Andrewesley: Is it a guy, is it a band? Doesn't matter really does it? Okay, I kind of know the answer, but I'm pretending not to know. Some background for those who like to read the preamble. If you've heard of Mike Knott, there's a pretty good chance you're heard Andrew Carter's guitar wailing in the background. Andrew was a member of Aunt Bettys and has also added his textures to artists as diverse as John Tesh and Ryuichi Sakamoto. Okay, busted ... how about Kevin Clay and Jeff Elbel?

Apparently inside the white knuckled rocker surfer dude was a sensitive singer songwriter. After hearing the teaser single I got in line for the anticipated full length CD. I got my copy hot off the presses.

Being a curious soul, (not to mention nosey) I sought an audience with the artist known simply as Andrewesley. I assembled my best questions (aw, who am I trying to kid here?) and sent them off and waited for an answer.

Read on ...

andrewesley.com | banophernalia.com reviews

First off, congratulations on releasing the album. I think it's pretty darned good (I've heard that sucking up is a good way to start an interview).

Thanks for the suck-up, Jevon.

I have to ask. What's with the name? It looks cool and all, but who is Andrewesley? Was it too boring to call this the Andrew Carter band? Oh wait, I think I just answered my own question. Was it an attempt to disassociate yourself from some of the other Carters out there?

Nell Carter, Nick Carter, Aaron Carter, Jimmy Carter, Rubin Carter, Helena Bonham Carter, Gabe Kaplin (I believe he was in Welcome Back Carter in the 70s).

My first name is Andrew, of course. But what few people know is that my middle name is Wesley. I thought it would be kind-a cool to combine the two and drop a W. The understated effect of not using a capital letter at the beginning was very appealing as well.

As far as disassociation is concerned, I never really gave that any thought. I've always loved peanuts and some of those Backstreet Boys do have darned good voices ! Oh, and by the way, it was Welcome Back Kotter...

Peanuts! I get it, that's funny. Which reminds me, I guess it's too late to add Billy to that list huh? I wish I could tell if you're kidding about the Backstreet Boys though. Are you sure you're not related to Nell? Okay so you drop the other "W", how do I pronounce it? I kind of figured I'd run it all together with a Peter Seller's French accent. Sorry, I'll move along.

No need to apologize.

Musically the solo disc is a bit (did I just say a bit? That's like saying Carman doesn't like show tunes) of a departure from the searing white knuckle riffs you were laying down with Aunt Bettys. What's the deal? You getting old and soft?

That "white knuckle" sound you refer to has always been a part of me. But it's just that, a part. My musical tastes have varied throughout my entire life. As a child, my favorite music was disco, funk, and movie scores. It wasn't until high school that I discovered the true power of the ROCK! As far as the old and soft reference is concerned, don't most people start out young and soft, then unfortunately morph into old and hard?

If that was true there wouldn't be a market for Viagra.

Got to tell you, Strength is a pretty strong album (pun alert). I remember Jeff (Mister Elbel to those on his label) telling me early on that he was helping out on a new project he was really proud of. I'd heard a fair bit of your playing on Jeff's side projects, and the two Aunt Bettys discs, and figured, "Well the guy hasn't steered me wrong yet," (aside from that live album with a cast of thousands -lol). So I figured I'd get in line and get a copy before you sold out the first run. So, how did you approach the project? Was there an underlying thematic conceit you were trying to weave into the songs, or were you simply pursuing the perfect pop song?

Half of "Strength" (i.e. Blue Moon Risin, Never Again, A Reply) is actually a collection of songs that I composed almost six years ago. The other material (i.e. From Within, Look Inside, Fools) was written more recently, when I finally decided it was time for my voice to be heard. The perfect POP song was definitely not on my mind while compiling the tracks for the album. I did, however, have an idea for an underlying theme. Simply put, I wanted to be more honest than I'd ever been with the creative process; I wanted people to know the real me, not just the bleach blond gunslinger from Aunt Bettys or LSU.

That's cool. The songs play off each other really well, and there's nothing in your musical phrasing or writing that would make you think, "that's an old song, there's a new song." You've got an interesting voice. I've been listening to the album a lot over the last few days, and this isn't a dig, but how important was it to leave the raw bits and flat notes in, and not let the modern fix 'er up tools make you sound perfect?

I wanted the record to have a grass roots feel; as organic as I could allow without sounding sloppy. Again, it was honesty and feeling I was concerned with foremost and technical prowess a distant second.

Isn't that what an engineer is for? You write 'em and lay it down, they have to catch it. Are there any songs that really stand out for you on Strength? Or am I breaking the artists' code by even asking you such a question? Oh what the hell, come on, there's always at least one tune that when you hear it you go, "Oh yeah, I nailed that!" Here, let me help, for me, it's the emotional tone you infuse Blue Moon Risin' with. The acoustic version was good, but it didn't prepare me for the full version. You're playing and voice are simply amazing. The solo on the song makes those little hairs on the back of my neck stand up (yeah, and I see dead people too).

Jevon, I'm stoked that you dig Blue Moon Risin'! However, for me, THE SONG would have to be "From Within". Spiritual Enlightenment has been a lifelong "search-and-discovery" mission of mine. This was one of the last songs I wrote for the record. It took about an hour to compose; just me, the couch, and my Baby Taylor acoustic … ok, my cat was there too (for inspiration, no doubt).

From Within, Really? I guess it does set the tone for the whole CD as I listen more closely. Fools is pretty cool too. The Tragically Hip could take a page from you on this one.

Gear time: What happened to the white Les Paul? I've seen some pictures of you sporting the single coil (sorry, just saying coil in a sentence makes me giggle like a twelve year old) so you're a tele man now?

Oh ... the White Knight ... we have a lot of history together, that Les Paul and I... We've been an item for almost thirteen years! It was even played on a few tracks for the album. Yeah, it was hard putting that guitar down but I was ready for a change. The Tele that you mention is actually a loner from my great friend, Bill Bowman. It's a 1978 American Telecaster. Bill has some amazing vintage gear. When he offered I couldn't say no!

I knew it! You named your guitar. The moment you said you had a cat (nothing really wrong with cats ... I guess if you can't find a dog) I was thinking to myself "I'll bet he's got names for his guitars too." Who am I to talk I refer to my old L6-S as my shit stick. (Whoops, okay now I have to put a parental advisory on my interview page, with a really long disclaimer about the mature subject matter and inappropriate content. Drat!)

Rumour has it you're going out solo to plug the new disc, any special way you're approaching the arranging from full band to guitar voice?

Well, before I got the band together, it was only me and the '78 Tele going off to open mics (which by the way, are the coolest ! ). I also played a handful of solo coffee house gigs here in Orange County. The songs at that time were pretty close to the current album versions, minus a guitar solo or two. I will essentially just be revisiting those arrangements.

Word association time. I jot down a name and you write down the first thing (maybe the second or third depending on your first reaction) that comes to mind:

Carman: The man behind carmex
Mike Knott: A beautiful artist and great visionary
GWAR: Halloween
The Smurfs: Mushrooms
Red Dwarf: Uh...
Jeff Elbel: Get some sleep!
Dokken: Snare drums with water all over them ...

Jevon: Carmex! Ick, now I know why that stuff spreads cold sores! Red Dwarf? You've not seen or heard of Red Dwarf? Oh dude, this is one of the funniest things to come out in years. Your loss smeghead.

How hard is it to try and catch a break out there? I mean you've had a taste of the major label life with the first Aunt Bettys disc. Given that acts are falling off major label rosters faster than a Wallenda on a windy day, do you think there's enough support out there to really make a go of it as an indie?

I think there's even more support for an indie than for a major now-a-days. People want a personal connection. With commercial media smothering the world, a lot of people are starving for some down home goodness. Like a recipe that's been passed around by word of mouth, not just seen on TV by millions of folks watching some food channel.

Speaking of mister indie - time to plug Jeff Elbel, or Mister Elbel as he insists on being called. This guy is quite the nebbish, I mean, for an indie label owner and janitor he pops up all over the musical landscape more than Waldo. I mean he's everywhere. He's also a hell of a bass player - he kind of caught me off guard actually. How did you guys hook up?

We actually met about ten years ago, when I was first playing the L.A. clubs with Aunt Bettys. Jeff is an incredible human being. His musical accomplishments and his great heart were such an inspiration for me to go solo and record the "Strength" album.

Jevon: Hey, you're a pretty good suck-up too. Way to score with the label president! You just guaranteed your second album dude! Although you'd have scored bonus points if you'd called him Mister Elbel.

Is there any truth to the rumour (I'm starting it right now) that back in 1997 your pants caught fire while trying to teach Mike Knott to light farts (under the supervision of Chuck Cummings) in the back of your tour van? (Hey, I never said I was mature, I'm just trying to meet the needs of my readers.)

Not only did Chuck Cummings supervise, he taught me all I ever knew about fart lighting! Mike never quite caught the bug for fart lighting, though. I think he did pass out from the smell once...

(silence) I am in awe of you. I am not worthy! You learned from a master! I actually caught fire at my buddy's when I was in high school. It was after a sleep over, and I was wearing one of those terry cloth robes, and I thought it would be a hilarious start to the day to blue flame my friend's little brother. Dang it if all of those little fibres didn't go whoosh. Scared me half to death not to mention that the smell was terrible - I was quit proud of that part at least.

Sorry, got lost there. Back to the questions. What's the coolest gig you ever played?

The coolest gig I ever played was about three years ago while playing lead guitar for the O.C. rock group Goforth. We performed outside in the afternoon at a hospital. The audience were all these kids with cancer and their families. After our set, the band cruised around to say hi to some of them. I remember this one very sick young boy... his mom told us he hadn't smiled in weeks. But when we started rocking out he was filled with happiness and got this huge grin on his face! It sure felt good to know I was a part of that.

What's the worst gig you've ever played?

I once played a gig at a fraternity house party. When the band arrived, we found out that the stage was set up outside in the backyard of the house. Later that night, when all the people arrived, a DJ suddenly appeared inside the house and stole the entire audience away from us. I remember thinking that this wasn't so bad, since we were getting paid. Worse things could've happened. Well, we kept rocking to a crowd of three drunk frat boys when all of a sudden... RAIN! It rained so hard that we had to pack up our gear as fast as we could and haul butt out of there. All the while, everyone was inside warm and dry, dancing the night away to the DJ.

Where does the word gig come from anyway?

I do believe that the origin of the word is unknown. There are so many definitions for the word gig. The use of the word gig by jazz and rock artists to mean an engagement of sorts is actually slang. The most proper definition of this little word refers to a horse drawn two wheel carriage. Go figure!

Stay with me on this one ... You're on your way home. You stop at a (insert favourite convenience store name here) to pick up a six pack of (insert favourite brand of beer) and decide on a whim to buy a lottery ticket. Said ticket turns out to be a winner. You read up on Bill Graham and Steve Wozniak and decide that you're going to put on the ultimate concert. Who would you book? (Triumph is not the right answer) Just for fun being dead isn't a barrier. This would explain the stage presence of guys like Bob Dylan and Jerry Garcia (which one is dead? I can't tell the difference, can you tell the difference?)

Let's see... hm... Hendrix, The Who, U2, Jeff Buckley, Miles Davis, The Dead... I could go on for hours but I'd say that's a good start.

Not bad, so who would open? That would be a fun conversation.

What's the Surfrider Foundation? I take it that you're a surfer right? Well, if you're not, you should be you've got that cool surfer hair. Man, you've got cool hair. I mean, I'm not shitting you (oh crap, now this will get a for mature audiences warning) you've got the greatest hair. Even better than that Chris Isaak guy, without the weird nose thing. Crap (minor warning) sorry dude. So looking back on all that I know of surfing (as a Canadian all I know about surfing I learned from watching Keanu Reeves in Point Break) what's the big draw to standing on a piece of wood and getting all splooshed?

The Surfrider Foundation is an International non-profit environmental organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world's oceans, waves, and beaches, for all people, through conservation, activism, research and education (whew...that was a long one...).

They are represented by over 50 national chapters, with affiliates in Australia, Brazil, Europe and Japan as well. And yes, since I am an avid surfer and live at the beach, it is my duty to support this treasure that is the ocean in any way I can. Therefore, not only am I a member of The Surfrider Foundation, I would encourage anyone who has ever set foot on a beach anywhere in this small world of ours to check Surfrider out and consider contributing to their cause. You can contact The Surfrider Foundation at (800) 743-SURF or visit them online at www.surfrider.org

(there's my plug for the interview). As far as the "big draw" to surfing is concerned, I really find it difficult to explain to someone who hasn't experienced gliding down a face of moving water while standing on a board. The rush is unlike anything I have ever felt, EVER! I mean, I've performed in front of two thousand screaming fans before and that doesn't even come close to the out-of-this-world sensual and spiritual high I encounter while surfing great waves ! I give thanks to the Hawaiian and Polynesian people who introduced the rest of the world to the ancient art of "wave dancing".

Jevon: Okay, I'll need the soapbox back now.

Rate the guitar player:

Steve Vai: Great chops, great hair. Loved the Crossroads soundtrack.

Phil Keaggy: I have to be honest and say I've never given him or Glass Harp much of a listen.

Mike Roe: From what I know of the 77's and his work with the Lost Dogs, I'd say he's a very tasteful player. An extremely amicable personality to boot.

Dano Bano: What can I say? Absolute Genius …

Joe Pass: How'd he make it sound so full with one instrument?! I wish he was still around. I need lessons

Brian Setzer: I remember him performing at last year's Rock n Roll Hall of Fame Ceremony. Not only a master at his craft, but a man of style as well. I dig Brian Setzer

Randy Bachman: American Woman is such a kick-ass tune ! Long live Mr. Bachman, beard and all!

Stu Hess: I'm not familiar with this person (you've seriously stumped me with this one, Jevon).

George Lynch: I would have to say that he beats Vai out for maximum hairness. My fav track would have to be The Lynch That Stole Riffness. We always play it around the holidays !

Eddie Van Halen: I think he is one of the most innovate and fluid guitar players of all time. His virtuosity seems so effortless. And that perma-grin just adds to the fire. Panama is one of my favorite VH songs. Absolute Rock Power throughout and extremely tasteful voicings in the bridge. What a musician!

Jevon: Stu Hess was the lead guitar player with Resurrection Band for many years. A monster player!

You're stuck on a desert island, and you just happen to have all of your CDs in a suitcase with you. Sadly the batteries in your portable will only last for about 5 discs. What would you listen to ...

1) Sergei Rachmaninov - Concerto for Piano and Orchestra no. 2 in C minor
2) John Coltrane - Giant Steps
3) U2 - The Joshua Tree
4) Jeff Buckley - Grace
5) Ravi Shankar - In Celebration (it's actually a four disc set- just let it slide, ok!)

Jevon: Anything you'd like to add before I cut you off?

That last question was extremely unfair, as there are so many great discs in my CD collection. I mean, come on ... But really, I'd just like to say thanks to you, Jevon, for giving me this opportunity. It's been tonz-o-fun ! See you on the Canadian leg of my world tour. Take off, eh?!

Who said I had to be fair? Hmmm, what would I listen to?

1) Cheap Trick - Sex, America, Cheap Trick (hey you were able to pull off a box set!)
2) AC/DC - Back in Black
3) Liszt - The Hungarian Rhapsodies (see I listen to classical too!)
4) Bachman Turner Overdrive - Anthology (okay, maybe two box sets is pushing it)
5) Andrewesley - Strength

Yeah, you're right, that's not a fair question.

Well, folks there you have it. I've once again broken most of the journalistic rules. It's a good thing I don't need a license to drive one of these webpage things. My thanks to the talented and patient Andrewesley for playing along, and being a good sport. He even did his homework, Dano Bano = Genius is the correct answer. Go buy Andrewesley's record and make him a star - or at least help him make back his expenses to he can make another album.

Jevon the Tall
banopernalia.com
July 2004