Andy Paley
Encyclopedia
Andy Paley is a noted record producer and musician who has been active since the late 1960s. His work includes stints as a producer for such noted musicians as Madonna
, the Ramones
, Jonathan Richman
, Debbie Harry
, Brian Wilson
and Jerry Lee Lewis
.
He is also a musician and singer. He began performing around 1969 as drummer with Boston band Catfish Black, which also included future Modern Lovers members Jerry Harrison
(also later of Talking Heads
) and Ernie Brooks. Around 1971, the band renamed themselves The Sidewinders, and the following year recorded and released their only album, produced by Lenny Kaye
and featuring songs written and sung by Paley. The Sidewinders broke up in the mid-1970s. Paley then played on Elliott Murphy
's album Night Lights, and also performed with Jonathan Richman
after the break-up of the original Modern Lovers. In 1976 Andy Paley and his brother Jonathan formed The Paley Brothers. The band toured extensively and released a self-titled album in 1978, and also contributed a track to the soundtrack of The Ramones' movie Rock 'n' Roll High School
. They were also groomed for teen heartthrob stardom, and featured extensively in teen magazines such as Rock Scene and 16.
He next turned his attentions to record production. In 1977, as he was just starting out as a producer, he was hired by the reformed Shangri-Las to go into the studio with them. According to Paley, he got the job not so much for his production skills, but rather because in his interview, he said that his favorite Shangri-Las song was "Out in the Streets"...which also happened to be the favorite of the group themselves. Although none of the tracks recorded during their sessions would surface, Paley said that the trio enjoyed themselves in the studio again. He also led the band that backed the Shangri-Las up at their spur-of-the-moment CBGBs show that summer.
In 1979 Paley played guitar on Jonathan Richman's album Back in Your Life, and continued to perform on and off with Richman and later incarnations of the Modern Lovers, and produce many of their recordings, through the 1980s. In 1988 he produced Brian Wilson's comeback solo album, and continued to work with Wilson on unreleased material in the 1990s. Later he collaborated as producer with Madonna, Jerry Lee Lewis, and others.
He was a producer, performer and composer for parts of the soundtrack to the movie release of SpongeBob SquarePants
and Saturday Night Live
in 1984. He produced the soundtracks for Dick Tracy (1990) and A Walk on the Moon (1999) and wrote the original music for Traveller (1997, starring Bill Paxton). In 2009 he contributed to the soundtrack of World's Greatest Dad
directed by Bobcat Goldthwait and starring Robin Williams.
He also wrote the musical score for Season One of Showtime's The L Word
.
Currently, he also leads the three-piece Andy Paley Orchestra, which provides musical accompaniment for The Thrilling Adventure & Supernatural Suspense Hour, a theater group in Los Angeles
which performs original stage productions in the style of old radio melodramas.
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
, the Ramones
Ramones
The Ramones were an American rock band that formed in the New York City neighborhood of Forest Hills, Queens, in 1974. They are often cited as the first punk rock group...
, Jonathan Richman
Jonathan Richman
Jonathan Michael Richman is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. In 1970 he founded The Modern Lovers, an influential proto-punk band. Since the mid-1970s, Richman has worked either solo or with low-key, generally acoustic backing...
, Debbie Harry
Debbie Harry
Deborah Ann "Debbie" Harry is an American singer-songwriter and actress, best known for being the lead singer of the punk rock and new wave band Blondie. She has also had success as a solo artist, and in the mid-1990s she performed and recorded as part of The Jazz Passengers...
, Brian Wilson
Brian Wilson
Brian Douglas Wilson is an American musician, best known as the leader and chief songwriter of the group The Beach Boys. Within the band, Wilson played bass and keyboards, also providing part-time lead vocals and, more often, backing vocals, harmonizing in falsetto with the group...
and Jerry Lee Lewis
Jerry Lee Lewis
Jerry Lee Lewis is an American rock and roll and country music singer-songwriter and pianist. An early pioneer of rock and roll music, Lewis's career faltered after he married his young cousin, and he afterwards made a career extension to country and western music. He is known by the nickname 'The...
.
He is also a musician and singer. He began performing around 1969 as drummer with Boston band Catfish Black, which also included future Modern Lovers members Jerry Harrison
Jerry Harrison
Jerry Harrison is an American songwriter, musician and producer...
(also later of Talking Heads
Talking Heads
Talking Heads were an American New Wave and avant-garde band formed in 1975 in New York City and active until 1991. The band comprised David Byrne, Chris Frantz, Tina Weymouth and Jerry Harrison...
) and Ernie Brooks. Around 1971, the band renamed themselves The Sidewinders, and the following year recorded and released their only album, produced by Lenny Kaye
Lenny Kaye
Lenny Kaye is an American guitarist, composer and writer who is best known as a member of the Patti Smith Group.- Early life :...
and featuring songs written and sung by Paley. The Sidewinders broke up in the mid-1970s. Paley then played on Elliott Murphy
Elliott Murphy
Elliott James Murphy is an American rock singer-songwriter, novelist, producer and journalist living in Paris.-Biography:Elliott James Murphy, Jr. was born in Rockville Centre, New York to a show business family...
's album Night Lights, and also performed with Jonathan Richman
Jonathan Richman
Jonathan Michael Richman is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. In 1970 he founded The Modern Lovers, an influential proto-punk band. Since the mid-1970s, Richman has worked either solo or with low-key, generally acoustic backing...
after the break-up of the original Modern Lovers. In 1976 Andy Paley and his brother Jonathan formed The Paley Brothers. The band toured extensively and released a self-titled album in 1978, and also contributed a track to the soundtrack of The Ramones' movie Rock 'n' Roll High School
Rock 'n' Roll High School
Rock 'n' Roll High School is a 1979 musical comedy film produced by Roger Corman, directed by Allan Arkush, and featuring the Ramones.The film starred P. J. Soles, Vince Van Patten, and Clint Howard...
. They were also groomed for teen heartthrob stardom, and featured extensively in teen magazines such as Rock Scene and 16.
He next turned his attentions to record production. In 1977, as he was just starting out as a producer, he was hired by the reformed Shangri-Las to go into the studio with them. According to Paley, he got the job not so much for his production skills, but rather because in his interview, he said that his favorite Shangri-Las song was "Out in the Streets"...which also happened to be the favorite of the group themselves. Although none of the tracks recorded during their sessions would surface, Paley said that the trio enjoyed themselves in the studio again. He also led the band that backed the Shangri-Las up at their spur-of-the-moment CBGBs show that summer.
In 1979 Paley played guitar on Jonathan Richman's album Back in Your Life, and continued to perform on and off with Richman and later incarnations of the Modern Lovers, and produce many of their recordings, through the 1980s. In 1988 he produced Brian Wilson's comeback solo album, and continued to work with Wilson on unreleased material in the 1990s. Later he collaborated as producer with Madonna, Jerry Lee Lewis, and others.
He was a producer, performer and composer for parts of the soundtrack to the movie release of SpongeBob SquarePants
SpongeBob SquarePants
SpongeBob SquarePants is an American animated television series, created by marine biologist and animator Stephen Hillenburg. Much of the series centers on the exploits and adventures of the title character and his various friends in the underwater city of "Bikini Bottom"...
and Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
in 1984. He produced the soundtracks for Dick Tracy (1990) and A Walk on the Moon (1999) and wrote the original music for Traveller (1997, starring Bill Paxton). In 2009 he contributed to the soundtrack of World's Greatest Dad
World's Greatest Dad
World's Greatest Dad is a 2009 American black comedy film written and directed by Bobcat Goldthwait. It stars Robin Williams, Daryl Sabara, and Alexie Gilmore. The film was released on July 24 on video on demand providers before its limited theatrical release on August 24, 2009...
directed by Bobcat Goldthwait and starring Robin Williams.
He also wrote the musical score for Season One of Showtime's The L Word
The L Word
The L Word is an American co-production television drama series originally shown on Showtime portraying the lives of a group of lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people and their friends, family and lovers in the trendy Greater Los Angeles, California city of West Hollywood...
.
Currently, he also leads the three-piece Andy Paley Orchestra, which provides musical accompaniment for The Thrilling Adventure & Supernatural Suspense Hour, a theater group in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
which performs original stage productions in the style of old radio melodramas.