Andy Leek
Encyclopedia
Andy Leek is an English
musician, noted for his work with Dexys Midnight Runners
.
's Radio 1
show, Kid Jensen Live and on Radio 2
's In Concert Live. At the age of 16,andy joined Dexys Midnight Runners
in late November 1979, playing on early recordings such as the hit single "Geno" and four other tracks on their debut album Searching for the Young Soul Rebels
. Just before the band were at No. 1 in the charts with this track, Andy left due to being physically attacked on several occasions by the drummer in the band.
Two earlier songs Andy had recorded with the Wailing Cocks were then licensed to Beggars Banquet Records
for release as a double-A-sided solo single: "Move On (In Your Maserati)" / "Ruben Decides".These were both played on Radio One and were single of the week in Sounds.
In early 1981, Andy teamed up with fellow ex-Dexys
member Kevin "Al" Archer in his new band The Blue Ox Babes
in which Andy played piano. harmonium, harmonica. and sung backing vocals. but this new venture fell apart in 1982 due to the well publicised fact that Kevin Rowland stole the whole sound and image and new direction of the band to make the 'too rye aye' album. This devastated Kevin Archer and ruined the band's chances of success and consequently Andy then moved to Glasgow.
Some months later on the strength of a demo tape of 16 new songs, Beggars Banquet
paid for an album's worth of new material but this lay dormant until their belated release as Midnight Music on Andy's own Undiscovered Classics label in 2009. One song from these sessions, "Twist In The Dark", was recorded by Frida
from Abba
for her 1984 solo album Shine
, via a recommendation from Leek's friend Kirsty MacColl
. Frida
's version was also issued as a single around the world and she described this song as her favourite song she had recorded outside of Abba.
For the rest of the 1980s, Leek pursued his own career as a musician, as well as writing a musical interpretation of a Dylan Thomas
poem which was recorded and released by Tom Jones
, and acting alongside Billie Whitelaw
and David Van Day
as an aspiring songwriter in the Tony Klinger-produced 1985 movie Promo-Man. A short-lived deal with indie label Fascination records
in 1984 led to two singles credited to Andde Leek: "Soul Darling", with Specials producer Dave Jordan, and a version of Abba
's "Dancing Queen
" produced by Tony Visconti
.
In 1988 after signing a publishing and management contract with hit n run music, Atlantic Records
in New York signed Andy and then Andy independently enlisted George Martin
to produce his 1988 album, Say Something. It was recorded in Martin's
A.I.R. Studios
with such musicians as Steve Howe
of Yes
, Clem Clempson
, Luis Jardim
on percussion, Alan Murphy
of Level 42
on guitar, Peter-John Vettese
(keyboards, from Jethro Tull
), and veteran bassist Mo Foster
a 36 piece orchestra on various tracks and the London Community Gospel Choir
on the Epic Golden Doors.Unbeknown to Andt until recently the title track 'Say Something' reached number 1 in The Lebanon during the war in Beirut and was adopted as an anthem of inspiration throughout the civil war by many people there.In 2007, Lebanese DJ/Producer aXess remixed "Say Something".
Andy has since recorded two further albums, Eternity Beckons (including the single "All Around The World", which proved popular in Germany) and the self-produced Sacrifice And Bliss (which yielded the single "Forgotten People") Both of which are now being released on his own label.Eternity Beckons was also briefly available on a small Spanish label, Ouver Records. The song Forgotten people was also released on a compilation album which made it to number one in Spain.
After a period studying musical composition at Cardiff University, Andy formed his own "party band" Andy Leek & The Blue Angels, who have now played many successful shows, mostly at charity balls. Leek has also appeared on various TV shows: The James Whale Show, Never Mind The Buzzcocks
, Later with Jools Holland
and Children In Need
three years running.
Andy has now remixed the album Say Something now entitled say 'something revisited' for re-release later this year and has just released 'Whats the problem' from this as a single already attracting much attention. He is also busy recording songs for a new solo album and wrting his biography, though punctuation is not his strong point.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
musician, noted for his work with Dexys Midnight Runners
Dexys Midnight Runners
Dexys Midnight Runners are a British pop group with soul influences, who achieved their major success in the early to mid 1980s. They are best known for their songs "Come On Eileen" and "Geno", both of which went No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart....
.
Biography
Andy began his musical career while still at school fronting progressive punk band The Wailing Cocks. The band attracted a modicum of publicity via two singles on independent label Birds Best, recording two sessions for John PeelJohn Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
's Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
show, Kid Jensen Live and on Radio 2
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
's In Concert Live. At the age of 16,andy joined Dexys Midnight Runners
Dexys Midnight Runners
Dexys Midnight Runners are a British pop group with soul influences, who achieved their major success in the early to mid 1980s. They are best known for their songs "Come On Eileen" and "Geno", both of which went No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart....
in late November 1979, playing on early recordings such as the hit single "Geno" and four other tracks on their debut album Searching for the Young Soul Rebels
Searching for the Young Soul Rebels
Searching for the Young Soul Rebels is the first album by Dexys Midnight Runners, released in July 1980 .The album was ranked 98th in a 2005 survey held by British television's Channel 4 to determine the 100 greatest albums of all time...
. Just before the band were at No. 1 in the charts with this track, Andy left due to being physically attacked on several occasions by the drummer in the band.
Two earlier songs Andy had recorded with the Wailing Cocks were then licensed to Beggars Banquet Records
Beggars Banquet Records
Beggars Banquet is an English independent record label that began as a chain of record shops owned by Martin Mills and Nick Austin, and is part of the Beggars Group of labels...
for release as a double-A-sided solo single: "Move On (In Your Maserati)" / "Ruben Decides".These were both played on Radio One and were single of the week in Sounds.
In early 1981, Andy teamed up with fellow ex-Dexys
Dexys Midnight Runners
Dexys Midnight Runners are a British pop group with soul influences, who achieved their major success in the early to mid 1980s. They are best known for their songs "Come On Eileen" and "Geno", both of which went No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart....
member Kevin "Al" Archer in his new band The Blue Ox Babes
The Blue Ox Babes
The Blue Ox Babes were an English pop group, formed in early 1981 by the former Dexys Midnight Runners guitarist Kevin 'Al' Archer, together with his girlfriend Yasmin Saleh, and former Dexys keyboard player Andy Leek. Archer was keen to mix the soul sounds of his previous group with folk styles...
in which Andy played piano. harmonium, harmonica. and sung backing vocals. but this new venture fell apart in 1982 due to the well publicised fact that Kevin Rowland stole the whole sound and image and new direction of the band to make the 'too rye aye' album. This devastated Kevin Archer and ruined the band's chances of success and consequently Andy then moved to Glasgow.
Some months later on the strength of a demo tape of 16 new songs, Beggars Banquet
Beggars Banquet Records
Beggars Banquet is an English independent record label that began as a chain of record shops owned by Martin Mills and Nick Austin, and is part of the Beggars Group of labels...
paid for an album's worth of new material but this lay dormant until their belated release as Midnight Music on Andy's own Undiscovered Classics label in 2009. One song from these sessions, "Twist In The Dark", was recorded by Frida
Anni-Frid Lyngstad
Anni-Frid Prinzessin Reuss von Plauen , is a Norwegian-born Swedish pop singer...
from Abba
Abba
ABBA is the name of a former Swedish pop music group.Abba may also refer to:* ABBA , a self-titled album by the Swedish pop music group ABBA* "Abba ", a song by Christian pop and rock artist, Rebecca St...
for her 1984 solo album Shine
Shine (Frida album)
Shine is the name of Anni-Frid Lyngstad's second post-ABBA solo album. It was first released in September 1984 and has since been re-released several times, mainly in the digitally remastered form in 2005 with bonus tracks. Shine is included in The Frida Boxset.The promotion videos and clips from...
, via a recommendation from Leek's friend Kirsty MacColl
Kirsty MacColl
Kirsty Anna MacColl was an English singer-songwriter.MacColl scored several pop hits from the early 1980s to the early 1990s...
. Frida
Anni-Frid Lyngstad
Anni-Frid Prinzessin Reuss von Plauen , is a Norwegian-born Swedish pop singer...
's version was also issued as a single around the world and she described this song as her favourite song she had recorded outside of Abba.
For the rest of the 1980s, Leek pursued his own career as a musician, as well as writing a musical interpretation of a Dylan Thomas
Dylan Thomas
Dylan Marlais Thomas was a Welsh poet and writer, Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 11 January 2008. who wrote exclusively in English. In addition to poetry, he wrote short stories and scripts for film and radio, which he often performed himself...
poem which was recorded and released by Tom Jones
Tom Jones (singer)
Sir Thomas John Woodward, OBE , known by his stage name Tom Jones, is a Welsh singer.Since the mid 1960s, Jones has sung many styles of popular music – pop, rock, R&B, show tunes, country, dance, techno, soul and gospel – and sold over 100 million records...
, and acting alongside Billie Whitelaw
Billie Whitelaw
Billie Honor Whitelaw, CBE is an English actress. She worked in close collaboration with Irish playwright Samuel Beckett for 25 years and is regarded as one of the foremost interpreters of his works...
and David Van Day
David Van Day
David Van Day is an English singer and media personality, formerly a member of the pop duo Dollar. He was also a member of the 1970s vocal group Guys 'n' Dolls , and a latter-day version of Bucks Fizz....
as an aspiring songwriter in the Tony Klinger-produced 1985 movie Promo-Man. A short-lived deal with indie label Fascination records
Fascination Records
Fascination Records is a UK-based record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as an imprint of Polydor Records. The label was launched in spring 2006, and is managed by former TOTP Magazine editor Peter Loraine...
in 1984 led to two singles credited to Andde Leek: "Soul Darling", with Specials producer Dave Jordan, and a version of Abba
Abba
ABBA is the name of a former Swedish pop music group.Abba may also refer to:* ABBA , a self-titled album by the Swedish pop music group ABBA* "Abba ", a song by Christian pop and rock artist, Rebecca St...
's "Dancing Queen
Dancing Queen
"Dancing Queen" is a pop song recorded by Swedish pop group ABBA. It was released in August 1976, but was first performed two months earlier, on 18 June 1976, during a Royal Variety Show in Stockholm the evening before the Swedish royal wedding. It was the follow-up single to the hit "Fernando"...
" produced by Tony Visconti
Tony Visconti
Anthony Edward Visconti is an American record producer and sometimes a musician or singer.Since the late 1960s, he has worked with an array of performers; his lengthiest involvement with any artist is with David Bowie: intermittently from Bowie's 1969 album Space Oddity to 2003's Reality, Visconti...
.
In 1988 after signing a publishing and management contract with hit n run music, Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
in New York signed Andy and then Andy independently enlisted George Martin
George Martin
Sir George Henry Martin CBE is an English record producer, arranger, composer and musician. He is sometimes referred to as "the Fifth Beatle"— a title that he often describes as "nonsense," but the fact remains that he served as producer on all but one of The Beatles' original albums...
to produce his 1988 album, Say Something. It was recorded in Martin's
George Martin
Sir George Henry Martin CBE is an English record producer, arranger, composer and musician. He is sometimes referred to as "the Fifth Beatle"— a title that he often describes as "nonsense," but the fact remains that he served as producer on all but one of The Beatles' original albums...
A.I.R. Studios
Associated Independent Recording
Associated Independent Recording , an independent recording company, was founded in London in 1965 by Beatles producer George Martin and his partner John Burgess after their departure from EMI....
with such musicians as Steve Howe
Steve Howe (guitarist)
Stephen James "Steve" Howe is an English guitarist, known for his work with the progressive rock group Yes...
of Yes
Yes (band)
Yes are an English rock band who achieved worldwide success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, Yes are known for their lengthy songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art, and live stage sets...
, Clem Clempson
Clem Clempson
Clem Clempson is an English rock guitarist who has played in a number of bands including Colosseum and Humble Pie.-Career:...
, Luis Jardim
Luís Jardim
Luís Alberto Figueira Gonçalves Jardim is a Portuguese percussionist, born in the Madeira Island, best known for his work with producer Trevor Horn.-Family:Jardim is a cousin of Alberto João Jardim...
on percussion, Alan Murphy
Alan Murphy
Alan Murphy was an English rock session guitarist, best remembered for his collaborations with Kate Bush and Go West. In 1988 he joined the group Level 42 as a full time band member, and played with them until his death in 1989...
of Level 42
Level 42
Level 42 are an English pop rock and jazz-funk band who had a number of worldwide and UK hits during the 1980s and 1990s.The band gained fame for their high-calibre musicianship—in particular that of Mark King, whose percussive slap-bass guitar technique provided the driving groove of many of the...
on guitar, Peter-John Vettese
Peter-John Vettese
Peter-John Vettese , also known as Peter Vettese, is a British keyboardist, songwriter, arranger and record producer....
(keyboards, from Jethro Tull
Jethro Tull (band)
Jethro Tull are a British rock group formed in 1967. Their music is characterised by the vocals, acoustic guitar, and flute playing of Ian Anderson, who has led the band since its founding, and the guitar work of Martin Barre, who has been with the band since 1969.Initially playing blues rock with...
), and veteran bassist Mo Foster
Mo Foster
Mo Foster is a British session musician, playing primarily jazz, jazz-fusion and rock bass guitar. He is also a music producer and songwriter/composer. In over 40 years as a musician Foster has played on and produced countless albums, singles, and film soundtracks...
a 36 piece orchestra on various tracks and the London Community Gospel Choir
London Community Gospel Choir
The London Community Gospel Choir is a successful gospel choir located in the United Kingdom.-History:The London Community Gospel Choir was founded in 1982 by the Reverend Bazil Meade with the assistance of Lawrence Johnson, Delroy Powell and John Francis.Initially the idea was for a single concert...
on the Epic Golden Doors.Unbeknown to Andt until recently the title track 'Say Something' reached number 1 in The Lebanon during the war in Beirut and was adopted as an anthem of inspiration throughout the civil war by many people there.In 2007, Lebanese DJ/Producer aXess remixed "Say Something".
Andy has since recorded two further albums, Eternity Beckons (including the single "All Around The World", which proved popular in Germany) and the self-produced Sacrifice And Bliss (which yielded the single "Forgotten People") Both of which are now being released on his own label.Eternity Beckons was also briefly available on a small Spanish label, Ouver Records. The song Forgotten people was also released on a compilation album which made it to number one in Spain.
After a period studying musical composition at Cardiff University, Andy formed his own "party band" Andy Leek & The Blue Angels, who have now played many successful shows, mostly at charity balls. Leek has also appeared on various TV shows: The James Whale Show, Never Mind The Buzzcocks
Never Mind the Buzzcocks
Never Mind the Buzzcocks is a comedy panel game television show with a pop music theme, currently without a permanent presenter. It stars Phill Jupitus and Noel Fielding as team captains. The show is produced by Talkback Thames for the BBC, and is usually aired on BBC Two...
, Later with Jools Holland
Later with Jools Holland
Later... with Jools Holland is a contemporary British music television show hosted by Jools Holland. A spin-off of The Late Show, it has been running in short series since 1992 and is a part of BBC Two's late-night line-up, usually at around 11pm to 12 midnight...
and Children In Need
Children in Need
Children in Need is an annual British charity appeal organised by the BBC. Since 1980 it has raised over £500 million. The highlight of the Children in Need appeal is an annual telethon, held in November. A teddy bear named "Pudsey Bear" fronts the campaign, while Terry Wogan is a long...
three years running.
Andy has now remixed the album Say Something now entitled say 'something revisited' for re-release later this year and has just released 'Whats the problem' from this as a single already attracting much attention. He is also busy recording songs for a new solo album and wrting his biography, though punctuation is not his strong point.
Singles
- Move On (In Your Maserati) (Beggars Banquet, 1980)
- Soul Darling (Fascination, 1984)
- Dancing Queen (Fascination, 1984)
- Say Something (Atlantic, 1988)
- Please Please (Atlantic, 1988)
- Holdin' Onto You (Atlantic, 1988)
- All Around the World (Polydor, 1996)
- Forgotten People (Gotham, 1999)
- Whats the Problem?(undiscovered classics 2010)
Albums
- Say Something (Atlantic, 1988)
- Eternity Beckons (Spanish-only release, Ouver, circa 1997)
- Sacrifice and Bliss (unissued, 2000)
- Midnight Music (Undiscovered Classics, 2009; recorded 1979-1982)
- say something revisited(UNDISCOVERED CLASSICS 2010)