ANDY PAWLAK

BIOGRAPHY

2011

In September 2011 Andy Pawlak was interviewed by Mono Mod of This Is Indie, to answer some frequently asked questions from his fans:

Mono Mod: "Any plans to record something in the future?"

Andy Pawlak: The simple answer is I just dont know. I was pretty badly burned by Universal after "Low Beat Folk".  I have always tried so hard with my songs and I thought enough is enough.  I ain't touched a guitar in a while but you never know; the feeling might come back. That's the strange thing about song writing - it comes when it comes, I don't really have any control over it, I'm just the sucker who gets to write it down.

MM: "Why was there no follow up after Shoebox?"

AP: There was!  And it was good, but the record company didn't like it.  It was a lot of very hard work wasted. It was more guitar based than "Shoebox", more mature and tougher. There were some good songs that will never be heard.  I was so upset I destroyed all the demos.

That's when I decided to head off for a few years and went to San Francisco to do my helicopter stuff.  I had just got out of my first record deal with Phonogram and fancied a change of direction so I grabbed my suitcase and a guitar and moved to San Francisco to go to flight school. It took seven months to get my commercial licence then I trained to become a flight instructor.  I stayed in California about five years then came back to London and signed with Island Records to do "Low Beat Folk". I had many amazing adventures flying, one of the best was flying to Michael Jackson's house (twice), and spending the afternoon messing about in his golf cart around the ranch in Never Never Land.

MM: "Why was Low Beat never released?"

AP: Well for me that's the big question. I did five or so years in California and started to write again, so I moved back to London to get a deal.   One of my dreams had always been to sign with Island Records, so I finished the album and put a band together called "Monkey".

Island went for it and "Low Beat Folk" was recorded.  It took three years to write and record and I was so proud of the work we had all done..... Then out of the blue, Island were bought out by Universal and they dropped the project after spending a lot of money on it.  I was so gutted.  I went to New York and secured a deal for it within two weeks. The contracts arrived, and I was about to sign, when I got word from Universal's legal dept that they would not allow the recordings to be used.  They effectivley shut us down.  It broke my heart...

Thanks to Andy and Mono Mod - originally published September 2011 on This Is Indie


1988

Andy PawlakWe huddled quietly by the studio window and watched the eggs crack - the ducklings tasted the air for the first time. They clambered out of their nest. Bounced down the steps and plopped into the mill stream . It was summertime and we were recording this album in the Sol Studio in Berkshire.

By the time the ducklings weren't ducklings anymore, the last song had been recorded. I felt a great sense of relief as if I'd been clutching those songs with bloody fingers for years.

They all tell a single story or maybe even a hundred stories - choose one.

I dearly hope you enjoy it.

Sleeve notes from the album "Shoebox Full of Secrets"


From the town that brought you Bryan Ferry, Sting, Mark Knopfler, Roger Mellie and various other megastars comes young contender Andy Pawlak.

Born and bred in Tyneside's costa del sol Andy's name may well be familiar to some of you out there as he has already put in some two hundred appearances around this septic isle, including various Red Wedge tours and support slots with Wet Wet Wet, the Blow Monkeys and the Pogues an impressive record for someone of the tender age of 23.

Often unable to afford bed and breakfast, Andy travelled the length and breadth of the nation in a beaten up VW Beetle with his hotel room packed in his bag in the shape of an inflatable airbed. Performing his heartfelt songs with just his guitar for accompaniment he has built up a steady pool of admirers not least for his bravery.

"I remember I was supporting the Pogues at Newcastle Mayfair and before I went on the crowd was going berserk chucking beer bottles and glasses at the stage. I walked on, started to play and after a couple of numbers they shut up completely, sat down and listened. It was such a great feeling".

The Tube were quick to pick up on Andy's popularity in their own backyard and asked him to record a song. "Love Letters", which was used as an accompaniment to a feature on Tyneside photographer Jimmy Forsyth. Those of you who plagued the tube for information on Andy will be pleased to know that this song will feature on his forthcoming debut album.

Andy is a songwriter in the classic mould, one not afraid to address the issues that matter to him. His approach is a breath of fresh air to a music scene that is increasingly dominated by studio technocrats. He cites certain authors rather than musicians as sources of inspiration - Kurt Vonnegut Jnr, Alexander Solzhenitsyn, Viz comics and many others.

The end of '87 saw Andy Pawlak abandoning his one man show and forming his own band, to add new depth and splendour to his songs. Andy's vocals and guitar playing are augmented by fellow Geordies Graham Henderson on keyboards, Nick Bagnall on bass and Paul Hudson on drums. And they will be playing near you soon.

Get up and listen. You know it makes sense.

Sleeve notes from the promo CD "An Introduction..."



All content © Andy Pawlak 2011 - 2012