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[Graeme]

ANDY’S GARAGE OPEN FOR BUSINESS

ANDY WHITE’S NEW ALBUM ‘GARAGEBAND’ RELEASED 30 OCTOBER
ON FLOATING WORLD (UNIVERSAL/EVANGELINE) FW 028

Listen, where do I start?

We are talking Andy White - we are talking about a hero in the 80's and 90's - we're talking about Rave on Andy White and Kiss the Big Stone ... on tape!

We're talking about the first time you heard the single Religious Persuasion ... Are you with me?

We're talking about the ALT gigs with Tim Finn and yer man Liam from Hothouse Flowers.

In short - Andy White is one of the great Irish singer-songwriters, and releases his new album ‘Garageband’ on the Floating World label this month.

He’s got his 12 string acoustic guitar in one hand and an electric mandolin in the other. Wears his Irish charm on his sleeve and always packs a poetry book in his well-travelled suitcase.

It’s a loud, brash rock album. Andy isn’t afraid to open the garage doors wide and tell you what’s on his mind. He wrote the album in a creative rush – 14 songs in 14 days – and recorded it at home in Melbourne, Australia and at Peter Gabriel’s Real World Studios in Box, Wiltshire, where John Leckie produced the recording session.

John Leckie? Only the producer of ‘The Bends’, Muse and My Morning Jacket, that’s who. Andy and he have been pals since meeting at Real World years ago.
They were introduced by Billy Bragg’s manager Peter Jenner, who used to look after Andy, and worked with John at Harvest.

Andy finished recording at home in Australia, and brought the songs to Luciano Ligabue’s studio in Correggio, Italy, where John mixed the album.

Andy’s past, present and future collide in the world of ‘Garageband’. From the party atmosphere of ‘I Got A Number Off You’ and positivity of first single ‘Message To You’ to the rock angst of ‘No Way Out’. From the hilarious literary adventure ‘Samuel Beckett’ to the serious grooves of ‘Waiting For Someone’ and ‘The Capital Of Now’. There is world music in ‘Don’t Choose The Wrong Way’ and pure romance in ‘You Walked Back Into My Heart’.

On the album Andy is joined by old friend Liam Bradley from Van Morrison’s band on drums, and Radoslav Lorkovic (Jimmy La Fave, Odetta) from Croatia via Iowa City, who tours with Andy in the UK this autumn, on piano and hammond organ.

A classically trained musician from a Croatian-American family, Radoslav draws on a multitude of influences ranging from elegant classical and jazz styles to the rawest blues, country and soul. Andy and Radoslav met up on tour in Italy in 1997 and have been playing together ever since. He has promised to bring his accordion, providing he can carry it as hand luggage.

Also featured on the album are Australian pop diva Monique Brumby on ‘A Long Time Coming’ and Canadian actress Torri Higginson, with a show-stopping vocal
performance in ‘Letter From T’.
OK - back to the start. Belfast-born Andy White first hit the scene with Stiff Records EP ‘Religious Persuasion’ and landmark album ‘Rave On Andy White’. Since then, career highlights include a series of albums on UK roots label Cooking Vinyl, winning Ireland’s top songwriting award, recording as a one third of ALT, and writing with the likes of Peter Gabriel and the Finn Brothers. Andy’s close relationship with WOMAD culminated in his being appointed musical director for the grand finale gala at WOMAD UK 2005.

Andy White has always been on the cutting edge of folk, pop, poetry and politics – touring the world, crossing genres, and pioneering the ‘i-book troubadour’ trend (the initial inspiration for the new album was Apple’s ‘Garageband’ programme).

If you like your rock music beautiful and strong, if you want to dance but don't always end up on the dancefloor, if you like your stories and ideas coming at you loud and clear, then try a visit to Andy’s garage. The ceiling’s higher than you think and the doors are always open/

You may have some catching up to do ... me, I can't wait.

Andy’s website www.andywhite.com
Andy’s myspace www.myspace.com/andywhitemyspace
Radoslav’s website www.radoslavlorkovic.com

[Graeme]

Biff...........!

[Graeme]

Interesting interview http://www.hi-arts.co.uk/oct2006-int...ndy-white.html