Live Party TONIGHT:
Andrew will be performing a special solo party set in Harrisonburg, Virginia, tonight, Thursday, November 20th, 2008! The show is located at:
The Pub
1950 Deyerle Ave #A
The show is open to ages 18 and up, and the doors open at 8pm. This is sure to be a wild and super fun chance to party with A.W.K., all out and all the way!
CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS.
Santos Wins ALL Awards:
Santos Party House has officially won all the major NYC dance club awards! On Sunday, November 16th, Paper Magazine held their Nightlife Awards. Santos was nominated for every eligible category and won them ALL! Best Club (People's Choice), Best New Club, and Best Party! Andrew says:
"Thank you to everyone who voted for us! And thank you to everyone who has given their energy to make this dream come true! This club is dedicated to you!"
Click HERE for New Yorker Magazine's review.
With Calder Quartet:
On Saturday, November 15th, 2008, Wordless Music (a NYC contemporary concert series) invited Andrew to perform with the first rate classical ensemble, The Calder String Quartet. This was the first ever chance to see A.W.K. perform his own music with live strings, as well as compositions by noted contemporary composers. Andrew says:
"The show was a smashing success! Brand new experience for everyone involved. We're rolling!"
Karaoke Party:
On Wednesday, December 3rd, Andrew will host NY Magazine's karaoke party, featuring live music from Ted Leo and the Pharmacists!
The "New York by New York" event will be held at Studio B in Brooklyn, and gives audience members a chance to sing a song of their choice with the band, and Andrew introducing them on stage. There's also a charity raffle benefitting New York Cares. Plus, complimentary vodka! CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS.
NEW RELEASES:
Andrew W.K. and Universal Music International are proud to announce the upcoming release of three new Andrew W.K. collections. The albums will be released on November 26th, 2008 and available only in Japan.
The trio of releases consists of a "Best Of" collection (including a new song!), an album of Andrew's ringtone recordings of Japanese pop hits, and a 2-CD "Premium Collection", with the "Best Of" AND ringtones.
CLICK HERE FOR ALL THE DETAILS.
Santos & Paper:
Paper Magazine, a beacon of light in city nightlife and arts culture, featured Santos Party House in their November 2008 issue. Andrew W.K. is pictured alongside his friends and partners, Larry Golden, Spencer "Santa" Sweeney, and Ron Castellano.
The Santos Party House nightclub was started by Ron, Larry, Spencer, and Andrew in Spring of 2008, and has fast become the hottest club in New York City - winning multiple awards for best dancefloor, best new venue, and best soundsystem.
Click HERE to see the feature on Paper's website, or view it in the AWKarchive.
Paper Magazine also invited Andrew to jam on keyboards at their November 5th party in Los Angeles, alongside DJ's Spencer Sweeney and Santa's partner, Derek Ferguson. Andrew also hyped the mic and gave motivational speeches throughout the night.
CLICK HERE TO SEE A VIDEO!
And check out their BEST NEW DANCE FLOOR award, and BEST NEW VENUE awards from The Village Voice and The New York Press!
Andrew in VMan:
The cutting edge men's fashion magazine, VMan, published a two page feature on Andrew in their Winter 2008 issue. The article was written by Andrew himself, and discusses his hair. Click HERE to read.
The article also features a new photo of Andrew by Roe Ethridge, who took the infamous bloody nose image on the cover of "I Get Wet". The bloody nose photo was also included a recent NYC gallery show.
Solo Piano Video:
Foetus mastermind, Jim Thirwell, invited Andrew to give a special solo piano performance at John Zorn's intimate NYC music venue, The Stone, on Wednesday, September 24th, 2008.
The show was sold out and the crowd had a chance to hear Andrew perform several spontaneous solo piano songs, as well as two songs with vocals, including "Sweet Boogie Woogie" - click for video.
London Lecture:
Read Rocksound Magazine's "10 out of 10" review, HERE!
On the evening of Friday 19th September 2008, Andrew gave a one-off, stream of consciousness address to a sold-out audience at Madame JoJo's, Brewer Street, London. After recent lectures at Yale and NYU, this was Andrew's first UK talk.
Read more about Andrew's lectures at PlayLouder, The Guardian, and the NME.
Thank You, NYC:
On Monday, September 15th, 2008, Andrew gave his first ever solo performance at the new Santos Party House, NYC - the music venue and nightclub he co-owns in Manhattan! The night was a rock 'n' roll blow-down and Andrew was delighted! "Thank you, New York City! You are my dream!", says Andrew.
Also on the bill was: Aleister, Bad Brilliance, Samuel, DJ Jonathan Toubin, and DJ B-Roc. Plus Anna Copa Cabanna dancing and amazing lights and dancing!
Andrew says: "This was a very special night of celebration and I was so honored to share it with my friends! This night has been a dream in the making for many years, and I am truly grateful to have the opportunity to party in a place for ALL of US!"
"I spoke with people who had traveled from all over the country, and the world, to be at the Party House with me. I was overwhelmed with the love and joy I felt in that room. I will never be the same..."
DAMN! The Mixtape:
Andrew is pleased to announce the upcoming release of, "DAMN! The Mixtape - Volume 1." The CD is a collection of tracks produced by Andrew and up-and-coming NYC producer, B-Roc, of Heavy Roc Music.
B-Roc has produced tracks and remixes by Jay-Z, Katy Perry, Shwayze, and Samuel, and together with Andrew, they're bringing their hottest tracks and remixes for DAMN! Volume 1.
Artists slated to appear so far are, Girl Talk, Lee "Scratch" Perry, Aleister, Bad Brilliance, Samuel, The Postelles, Rumspringer, The Knocks, Julia, Andrew W.K. and much more!
Many of the artists from the mixtape, including Samuel, Julia, B-Roc, Andrew W.K., Bad Brilliance, and Aleister, performed at Santos Party House on Monday, September 15th. The night was beyond fantastic - it was DAMN!
Stay tuned for the official release date, and special sneak previews, including video clips of the artists, audio clips of the songs, and more!
Metal Edge Interview:
Legendary heavy metal and hard rock magazine, Metal Edge, sat down with Andrew at his August 31st solo performance in Farmingdale, New York.
Writer and interviewer, Brendan Twist, got in deep with Andrew, as the two discussed life, love, music, his future, his past, and who has the heaviest breakdowns in the metal scene.
Click HERE to read the complete interview online.
Surprise Guitar Set:
On Tuesday, September 9th, Andrew gave a special surprise electric guitar set at New York City's Pogo In Togo party.
The short set featured several spontaneous cover songs (by audience request) and off-the-cuff improvisation songs that Andrew made up on the spot. It was Andrew's first ever solo electric guitar show and a "totally new and scary feeling", he said. VICE Magazine covered the show on their website, HERE.
London Solo Success:
Thank you to everyone who came out to see Andrew perform his first ever UK solo show at the PUSH Club in the Astoria 2!
The show happened on night after Andrew's first ever UK lecture, and celebrated his special trip to England and the PUSH Club's 1 year anniversary.
Andrew says: "I was blown away by the passion - thank you for your love!"
Katy Perry Loves Andrew:
Rolling Stone recently reported on Katy Perry's favorite tour experiences of the summer, and she said her night at an Andrew W.K. show was her top pick!
Katy says: "We were onstage with Andrew W.K. the other day. We went to his show, and it was the best thing of my life I've ever been to. It was like Sodom and Gommorah."
Read the complete quote from Katy, HERE.
More Lee Perry News:
Current TV has released two new videos on Andrew's work with Lee "Scratch" Perry and the new "REPENTANCE" album. Click the links below:
VIDEO 1: "Andrew On The Album"
VIDEO 2: "Craziest Moments With Lee"
Also, NPR's "All Songs Considered" radio program featured the "REPENTANCE" album on their recent broadcast. Listen to the song "Shine" here.
REPENTANCE In Stores:
"Repentance", the new album by Grammy-award winning reggae music legend, Lee "Scratch" Perry, was released on AUGUST 19, 2008, by Narnack Records and Lionsgate Entertainment and is in stores now. The album was co-produced by Andrew W.K., who worked with Lee at studios in California and NYC.
Click HERE to read more in the PRODUCTION section.
Andrew's Guardian Blog:
The influential UK newspaper, The Guardian, asked Andrew to write down his thoughts and feelings on his upcoming trip to London:
"I have decided to love everyone. My story is about someone trying to expand his ability to love the world, and through that, maybe others will love the world more too, in their own way."
Read everything Andrew wrote HERE.
Andrew's Sex Tips:
In this video, Andrew shares his thoughts on sexual intercourse and sexual outercourse, discussing everything from dental dams to lube to having sex on the first date.
The video is part of Andrew's work with GoTV and Altitude's cellular telephone program.
Click HERE to watch on YouTube, or click HERE to browse through all the videos in the AWKarchive.com!
"Pum Pum" Music Video:
Watch the music video for, "Pum Pum", the first single from Lee "Scratch" Perry's new album, "Repentance", which he made with Andrew W.K.
The video was filmed on location, in Kingston, Jamaica and directed by urban music video vetran, Jay Will.
Plus, you can read a new interview with Andrew, talking about the making of "Repentance", on the RCRDLBL website.
Juggalo Riot:
Andrew was invited by Insane Clown Posse to give a special solo performance at their yearly music festival, The Gathering Of The Juggalos. Other acts this year were Ice-T, Three Six Mafia, and Afroman.
Andrew says: "I had an incredible Gathering Of The Juggalos experience! I want to start by saying thank you again for inviting me to come to this one-of-a-kind event. I was extremely impressed by the size and scale of the festival. I'm blown away by what ICP has built with their fans - it's an ongoing inspiration."
"It was a beautiful day with perfect weather and people were getting super pupmed! Definitely one of the wildest crowds I've played for! The audience had been real rowdy all day long, and by the time I hit the stage, they were ready to explode! It was amazing! I was loving the energy and intensity, but the production crew decided to stop my set, for fear of a full blown riot!
Thank you to all the Juggalos and Juggalettes for going all out and partying with me! It was a real pleasure to be around so many energetic people. I'll never forget the day, for as long as I live!"
Andrew Talks Lipstick:
"That Other Paper", Austin's alternative news source, called up Andrew on the phone and did an interview about all sorts of topics, including lipstick:
Andrew says: "Whether it's wearing lipstick or any kind of odd thing where at 20 years old I would have thought it was stupid. And now I've worn lipstick many times and it's really been a lot of fun."
Read the complete interview HERE.
Rehearsal Space Video:
Zoom-In Media invited Andrew to sit down on their show, "Rehearsal Space", and talk about music, the music industrty, and life in general.
The interview also includes an assortment of A.W.K. footage, spanning much of Andrew's career. Andrew speaks about his early days, starting off in New York City, and even includes a few photos of Andrew signing his first record deal!
Click HERE to watch the video.
We Want Fun Acoustic:
The Latest Show On Earth invited Andrew to perform an acoustic version of "We Want Fun", with the puppet, Edgar. Part of DowntownTV's Puppet Music Theater.
The video was produced by Steve Paul, the legendary New York City club owner and night life maven. Steve Paul's legendary Manhattan hotspot, "The Scene", was a favorite spot of some of the worlds most legendary musicians.
Click HERE to watch the video.
Northeastern Lecture:
On Wednesday, July 9th, 2008, Andrew gave a special lecture at Northeastern University in Boston. The event was sponsored by the school radio station, WRBB, as a summer After Hours seminar, titled, "An Evening With Andrew W.K."
The stream of conciousness discussion included questions from the audience and several rounds of dance and song. Afterwards, Andrew gave away free autographed posters.
Andrew says: "Thanks to everyone who came to the lecture! I had an incredible time and I think it was the best one yet. I appreciate the fantastic questions - it made for a really enjoyable discussion. Remember to always roll 'round. I really felt like I was rolling during that night in Boston. What a nice rush! Great to meet new friends and see faces I've seen before."
Andrew's ideas focused on doing what we really want to do, and how we can use our words and thoughts to have a lot of fun. Andrew says, "Everything we're doing is aimed towards exhiliration, freedom, and possibility. Thank you for doing it with me."
I Love The Millennium:
Andrew is a featured topic on Vh1's new television series, "I Love The Millennium".
Andrew and others talk about his music, and Andrew himself can be seen riding around on a Segway scooter and giving his thoughts on all sorts of millenial topics. Andrew says: "I've always had a lot of fun with VH1, and this show was no exception. Plus, I got to ride a Segway!"
Check your local listings for more details.
Santos in NY Times:
Santos Party House, the new Manhattan night club opened by Andrew and three partners, was featured in the New York Times style section June 8th, 2008.
The article describes some of the space, some of the music, some of the parties, and some of the famous Santos signs!
Click HERE to read the article at NYTimes.com, or click HERE for the A.W.K. Archive.
Loveline Radio:
Andrew made his 3rd special guest appearance on the famous, "Loveline" radio show, Thursday night, June 19th, 2008. The nationally syndicated radio program is hosted by Stryker & Dr. Drew - they answer sex and relationship questions from listeners.
Andrew will give listeners his own advice and feedback, and present the premier radio broadcast of Lee "Scratch" Perry's sexy new single, "Pum Pum"! Andrew says: "Thanks to everyone who called in!"
I Love NYC:
New York Magazine interviewed Andrew about his favorite New York City experiences, memories, Broadway shows, and restaurants. Andrew also discusses his past history of theft, and when he himself was robbed.
Andrew says: "Once I got mugged, it stopped me from doing bad things and getting into trouble like I had been."
Click HERE to read the complete interview.
Andrew's B-Movies:
The film-fanatic magazine, Cinema-Suicide, asked Andrew to write about his favorite B-movies in cinema history. But first... "What's a B-movie?"
Click HERE to read Andrew's thoughts, questions, and even a few answers. Andrew writes: "I hope this rant provided some ideas to help make ALL experiences - including B-movies - more limitless, more powerful, and ultimately, more FUN! Thanks again for asking me to participate!"
Andrew + Vampire Weekend:
The musical group, Vampire Weekend, invited Andrew W.K. to be the guest host for their New York City Summerstage show.
The concert took place in Central Park, on a thunder-storming Saturday, June 14th, 2008. In addition to Vampire Weekend's performance, Kid Sister and Born Ruffians also played. Andrew introduced each band, and played guitar on two songs with Vampire Weekend.
More Studio Footage:
HotNewz.TV has featured special in-studio footage of Andrew recording with Lee "Scratch" Perry in California. The two are filmed working on Perry's upcoming new album, "Repentance", which will be released this August, 2008, on Narnack Records.
Click HERE to watch the video.
Click HERE to read more about Lee Perry and Andrew's work together in the PRODUCTION section.
Andrew's Fight Face:
The website, "Street Boners and T.V. Carnage", wrote a special article about facial expressions. They discuss one expression in particular, called "Fight Face". This is the face a man gets after he's been frightened and humiliated by a surprise attack.
Andrew gives a step-by-step photographic explanation of the face HERE, while Gavin McInnes provides color commentary. Gavin considers the Fight Face to be one of the hardest faces to do in the history of faces.
Performance Videos:
The Fader magazine has posted multiple videos from Andrew's May, 2008 sold-out performance at the New Museum in New York City. The concert featured Andrew on piano and vocals, with his friend Matt Sweeney on electric guitar.
Their set included all new music, improvisation, and stream-of-conciousness song writing. The Fader says: "Watch each clip until you're ready to embrace how truly great YOU ARE..."
Andrew Plays Golf:
Does Andrew W.K. play golf? Not really, but Hard Rock International invited him to participate in their inaugural Save the Planet Invitational celebrity golf tournament on June 2nd, 2008, in Myrtle Beach, SC.
Andrew joined PGA legend, Peter Jacobsen, as well as musicians like Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick, and Frank Beard of ZZ Top, as they hit clubs, hung out, and showed their support for the Rock My World Children's Village at Hard Rock Park.
Big Brother Interview:
One of Andrew's very first interviews was with the infamous Big Brother Skateboarding magazine. The interview was conducted by the legendary Chris Nieratko (of Jackass and New Jersey skateboard fame), and is now available on his official website.
Click HERE.
Q: "Tell me your best party experience."
A: "When I think of a party, I think of doing whatever you want to do. It's not an event that happens once. It's an all-inclusive, all-the-time thing. It's like running around in a circle as fast as you can. To me, it means running around in a circle real fast, or just dancing, and no-holds-barred fucking. Not afraid of looking stupid. Not afraid of anything and just doing what you want to do right then. And like the music should be as loud and as moving and as fun and fast and hard and heavy as possible because why be half-assed about it?"
Q: "Do you do a lot of crack when you're at parties?"
A: "No, I've been doing the cocaine as of late, but I find that it makes me extremely angry about a day later."
SANTOS PARTY HOUSE:
Santos Party House is fine-tuning the upstairs and downstairs levels for nightly dance parties. Now you can come! Seven nights a week. 10pm until 4am.
Santos Party House is located at 100 Lafayette street, one block south of Canal Street, Manhattan, New York City.
Santos Party House is a two-level, 8000 sq. foot venue, centrally located in the downtown New York City, straddling Chinatown and Tribeca.
Focused on blurring the lines between music and art culture, the venue is designed to function as a concert hall, dance club, and lounge.
Featuring a top-notch, global lineup of weekly residents and one-off events, Santos Party House has been built from the ground up to make life as fun as possible.
Party every night and have a wonderful time!
Story Time Success:
Paul Frank chose Andrew W.K. to present their first-ever bedtime story, ONLY IN DREAMS, with a special children's book reading in NYC.
"Andrew's dynamic and celebratory nature blends perfectly with the magical experience of the new book", says PF President Ryan Heuser. The event took place on Sunday afternoon, May 25th, 2008.
Click HERE to watch a video, and HERE for details.
School Of Rock:
Andrew made a special appearance with the Paul Green School Of Rock All Star band on Sunday, May 25th, 2008.
The performance was part of the Paul Frank after-party, celebrating the "Only In Dreams" book reading and charity event.
The School Of Rock band closed off the streets of New York City for a live music event, and Andrew sang his "We Want Fun" and "Party Hard" songs with the players! Watch a VIDEO.
Metromix Interview:
Local New York City newspaper, AM New York, and the online city guide, Metromix, conducted an exclusive interview and photoshoot with Andrew in Manhattan's famous Bryant Park.
The article discusses a wide range of topics, ranging from "children" to "clothing" to "Fox News".
Click HERE to read the entire unedited feature online.
Village Voice Feature:
On May 21st, 2008, New York City's famous Village Voice newspaper printed a special feature on Andrew W.K. in their music section.
The article reviews Andrew's May 15th, 2008 performance at the New Museum, and features exclusive interview content.
Please click HERE to read the complete feature online, or pick up a copy of the Village Voice at your local news stand.
Fox News Dates:
After becoming a regular on Fox News, "Red Eye" invited Andrew back for another round of guest appearances.
Andrew's next appearance will be on Wednesday, July 30, 2008. Check your local listings for broadcast times.
Andrew made his first guest appearance on the show, Wednesday, October 25th, 2007.
L.S.P. & A.W.K. Video:
Since early 2007, Andrew has been working with reggae and dub music pioneer, Lee "Scratch" Perry, creating Perry's upcoming album, "Repentance".
Pitchfork T.V. got a behind the scenes look at the recording process, and filmed a video interview with Lee and Andrew in the studio.
Click HERE to watch the video.
Live Australia Footage:
Andrew performed at the Meredith Music Festival in Australia, 2007. He put on a special solo show for the capacity crowd, playing a selection of A.W.K. favorites, including "I Get Wet".
In addition, before the show Andrew gave an exclusive interview with the festival's video team:
PART ONE
PART TWO
Andrew's Hair Video:
In this video from GoTV's Altitude series, Andrew talks about personal hair care.
Using his own hair as a guide, Andrew explains how to build natural hair health and body. He also discusses oil and water and how it creates various hair conditions.
Click HERE to watch the video.
Click HERE to watch more videos in the A.W.K. Archive.
A.W.K. Gives Moby Advice:
Anthem Magazine has invited Andrew to host a special advice columns in select issues. The first installment features rave, dance, and techno musician, Moby.
Andrew and Moby discuss personality issues, love relationships, creativity and music, as well as general thoughts on existence.
Click HERE to read the complete article in the A.W.K. Archive.
Current 93 Europe 2008:
Andrew W.K. played electric bass guitar with the musical group Current 93 for their April 2008 European Tour. Click HERE for more about Current 93.
This is the third tour on which Andrew will have performed with the group.
In April, 2007, Andrew also played with C93 at the Donau Festival in Krems, Austria, and later that year at the All Tomorrow's Parties festival in England.
Yale's Music Magazine:
Andrew W.K. is featured alongside American composer, Philip Glass, in Yale University's March, 2008 issue of their music journal, Volume. The issue profiles both artists, and contrasts and compares their modes of expression. Andrew says:
"It's a great and unbelievable honor to be included in this magazine with such a luminous figure as Philip Glass."
Click HERE to read more from the Archive.
The McLaughlin Groove:
Andrew W.K. has recorded a 47-second theme song called "The McLaughlin Groove", based on dialogue between political T.V. show host, John McLaughlin, and his guests.
The song was commissioned by National Public Radio's "Fair Game". The recording received wide coverage across political media outlets.
-- Listen to the SONG -- Watch the VIDEO --
Selected coverage:
Rolling Stone
Wonkette
Washington Post
Pitchfork
New York Magazine
Politcal Reps
Providence Daily Dose
Mother Jones
State Of Nature
Hearing Voices
Yale University Success:
Yale University, the Master of Yale's Davenport College, and Yale's Volume Magazine invited Andrew to be the guest of honor at a Master's Tea.
The Master's Tea event was held on March 5th, 2008 and gave students an opportunity to discuss questions and ideas with Andrew in an intimate and stimulating environment.
More soon...
Children's Charity:
Andrew is a proud Ambassador with the Global Angels children's charity organization. Also, a member of their International Advisory Board, Andrew says:
"I greatly admire the ambition, focus, and raw courage of the Global. I've been inspired by their determined belief that all humans have the right to be loved and to pursue their own true will in a world of freedom."
Click HERE to learn more.
Extended Wire Interview:
Cutting-edge music magazine, THE WIRE, featured Andrew W.K. in their March, 2008 issue (#289). The article is called "Invisible Jukebox", in which writer, Marc Masters, played Andrew secret songs, to see if he could name the musicians.
Now, the magazine is offering readers the entire, unedited 9 page version of the interview on their website.
Click HERE to read.
In addition to the printed feature and the unedited interview, THE WIRE is also offering an exclusive MP3 download of a new, never before heard Andrew W.K. song called, "Young Lord Kenneth".
Click HERE.
You can read the original printed article in the A.W.K. Archive's PRESS section. Special thanks to Marc Masters, Anne Hilde Neset, Nathaniel Budzinski, and Susanna.
Andrew's #1 Ringtone:
Andrew made a special ringtone in Japan, to celebrate the country's newest popular catch-phrase, "Son Nano Kankei Ne, Hai Oppappi!" This translates into, "I Don't Give A Damn, Yes Ocean Pacific Peace!"
Andrew's version is called, "Son Nano Kankei Ne ROCK". The ringtone was first announced on the Japanese national T.V. program called "Music Station" and had over 3500 downloads that day. Cumulative sales of ringtone is now over 20,000! Andrew's song debuted at No.1 at Label Mobile's International daily ringtone chart. Lable Mobile is the biggest mobile retailer in Japan.
Andrew says:
"Wow! I am going wild! To all of the wonderful people who have decided to ROCK with me and download my "Son Nano Kankei Ne ROCK" ringtone, I love you! This is a great honor, like flying high on the winds of Ocean Pacific Peace! I JUST DON'T GIVE A DAMN!"
Click HERE for the news on Andrew's official Universal Japan website. More HERE.
Viva Radio Interview:
Andrew was invited by Viva Radio to appear on their "Me + You" program. The interview will be available in their archives and HERE.
Or click these links to hear PART 1 and PART 2 (thanks to Quinn).
The interview features several live in-studio solo performances by Andrew, including new, never before heard spontaneous songs.
Fader Magazine Video:
To celebrate the musician Baby Dee, and her new album, "Safe Inside The Day", Fader Magazine asked Andrew to interview Dee for a special video. Fader says:
"Another admirer [of Baby Dee] is awesomest dude in the universe Andrew W.K., who, in preparation for Baby Dee's show... at Joe's Pub, sat down for a candid interview with the artist for FADER TV. We couldn't bring ourselves to edit any of it out, so watch Part 1 here and click more for Part 2 and Part 3.
HotNewz Interviews:
Phillip Anastos, the son of New York T.V. legend Ernie Anastos, has launched a unique television channel called HotNewz. Andrew W.K. was interviewed for several different news segments, which can be viewed on the Internet.
- In the first interview, Andrew discusses his ideas about partying.
- In the second interview, Andrew talks about his first time getting drunk.
Andrew At ECNY Awards:
Andrew was invited to be a special guest presenter at New York City's ECNY Awards, recognizing New York's best comedians. Andrew presented the award for "Best Emerging Comic" to Joe Mande. Joe says:
"By far, the best moment of the night - if not my life - was when the category for Emerging Comic was presented by the famous bloodied-nose rocker Andrew W.K. It was unreal. He gave a short, heart-felt speech about his love for comedy and and the entire comedy community as a whole. Then he opened the envelope and read my name. It will remain as one of my most special memories for as long as my brain still works."
Although Andrew has never officially been a comedian, he's grateful for the NYC comedy community embracing him, and relates to the way comedians create joy for their audience. Andrew says:
"I admire anyone who takes the risk of going up and performing for strangers, and making those strangers feel like friends. It's a vulnerable position to put yourself in, and I'm inspired by that sort of courage."
Solo Piano Review:
"PLAY", Rhapsody's editorial music page, has published a review of Andrew W.K.'s January 20th, 2008 solo piano performance. In the write-up, Andrew says:
"When you expose your vulnerability to an audience—and show them you respect the power they have to make or break you—you're giving them all you can give as a performer. That makes a good show—or at least a thrilling sort of tightrope walk."
Click HERE to read the complete review.
Piano Solo Success:
On January 21st, 2008 at 1:00am, Andrew gave a solo piano performance in New York City.
The show was an encore performance of his series of secret piano performances around NYC in 2007. The event was SOLD OUT and held at the venue, Pianos, in downtown Manhattan.
Andrew's set was unlike any of his previous solo performances.
The groups Endless Boogie, Jeff Jensen, and Children also gave excellent sets.
Andrew says: "This show meant a great deal to me and I'm more grateful than ever to everyone who came out on such a cold and late night. Some kind of step was made at this show - what that means, I don't know yet. But it feels wonderful to have taken that step with you - thank you for your time and loving kindness. I especially appreciate the people who traveled great distances to be with me that night. I love you dearly."
Read a preview of the show in Time Out New York.
Andrew & Baby Dee:
BABY DEE'S NEW ALBUM WAS RELEASED ON TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, '08!
Order "Safe Inside The Day" HERE.
Read more about the album in the The Badger Herald. Andrew played bass for Baby Dee at her 2007 Christmas NYC concert. The show was held at Joe's Pub in Manhattan, and also featured a performance by Little Annie.
Andrew also had the honor of playing bass (and some drums) on Baby Dee's new album. Andrew says:
"I've never heard music more beautiful than Baby Dee's. Ever since I first listened to her songs, it's been a dream of mine to play music with her, and to watch this dream manifest has been one of the great pleasures of my life. Dee has a direct connection to the interior space of the soul, and this new album humbly communicates the true nature of that space."
Click HERE and scroll down for more about Baby Dee and the "Safe Inside The Day" album.
Baby Dee on tour!
NYU Art Lecture Success:
On January, 16, 2008, Andrew was invited to give an intimate lecture on his photographs and visual work for a select group of NYU art students. The lecture was part of NYU's Steinhardt School Winter Sessions.
Andrew presented various photographs from his albums and personal collections, spanning his entire career.
Many of the pictures can be seen in the A.W.K. Archive's PICTURES collection.
Emmie Magazine Interview:
Andrew gave an interview discussing his different modes of performance, to the Winter '07-'08 issue of Emmie Magazine:
"I was hoping it'd be a way to kind of escape from
myself, but I could never shake that feeling. Trying was very futile, and when I was very drunk, I felt like I was looking over my own shoulder..."
Click HERE for their .PDF, or HERE for the archives.
Party Hard Tribute:
This Party Hard tribute video was sent in by Jake - click HERE. It's now featured in the VIDEOS section of the A.W.K. Archive. This video showcases special tinfoil head-pieces and masks, special clap-down moves, and a total disregard for anything but friends, freedom and fun.
To submit your own Andrew W.K. videos, pictures, or music, simply write to david@andrewwk.com and include your attachments or links!
Keyboard Solo Videos:
Two new videos of Andrew's abstracted and AWKward keyboard solos have been presented by New York City's Punkcast video network.
The videos were filmed by a man named Joly, at Andrew's secret keyboard appearance, made during a 2007 SIGHTINGS concert in downtown Manhattan. The concert was celebrating the release of the SIGHTINGS, "Through The Panama" album.
Click HERE to watch both videos in the A.W.K. Archive.
A.W.K. Comic Strip:
The amazing Lucid T.V. team of John Keogh, David Rothlein and Ross Hutchinson Armstrong, created a 2 part Andrew W.K. comic strip.
Andrew says: "I'm honored to have been included in this beautiful comic. I love the drawing style, and its message is like a psychic omen."
The unedited strips can be found at Lucid-TV.com - PART ONE, PART TWO.
Andrew's Ten 2007 Albums:
Filter Magazine asked Andrew to list his favorite albums of 2007. Andrew says: "I've prefered to have many favorites in life, rather than trying to list only a handful of top choices, but it was fun putting together this list anyway."
The list features many artists close to Andrew's heart, including Andrew's top picks for rap music, the music of Hanson, and Lee "Scratch" Perry.
Click HERE.
L.S.P. & A.W.K. In Billboard:
The December 8, 2007 issue of Billboard Magazine printed an exclusive feature on Lee "Scratch" Perry and Andrew W.K.'s recording collaboration, and discussed Perry's upcoming "Repentance" album.
The article features quotes from both Andrew and Lee talking about the album's sound and the experience of working together.
Click HERE to read the complete article.
New A.W.K. Fansite:
We're pleased to announce and support the new Andrew W.K. fansite, A.W.K. Media - the ultimate bootleg resource, featuring rare recordings from many different eras of Andrew's music.
So far, the site offers several songs impossible to get elsewhere, including alternate versions of music from "Close Calls With Brick Walls".
Click HERE to visit now!
BUST Magazine:
In the December/January 2008 issue of BUST Magazine, Andrew was chosen as the "Boy Du Jour".
In the feature, "Party On", writer Jenni Miller discusses the "faith-healing" qualities of Andrew's live performances and his all around, "powerful" presence.
In the article, Andrew says: "The music gave me new strength..." Click HERE to read the complete article in the A.W.K. Archive.
Andrew Produces Lee Perry:
Andrew W.K. is currently working with legendary reggae pioneer, Lee "Scratch" Perry, producing and mixing Perry's upcoming full length album, entitled, "Repentance".
The majority of the recording was completed in New York City and in Anaheim, California. Andrew recently wrapped up Lee's lead vocal sessions, of which Andrew says: "I've become changed. Lee is a magician. I feel incredibly blessed to be in the same in room as Mr. Perry, to listen to him, to watch him - let alone having the opportunity to make music with him. I think Lee is all."
"It's going to be classic to keep current fans on the edge of their seat but also reach out to a whole new fan base," Perry said. "The album will prove to be more relevant than ever."
Read more HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE.
Watch video of Andrew interviewing Lee HERE.
New York Times Feature:
The New York Times newspaper printed a feature article about Andrew W.K. in their Arts and Music section. The article ran on Sat., March 10th, 2007 and previews Andrew's upcoming speaking engagements.
The profile also discusses Andrew as a performer of ideas, and the NYtimes.com online version includes a video interview as well.
Click HERE for the complete story.
