Andrew WK

Um, he's releasing a solo album of improvisational piano (a la Keith Jarrett) called 55 Cadillac. He says: "I want the listens to feel like they're in the car with me, and I'm playing piano-- just for them-- inside the car, together. That feeling is '55 Cadillac.'" Bizarre.

http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=280473611&blogId=492679536

listens --> listeners

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i264/GYtrfe23453bhgvf/55Cad_VinylOrder.jpg

lol at pic of him hanging out the window. haven't heard of much of this guy's music, but i've always kinda liked him. seems like a cool oddball sort of dude. i mean, going from jamming with wolf eyes to hosting a kids show is an interesting career arc.

that video is rather Lynchian.

His music is fucking great if you're depressed. It will totally kill any sadness on contact. Seriously.

from metafilter

When I was 14, Andrew, myself and two other friends started a band called "Lab Lob Otomy." To Andrew, we were a 'noise' band, gleefully deconstructing and defying everyone else's notions of what was and wasn't music. I think to the rest of the band we were just making as much noise as possible in lieu of actually knowing how to play our instruments. Even then, Andrew was prodigiously talented as a multi-instrumentalist (he played drums in the band, but he was an incredible pianist.)

On top of Lab Lob Otomy, the members collaborated on a bunch of one-off projects, but it became clear around the time Lab Lob Otomy dissolved (around my16th birthday) that we really just couldn't keep up. Andrew was something of a musical perfectionist, and we were just not disciplined or talented enough performers to stay toe to toe with him. I think that says a lot as to why he continued to perform largely solo after that.

As a person he's a very good guy, and even though I initially thought his whole sincerity kick was an Andy Kaufmann-esque pose, I came to realize that he knows it's a joke but he still means it.

I still see him sometimes. I went to his wedding a few months ago. He's good people, and he's managed to carve out an amazing little niche for himself that few performers get, where he can (and does) try just about everything. More power to him.

split 7" coming out on mint/nardwaur june 23rd with the evaporators and andrew wk.

Holy shit; that "55 Cadillac" thing is KILLING me, from album concept to cover. He wants me to feel like he's in the CAR PLAYING PIANO JUST FOR ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i think the best thing to say about him is that he seems to do whatever he wants all the time despite how weird or uncool it is, some of it is just interesting, some of it is really great, and i've not really heard a bad word said about him as a person/person to work with.

that video is rather Lynchian

He put out a tour doc called "Who Knows?" that is pretty amazing, and leans heavily on this kind of old school video editing with psychedelic audio effects and David Lynch tone. The intro is hilarious, he's talking about World War II and all this conceptual & historical stuff while an orchestra slowly builds up in the background while still images of his rocking out (and occasionally making admittedly silly rock faces) slowly zoom in. At one point a stream of light emits from his mouth that fills the screen.

Lots of awesome performances on this, including footage from when he was touring The Wolf in Japan, had a crippling accident, and finished the rest of the tour IN HIS WHEELCHAIR. Inspiring stuff.

In between all the songs are lots of Lynchian spookiness, eerie drones and sound collages while Andrew (or an imposter?) just glowers at the camera silently or contorts his body across the floor. These parts are really freaky and adds to the weird mystique about his act. Once you see this video it's no longer 'Is he really a 24/7 movitational partier?' but 'is he really a performance art schooler who ended up with a pop record deal?'

Yeah, actually I have that video, and it really is a perversely funny performance art thing that completely defies your expectations. Just like the whole Steev Mike thing that was going on for 2+ years. If you don't know what I'm talking about... honestly, I have no way of explaining the twists and turns of that dramatic rollercoaster ride.

I saw Andrew WK performing last night. Un-friggin-believable. I love this guy. "This is not a concert, this is a party", beer and beercans flying around, enormous build-ups followed by everyone going ape-shit mental, half the audience onstage, lost shoes, ripped clothes, everyone covered in beer and water and some serious fun. The show ended with Andrew backed by the Evaporators with Nardwuar the Human Serviette and Wimpy Roy of the Subhumans/DOA on vocals and guitar. So much fun.

res OTM on this thread

also a W.K. concert is always a joy. I've been to two and just so much fun and everyone was so happy! Also at the second one he did a weird & creepy version of 'Blueberry Hill' on solo piano, and he and the band did a three minute version of their Kit-Kat song.

In a statement on the guitar W.K. said, “For over 8 years, I dreamed of creating a guitar made out of a slice of pizza supreme."

http://andrewwk.com/news/andrews-pizza-guitar

lol

i wish i could live this guy's life.

you can, apparently, as there appears to be no difference between being an Andrew WK impersonator and Andrew WK judging from the pizza video.

that video is awesome. goddamnit i wish i could live this guy's life.

(the dude in the video is an andrew wk impersonator)

please direct applications for becoming an andrew wk impersonator to louise harland corporation c/o steev mike

i'm serious though. the dude sounds really off. this isn't the same dude in the build/destroy show or the nardwuar interviews.

He's used them in the past but this guy looks like him a lot. Are you sure it's an impersonator? Where you get that from?

It's him.

i don't even understand why someone would do that.

maybe real andrew wk is allergic to wheat gluten

that's not an impersonator. there are rumor of impersonators, but I don't think this is one of them.

that's his voice, for sure. also, bear in mind that he's nearly 35 now, and the cover of I Get Wet was when he was 22.

1. andrew's voice is weird in this. if he's the same as TV andrew, it's as if he's doing an impression of himself.
2. the recorded voice on I Get Wet sounds way different from LIVE andrew
3. they could ALL be impersonators

http://i.imgur.com/MrHI0.png

this week's AWK shirt.

http://andrewwk.com/news/item-of-the-week

somehow AWK has been involved in this Brony horseshit

WHole time I was watching this video, it just seemed "off". I'm not convinced it's the real AWK either.

doesnt look like him

That metafilter quote upthread is totallt otm. I worked w. Andrew for about a year and a half. He was never short of the most humble, positive guy I've met. Completely filled with wonder at all the awesome things he came across.

I'm gonna float a theory here, you guys tell me if I'm off-base here... Is Andrew WK the reincarnation of Jesus Christ?

there may be 2 AWKs but I don't think there are 3+

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7076/7358684120_96e199d0e3.jpg

Zoolander.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xemLz_fR1Ac

he finally got out of the Island contract?

ANDREW W.K. Includes Dirty Jeans and Hair
in "I GET WET" Limited Deluxe Edition

New York, NY (August 2, 2012): Following the unveiling of the packaging and track listing of the I Get Wet 10th Anniversary deluxe edition last week, Andrew W.K. has given details of a super limited 500 double-disc autographed edition.

In addition to a special autographed 20-page booklet that accompanies the two discs, the 500 double-CD copies will include very unique personal items from the party king himself. These items, inserted at random, may include a piece of Andrew W.K.'s own personal, stage-worn and filthy white Levi's 501 jeans that were cut into 496 pieces! Three of the remaining limited packages will contain a lock of W.K.'s unwashed hair, while one lucky purchaser will receive an autographed airplane ticket stub that W.K. used to fly from Prague to New York City. Out of consideration for the recipients of his dirty jeans and hair, a Bloody Nose Air-Freshener will be included in all packages to help with any potential odors contained in the CD case.

"I wanted to give a piece of myself and this party to everyone who got one of these limited editions," explains W.K. "Originally, I had wanted to include used tissues and one of my hangnails, but I was told that international customs doesn't allow sending human flesh or bodily fluids in music packaging. So I decided to give the party people my dirty white jeans and hair instead. My jeans and hair give me party power-kind of like Dumbo's magic feather. They're blessed with the power of positive partying, and I hope that these objects bring even more magical partying to anyone who possesses them."

To be released by Century Media Records on August 28th, the I Get Wet 10th Anniversary Deluxe Edition comes in a stunning double-gatefold LP edition or a two-CD edition. In addition to the original landmark debut album by W.K., the deluxe edition extends the partying with a second disc/LP of never- before-heard live recordings, early demo recordings, alternate mixes, and other previously unreleased material. For the live recordings on the second disc W.K. and his team recorded their live concerts using a special custom-designed technology. With the aim of recreating the sound inside his own ear canals while he performs on stage, they constructed a unique microphone enclosure disguised to look like a piece of monitor equipment and designed to replicate W.K.'s skull. The resulting audio is raw, chaotic and full of live energy.

The deluxe packaging includes a photo-realistic oil painting of the original album cover by artist Gonzalo Garcia as well as extensive liner notes and dozens of never-before-seen photos from the original recording sessions of I Get Wet as well as throughout Andrew W.K.'s career.

I GET WET 10TH ANNIVERSARY DELUXE EDITION TRACK LISTING:

DISC 1 (I Get Wet - The Original Album):

1. It's Time To Party
2. Party Hard
3. Girls Own Love
4. Ready To Die
5. Take It Off
6. I Love NYC
7. She Is Beautiful
8. Party Til You Puke
9. Fun Night
10. Got To Do It
11. I Get Wet
12. Don't Stop Living In The Red

DISC 2 (The Bonus Tracks):

1. It's Time To Party (Live)
2. It's Time To Party (1999 Version)
3. Party Hard (Live)
4. Party Hard (1999 Version)
5. Girls Own Love (Live)
6. Girls Own Love (1999 Version)
7. Ready To Die (Live)
8. Take It Off (Live)
9. I Love NYC (Live)
10. She Is Beautiful (Live)
11. She Is Beautiful (1999 Version)
12. Party Til You Puke (Live)
13. It Just Got Hotter (Sundogs Version)
14. Got To Do It (Keyboards Version)
15. I Get Wet (Live)
16. Don't Stop Living In The Red (1999 Version)

Pitchfork gave it an 8.6 this time around (the review itself is pretty decent too). I'm proud of them.

That first review was such a travesty.

tbh I'm surprised the original review is still online. That would've been one of the first things I scrubbed if I were in charge of tidying Pitchfork's editorial integrity.

http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/184-i-get-wet/

yikes

that first review is one of the things that got me to check out AWK! basically "this guy sounds like a real prick, therefore if he hates this, i'll probably like it"

Now, Brent and I like to hook up and get cynical from time to time

will never ceased to be amazed at what Schreiber and DiCriscenzo hath wrought, really. it's amazing that two such shitty, shitty writers managed to create a media juggernaut that makes/breaks careers.

Though now I'm curious to see what Ian Cohen's original review of that album was like...

xp I think the same...though with DiCriscenzo I always hold out a tiny bit of hope that he's just trolling everyone, Schreiber is cringe-worthy like 99% of the time

this bonus disc is pretty incredible, by the way. just big sounding live takes and some of the original demos, which are a lot rawer and more deconstructed. the live "I Get Wet" is so incredible