Profile of Andrew W.K. on Famous Like Me

Andrew W.K. (Andrew Wilkes-Krier, born May 9, 1979) is a rock musician in the United States. He is known for his brand of fast and upbeat rock 'n' roll music, his unique and confounding image, and his powerful 'party hard' message.

Biography

It is believed that Andrew W.K. was born in Los Angeles, California. He grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan, attending the alternative Community High School from 1993-97, where he studied jazz keyboards. Much of his early background is unclear, with significant doubts arising as to exactly who "Andrew W.K." is and how he came to his present situation. He released a number of singles with the Bulb record label as a solo musician and performed around New York throughout the late nineties. After a memorable solo keyboard performance at a coffee shop on St. Mark's, W.K. was hyped by the local press. He released a few songs as a solo keyboardist and continued to tour, playing any shows he could up and down the east coast. Later, he recorded an EP of his first official "Andrew W.K." songs titled Girls Own Juice in 2000, which included songs such as "Girls Own Juice", "Make Sex", and "We Want Fun", a few of which he has re-recorded for later releases.

"I Get Wet"

W.K. released his second solo release, I Get Wet, in 2002 on Island Records. The album had a remarkably new and original sound, complete with pounding guitars and background synthesizers, as well as some prominent piano playing (Andrew is a classically trained pianist). It is also known for its recognizable and controversial cover art: a photo of a greasy-haired Andrew W.K. with a large stream of blood running from his nose, down his chin and onto his throat. This cover art caused a controversy in Europe, as it was seen as endorsing cocaine usage This was not the effect that Andrew had intended; in reality, Andrew has stated that he created the nose bleed with a self-inflicted blow from a cinder block. There are also other stories regarding the creation of the cover art, such as a story that the effect was created through the use of pigs' blood, or that the nosebleed was inflicted by an over-enthusiastic fan at an Andrew W.K. live performance.

"I Get Wet" soon rose to the #1 position on Billboard's 'Heatseekers' list. Its retro sound garnered a good deal of attention, earning Andrew W.K. a spot in Ozzy Osbourne's Ozzfest that summer, along with acts such as Down, Black Sabbath, and System of a Down. Although some critics reviled the album for its extremely simple, direct message and its somewhat over-the-top approach, I Get Wet was considered by others to be one of the best albums of the year, as it heralded the return of enjoyable and upbeat hard rock music after the often-dour alt-rock and metal of the nineties and early new millenium. The songs "Party Hard" and "She Is Beautiful" became recognizable singles and received substantial airplay.

His work also showed up in some television spots. The opening track, 'It's Time To Party', was featured in commercials for Hotwire.com, Coors Beer, Expedia.com, and several movie and T.V. soundtracks. He also recorded an original song for KitKat chocolate wafers entitled 'Gimme a Break'. In 2002, he re-recorded his old song "We Want Fun" for the soundtrack of Jackass: The Movie which was also made into the lead music video, filmed and directed by Spike Jonze.

"The Wolf"

In late 2003, W.K. released his sophomore album, The Wolf. The Wolf was more elaborate and ornate than his first effort, with a grand and melodic sound that showcased Andrew's classical training to a much greater degree than "I Get Wet." The album also found Andrew playing all the instruments on the recording (he had employed some sesson musicians on "I Get Wet," although he played much of the music himself as well). This did not stop it from being a hit, and it spawned the singles, "Never Let Down" and "Tear It Up".

In 2004, MTV2 gave Andrew Wilkes-Krier his own television show, Your Friend, Andrew W.K.. The show was an "advice show"-style format, where viewers could write in to "Andrew W.K." and ask for his help on a variety of subjects. If the problem could not be solved with a simple on-air answer, Andrew would actually meet the subject in a one-on-one format, lending his talents to the problem until it was solved. While the show was well-liked by devoted and casual fans alike, it was relatively short-lived, and episodes are now difficult to find.

Outside of his solo work, Andrew W.K. also plays the drums in To Live and Shave in L.A., a band featuring vocalist Tom Smith.

"Steev Mike" controversy

Many contradictory versions of Andrew W.K.'s history and rise to minor celebrity have coexisted, with some of the contradictions seemingly coming from Andrew himself. As a result, some have claimed he is an actor who tried out successfully for the part of a rock star, possibly as a front for some sort of songwriter or songwriting team. It has even been suggested that Andrew W.K.'s entire "image" was created by this entity, and was provided for him to use in public. Rumors have circulated that before there was an "Andrew W.K." the press was holding interviews with a "Steev Mike" whose image and sound later became known as "Andrew W.K." (the first appearance of "Steev Mike" was inside the pages of the cutting-edge UK magazine "Dazed & Confused". An issue from early 2000 supposedly featured a full page story on "Steev Mike" but it's nearly impossible to find this back issue). These rumors appear to have started via the message boards on the official Andrew W.K. website in response to some strange events involving Andrew, including a live performance in December of 2004 where some audience members supposedly believed that the performer was not, in fact, Andrew W.K (evidence regarding this incident, however, is completely apocryphal). The debate about these events and the resulting dissection of Andrew's history has spilled over onto many blogs and fansites, while Andrew himself has been conspicuous in his silence on the matter. Although some of Andrew's fans take these rumors very seriously, some of the "theories" are absurdly farfetched and difficult to take seriously, notably rumors linking Andrew W.K. to Tom Cruise and/or Nicole Kidman. This has led many to suggest that the entire controversy surrounding Andrew is some sort of hoax, or even an (admittedly odd) publicity stunt.

Discography

• I Get Wet (2001)
• The Wolf (2003)

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