Andrew W.K.

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.

Has anyone heard his newer song "Pushing Drugs"? WTF? "Don't Call ME Andy" is a good one to look up, too, it's all like some Grease-style song.

wait that's seriously andrew wk?

y

the sunglasses were Oakley Blades circa 1987... really a nice touch.

I get it

There's these ones too. Better demonstration of the sunnies.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1113/752263390_034b19a862_m.jpg
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1185/751298513_c3b1789a69_m.jpg

the off center belt buckle bothers me.

That is a good look, if one completely stealthy for Mr. W.K.

Man I love this guy.

genius. reminds me of when I saw Will Oldham eating on a patio wearing mall-bought Hilfiger top and pants (many years ago)

http://www.brooklynvegan.com/archives/2007/08/music_hall_of_w_1.html

anyone ever get to the bottom of that steev mike thing or make any sense of his shifting personas? judging by his website he now looks like this:

http://www.andrewwk.com/cms/data/news_images/i_632.jpg

We should start an elite strike team against him or something.

-- Ned Raggett, Monday, April 15, 2002 12:00 AM (6 years ago) Bookmark Link

ned in nyc?

Having just met Alex face to face the other week, anything is possible. (That said AWK did a fantastic job with Sightings on their last album.)

http://www.andrewwk.com/cms/data/intro_slideshow_images/i_452.jpg

Off centre belt-buckle strikes again.

the new lee scratch perry album is pretty fucking aces.

Andrew WK did a fantastic job on everything he has done ever.

I flew ten hours to Houston last week to see a cancelled AWK show. He is pretty much the most important dude to me ever.

I like a few tunes off the first album. I think a lot of the hate directed at him is due to the "hair metal = satan/misery = integrity" narrative of rock history that's been dominant since the early 90s.

that was the picture I tried to link before. He looks like the lost member of Japan in that picture.

Anyway I still don't "get" him but I'm sensing that I'm overthinking it. I agree that my knee-jerk reaction toward the music is "meh" but then he comes across as so knowledgeable, intelligent, insightful, and cool in interviews. he clearly has a broad and deep knowledge of experimental music. And then when that ISN'T really what he puts out (on a major label, no less) I'm confused. And then I start thinking it's an act. But then I have to consider that it isn't an act, he just likes making music like that, and it doesn't need to be at odds with anything else he says or does.

but I should also note that everything tied up in the east-coast noise post-hardcore scene is weird to me since I'm too old and have always lived on the west coast so what the fuck do I know

"hair metal = satan/misery = integrity" narrative of rock history

can you explicate, please?

dude he just makes fun music, what is there to 'understand'?

Read the pitchfork review.

xpost

I'm admitting that my reaction to Andrew WK says more about my own prejudices than anything else. To me, the idea of a classically trained musician with a deep respect for John Zorn projecting a 'dumb party guy' image and landing a record deal with a major label and cranking out a giant hit or two is bizarre. Maybe that isn't bizarre to you but it is to me.

I think it's sort of good bizarre. I'm a big fan of the incongruous.

lolz kids show

ugh

http://www.myspace.com/andrewwk

Uh is that his home phone number on his myspace?

Wouldn't be surprised. Didn't he personally call the first thousand people who bought I Get Wet or something?

Who bought 'The Wolf.' I love that man.

Me! I listened to it a couple times (once on mushrooms iirc) its okay. Make Sex is funny

the cartoon network isn't really for kids as much as it is for adults on drugs

'I Get Wet' = record of the decade for real

'Destroy Build Destroy' not v good tho

'I Get Wet' = record of the decade for real

it's no Horse of a Different Color

No, I Get Wet is better.

u should post to this thread
Big & Rich: Album of the Decade?

x-post - I loved "I Get Wet" when it first came out. Have you seen his twitter? It can be pretty amusing: http://twitter.com/AndrewWK

This is a good friend of mine on Halloween a while ago now - I still love it:

http://i28.tinypic.com/o73i2t.jpg