Across the globe music is a universal language that can speak straight to the soul . Now and then a special communication transcends above the social closets where we live our daily lives . One such communication link belongs to a fella from the back streets of Belfast by the name of Andy White .
When Belfast was buzzing Andy was right there at the heart of it all .
Your man took over without even having to fire a single shot . He just breezed in if you like and began a musical career that propelled him all over the world and when he landed in Australia I caught up with him . He told me that you can always leave Belfast but you carry it with you everywhere .
When I spoke with him I felt as if I found this escape hatch in a palace filled with noise . He has this easy manner of talking . Its like he actually sings to you in this space filled with peace .
Andy was born and reared in Belfast he grew up making his way to school between barbed wire and barricades . This lifestyle came through in a Canadian TV documentary called Much Music which won an award in France . During the program Andy took the film crew all over Belfast in his car trying to show them that Belfast has another story apart from what was normally seen . With that kind of innocent portrayal he did a big favour to the up and coming bands around Belfast . In his car they drove past checkpoints and crossed the sectarian divides that kept both communities apart . He spoke on the music documentary about his time at Cambridge University . Andy also worked with Terry Wogan at the BBC which gave him some of the essential ingredients he would use in cooking up tunes and a career in the music business .
Andy worked with Ex-Genesis front man Peter Gabriel , Sinead O’Connor, Tim Finn from Crowded House, and Billy Bragg .
His first single in Ireland “Religious Persuasion” appeared on the Stiff Label . Then Andy put together his first album entitled “Rave On” which was followed up by an album called “Kiss The Big Stone “ which was what propelled him into stepping out on a world stage as an Irish artist . Andy was well received out there in music land and his third album entitled “Himself” was released on the Cooking Vinyl label .It was from that album came Andy’s best known song came .In a Groovy Kind Of Way was a very popular song . Andy had a long relationship with Cooking Vinyl records who were based in London . It was a kind of world voice that picked artists from different countries . The first ever world record they ever put out was by Michelle Shocked . Terri Hooley was the driving force behind the Cooking Vinyl label . He wanted to show the world that Belfast had a voice and a music scene .
Record companies have a big responsibility what kind of fuse they place in our minds with their artists and their music . The artists as well have a lot to take on board and as songwriters they have a vocation to follow . It all depends on how they are able to break down the barriers and patch up the differences that make or break the delicate emotions we all have . Today more and more young people are looking for an answer and music can have a great effect on them . Coming out of Belfast gets you a head start in the hard knock school . Andy White has a way to express peace through his words and in his music Andy mixes in various sounds to enhance the listeners experience . Everything from slamming doors to screaming fire engines, footsteps walking across a wooden floor to rain pelting down on a tin roof . Somewhere within each project he projects an altered image where he crosses the divides in culture and creed . It’s a high perspective and one not many can achieve . Because of this he can focus outside a small island into a global situation .
His next album “Out There” was released . It won the Irish Times best album in 1992 . Andy received the Hot Press Songwriter of the year award in 1993 . The next project for Andy was with a three piece band called ALT .
An album entitled Altitude was released with EMI and ALT toured in Europe to promote the band and the album . This Album and the ALT project was an escape hatch Andy has found with his music . Kicking on with his solo career then Andy put together an album called Destination Beautiful which was released after the very successful Himself album . I personally love the title of this album and it again speaks in a transcendental kind of way to you if you have the ears to listen .
Andy decided to pack his things and tour around the world . He did shows in Melbourne , New York , London and at the biggest festival in Europe which is the Glastonbury Festival . His involvement with Womad UK continues to be a big focus with his career . Even though Andy is on a continual tour all over the world he still manages to put together projects like an outfit called The Celtic Ono Band in 2000 Reading poems with old school friends on Belfast and sketching out images like Picasso on a power trip . He regularily writes in his journal where even he is and whatever he is doing .
Recent new albums Andy has put out are entitled Speechless Rare and his latest Album entitled Boy 40 continues to express that peaceful escape we all must the time to find .
THE END
By Doctor Write
Originally Posted On Site: 2008-08-03 03:40:57
Last Login: 01.06.09
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