Andrew W.K.

VINDICATION!

So maybe his music is NOT that bad, eh?

If I came across most people I suspect they'd have a right to complain. Depends on the context, though.

Yeah, I am going to damn the torpedoes and make the comparison. This album is very "Ramones-y." This a good thing. A VERY good thing. Songs with little lyrical merit, yet still make you feel good to be alive. Peppy and pointless. This is what I expect from musicians I like. Stay away from "art." Art is rarely good. I don't want to have to think and ponder. I want to bounce around, slam into the concert goer next to me, wind up bloody, and go home feeling snazzy.

The last time I felt this good about music was at the final Ramones show, and listening to his album, I get the same feeling. It's a very good thing. And that's what music's really all about, isn't it? Making you feel something. Good, bad, whatever. It's all good.

Kevin Buffington made some very good points in his review (http://www.culturedose.com/review.php?rid=10002497), and I'm not saying he's wrong. Do the songs sound alike? Yes. Is there a recurring theme here? Quite. Do they blend together? Of course they do. Will these songs change the world as we know it? Probably not, but all I'm saying is that this isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Agreed, I won't call this metal. I'm almost afraid to call it Punk, but it definitely doesn't fit any of the other genres. I can't really call it rock, since I'm not feeling the need to airguitar. What I WANT to do is to violently slam my 270 pounds into someone, watch them "ooof!," turn around and do the same thing to me.

Loud guitars, screaming madman, no solos, AND keyboards on occasion, this album has everything I could hope for. No, he's not reinventing the wheel, he's not worried about difficult chord progressions (barre chord central, folks, have I made the Ramones comparison? By George, I think I did!), but he is having a blast doing it and I'm having a blast listening to it. Over and over and over again.

The songs are all pretty upbeat, a quick tempo with a driving beat. No, there's not much of an edge. Is a good portion of each song a repetitive chorus? Yes. Again, not a bad thing. The Ramones' "Beat On The Brat" is a perfect example. And while they seem to go by fast, the average song is about 3 minutes. This is the only flaw in my opinion. 12 tracks, yet the album only lasts 35 minutes. I want more, dammit.

Songs of note include "Ready To Die," a very peppy happy song about killing you (with cheerful keyboards, no less. OK, so maybe art isn't dead on this album.) and "I Love NYC," which would make a decent anthem, and is sure to get tons of airplay, after all, not doing so would mean that the terrorists win. We can't have that, no sirree bob.

In conclusion, I highly recommend this piece of auditory magic. If you're tired of being spoon fed the latest crap MTV hands out, and really want to feel good about music again, this album will do it for you. I'm going to end this now. My cats need to learn how to mosh with the big boys. Pray for them.

-Kevin Carlson

1. Japanese gameshows (misapprehension thereof)
2. The 1936 Olympics, Berlin
3. Stephin Merritt
4. George W. Bush

1. Japanese gameshows (misapprehension thereof)
2. The 1936 Olympics, Berlin
3. Stephin Merritt
4. George W. Bush

Thing is, I don't think poor Andrew could really be remniscient of any of those things, to me at least, since there is this sickeningly-sweet-or-just-sickening INOCENNCE to him that is probably beyond calculatiom, something none of the decadent hair-metalers he appears to be aping (like Van Halen, etc.) ever had. Maybe this is what is so beguiling and off-putting to some people. He truly believes the abstraction of his own mythified construction, that he is some sort of good and noble savior figure who can inspire happoness in everyone through his simple, easy, catchy music - lije that website entry up above on this thread proves. More than a hippie, his naivete propels his infantilism towards wide-eyed idealism, which is repeatedly getting confused with either hedonistic stupidity or irony-free nostalgia. Andrew is just a kid at heart, an organ Tommy Lee never even had.

Eh? Ya lost me.

you also would get your ass beat by him if you ever came across him in real life

If I came across most people I suspect they'd have a right to complain. Depends on the context, though.

-- Ned Raggett ([email protected]), July 24th, 2002.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Why do you always have to ruin Thanksgiving???" - Ellen Degeneres
-- Dan Perry ([email protected]), July 24th, 2002.

Andrew W.K. brings himself, and his "thoughts" back to The PIT, for an encore three-part series of weekly lectures. Mondays, March 12 -- March 19 -- March 26.

Andrew has decided to open up the playing field up even wider in order to converse even more directly with members of the audience. "I guess you could say, I'm reaching out and pulling in," says Andrew. Each night will be dedicated to a question and answer format, where those present may ask Andrew questions and collaborate in the night -- it will be an evening of ?

Andrew has insisted this forum be broad enough to include every possible topic and every possible person. Participants are encouraged to come. NOT A CONCERT - speaking engagement only!

The moment continues. Met a fellow traveller the other day. There only need be 12 of us

*SECRET HANDSHAKE SHAKEN*

this album is still monumental

At shows, he plays a 3-minute version of the Kit Kat jingle he recorded (available here). He also plays and growls Blueberry Hill as an evil dirge on keyboard sans bandmates.

He is also surrounded by super insane and detailed conspiracy theories (NSFW) and his possible alter ego Steev Mike.

AVAILABLE WHERE???

I thought this place would be a good resource for interesting AWK discussion since a lot of the themes relevant to his music are often covered here. What a shame.

I came to AWK late. I always knew who he was but thought his music was either fun but something only acceptable to rockout-to in an ironic sense on good days, or retarded sounding meathead music on bad days. I started seriously listening to AWK's stuff only recently but am blown the fuck away now. "I get Wet" is the most intense thing since the first bad brains record (like I was around for that)and the more melodic songs on "The Wolf" rock hard. "Never Let Down" may be the greatest Camaro song of all time. The lyrics are cliche but he delivers them with soo much heart it's like he really sincerely believes it and that makes you believe too...or something.

There of course is the question of whether it's "schtick" and obviously to some degree it is. It's clear from researching his background and some of the other bands/projects he's been involved with (Bowie Covers while in the Pterodactyls) that he's a lot more musically cultured and pop aware than he lets on. How could you hear those synths and NOT know something was up? Yet there doesen't seem to much if any winking involved. I think he just really likes big grand piano riffs, Journey-esque solos and lyrics consisting of little more than stunted threats against invisible authority figures and directives to rock on. He may be the most unpretentious musician ever.

AWK = singer-songwriter of a generation

AWK = serious bro.

r.i.p.

He had a great look going at 77BOADRUM:

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1272/765586185_aeaee5da3e_b.jpg

MAN! The W.K., when will you ever not be transcendent? NEVER.

I believe everyone here would do well to read his short story The Old Lady and the Cats.