A serious party animal. Photo Atiba Jefferson.
Andrew WK keeps busy. With television shows (Destroy Build Destroy just premiered on the Cartoon Network. The show features teens competing by building new machines out of other machines they blow up. “We do really big explosions,” he says), collaborations with a national treasure (a split 7” with Nardwuar’s band The Evaporators), his own record label and music venue and has a list of about 500 people to call back. The telephone number on his MySpace (212-714-2626) is a lifeline to his fans. “I’ve had that number for over 12 years, I’ve been thinking about leaving different outgoing messages that will give people a boost, or give them a reason to keep calling back,” says WK. “It’s just a magical thing. It’s a way to have a bit of an intimate connection, even though you aren’t close to the person.” You can get close in real life for his show tonight at the Paragon. “This my first solo show in Halifax,” says WK. “It’s going to be a real rock and roll set. It’s an exciting time for me to come back!” Andrew may showcase a bit of piano (his upcoming album 55 Cadillac features exclusively improv solo piano, no vocals) and will have copies of his new 7” with The Evaporators, A Wild Pear. Party hard, will you?
This article appears in Jul 16-22, 2009.
