bonus tracks, while the special edition Japanese version contains a bonus DVD with footage found nowhere else) .^[1] In the US a vinyl-only edition of the album was released on Load Records in August 2007.^[1]

An Andrew W.K. 'happening' in Sydney, December 2007. Note the audience members singing instead of Andrew.

During 2007, Andrew performed a series of unpredictable happenings as part of his "One Man Show" tour. Each event began with Andrew improvising on the piano alone on a stage before they frequently evolved into giant parties, with most of the audience dancing on stage with Andrew, themselves playing the piano and singing the lyrics.^[1] In May 2007, Andrew announced that, on addition to the previously promised album Young Lord, he will be release another album titled Eberwhite. A solo piano album is also expected.^[1] Andrew is working with friends on opening a music venue in NYC.^[1]

Other work

Outside of his solo work, Andrew also performs with and produces music for the avant-garde ensemble To Live and Shave in L.A.. He first appeared on the band's 2004 release "God and Country Rally!". He co-produced their 2006 studio album Noon and Eternity, and appears on the group's other 2006 release, the "chronological remix" project Horoscopo: Sanatorio de Moliere. ^[1] In late 2006, Andrew re-worked his song "Fun Night" into a theme song for the Sundogs, an Arizona hockey team. The song was titled "Sundogs (It Just Got Hotter)" ^[4]. The song also appeared in the film Old School during one of the party scenes.^[1] Andrew has also performed live as the bassist of Current 93 including at the UK All Tomorrow's Parties festival in May 2007.^[1] In September 2007 Andrew's piano playing was featured on a jazz fusion CD release "électricité" with Mike Pachelli on guitar, Rich Russo on drums, and Dennis Harding on bass for Los Angeles based Fullblast Recordings (2007). ^[5]

TV and film appearances

In 2004, Andrew had a television show on MTV2 titled Your Friend, Andrew W.K.. In the series, fans would write letters to Andrew, asking for his help, and Andrew would pick certain letters and go help out the fan who sent the letter asking for help. The series only lasted 1 season, and had 9 episodes each about 9 or 10 minutes in length. During the filming of the show, Andrew was in a car crash but sustained no serious injuries. Andrew has said that he is going to have a new television show. On February 3, 2007, during an interview, Andrew stated that the new show would be titled "Smokeshow". . Andrew has performed on TV shows such as Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Last Call with Carson Daly, Saturday Night Live, and the Spike TV Video Game Awards. His most recent performance was with Bonnie 'Prince' Billy on Late Night with Conan O'Brien. He recently had a cameo in the show Aqua Teen Hunger Force, singing a modified version of 'Long Live The Party'.^[6] The song was released on Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters the Soundtrack. Andrew's only confirmed movie role is in the movie "Punk Rock Holocaust", playing himself. Andrew was also featured on the finale of the third season of Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List as Kathy's date in New York. The two attended one of Andrew's performance art shows.

Record producer

In addition to producing his own music on the albums I Get Wet, The Wolf and Close Calls with Brick Walls, as well as other Andrew W.K. music, in 2006 Andrew decided to expand his musical output to include producing and mixing music for other artists. "I avoided working with other people for many years, partly out of paranoia, and parly out of an earnest desire to stand on my own. After a while, I got tired of thinking that way, and it just seemed natural to do the opposite of what I had done before. I like making music with other people. I can still make music by myself too." Andrew's earliest external production work was with the group Wolf Eyes, on their now out-of-print 12" EP "Fortune Dove". Since then, he's chosen to work on a select and seemingly random set of projects, most recently completing production and mixing on the album, "Through The Panama", by Brooklyn, NY based three-piece art rock band, Sightings. The album was jointly released by Load Records and Thurston Moore's Ecstatic Peace! label in October 2007. At the end of 2007 Andrew accepted an invitation to produce a new album "Repentance" for veteran reggae artist Lee "Scratch" Perry. The two had met when Andrew interviewed Perry for television, including for Andrew's own upcoming, "Smokeshow" program. The album is slated for release in 2008.^[7]

Discography

Albums

• I Get Wet (2001, Island Records) #84 (US Billboard 2002) #1 (Heatseekers 2002); UK #71
• The Wolf (2003, Island Records) #61 (US Billboard 2003); UK #152
• Close Calls With Brick Walls (2006, Japanese Import / S. Korean Import)
• Young Lord (2008 or 2009)
• The Carrier (2008 or 2009)
• Untitled UK EP (2008 or 2009)
• Eberwhite (2008 or 2009)
• Untitled Solo Piano Album (2008, 2009, or 2010)

Singles/EPs

Independent Releases

• Room To Breathe (Under his full name, Andrew Wilkes-Krier) (1998, Hanson Records)
• You Are What You Eat (Unreleased) (Under his full name, Andrew Wilkes-Krier) (1998, Hanson Records)
• AWKGOJ "Girls Own Juice" (EP) (2000, Bulb Records)
• Party Til You Puke (EP) (2000, Bulb Records)

Major Studio Releases

• "Party Hard" (October 2001) #19 (UK Top 40 Chart)
• "She Is Beautiful" (February 2002) #26 (UK Top 40 Chart)
• "We Want Fun (Jackass the Movie Soundtrack)" (December 2002)
• "Tear It Up" (July 2003)

Promo singles

• "Party Hard" (October 2001)
• "She Is Beautiful" (February 2002)
• "Fun Night" (2002)
• "We Want Fun (Jackass the Movie Soundtrack)" (December 2002)
• "Specialty Radio Sampler (August 2003) (The songs 3 main tracks, Tear it Up, Your Rules, and Never Let Down were on this disc)
• "Never Let Down" (September 2003)
• "Long Live the Party" (2003, Japan Only)

DVDs

• "Tear It Up" DVD (2003) - Includes A.W.K. music videos and concert footage
• "The Wolf" Bonus DVD (2003) - Japanese import version, includes exclusive behind-the-scenes footage
• "Who Knows?" (2006) - Feature length live concert movie
• "Close Calls With Brick Walls" Bonus DVD (2006) - Japanese import version, includes exclusive A.W.K. footage

Film and television soundtracks

• Out Cold She Is Beautiful
• Jackass: The Movie We Want Fun
• Stealing Harvard Party Hard
• Old School Fun Night
• Freaky Friday She Is Beautiful
• Masters of Horror Soundtrack You Will Remember Tonight
• American Pie Presents: Band Camp She Is Beautiful
• Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters Colon the Soundtrack Party Party Party

Compilation appearances

• "Labyrinths & Jokes" (Hanson Records Release HN050) Song: Andrew Wilkes-Krier (Andrew also appeared on the Isis and Werewolves track and The Beast People track).
• "Ozzfest 2002 Live Album" Song: She Is Beautiful (Live with Kelly Osbourne)
• "Take Action! Vol 4" Song: Spoken PSA Intro
• "Mosh Pit On Disney" Song: Mickey Mouse Club March
• "Maxim Rocks!" Magazine Compilation Song: She Is Beautiful
• "Girls Gone Wild Music, Vol. 1" Song: Party Hard
• "Hard to Get V1 Island Rarities" Song: We Want Fun (AWKGOJ version)
• "2003 Warped Tour Compilation" Song: Ready to Die
• "Serve 2: The Hard Rock Benefit Album" Song: This Is My World

Production credits

• "Fortune Dove EP" - by Wolf Eyes (2000) Andrew W.K. Album Producer/Mixer
• "Noon And Eternity" - by To Live And Shave In L.A. (2006) Andrew W.K. Album Producer/Mixer
• "Through The Panama" - by Sightings (2007) Andrew W.K. Album Producer/Mixer

Other musical appearances

• "électricité" - by Mike Pachelli - featuring Andrew W.K. on piano (2007)
• "We Sing Of Only Blood Or Love" - by Dax Riggs - featuring Andrew W.K. remixed song "Dethbryte" (2007)
• "Safe Inside The Day" - by Baby Dee - featuring Andrew W.K. on bass guitar and drums (2008)

External links

• andrewwk.com - Andrew W.K.'s official site
• Andrew W.K. at MySpace
• www.smokeshow.com forthcoming tv project
• awkmedia.com independent media site
• awkarchive.com independent archive

Video

• 77 Boadrum Site Profile Viva Radio, Sep 2007. (Flash)
• PUNKCAST#1224 live @ Cake Shop NYC on Nov 9 2007. (Realplayer,mp4,DivX)

References

1. ^ The Reeler, February 01 2006, "Andrew W.K. and the Cryptic Movie Missive": [1]