Andy White (singer-songwriter)
Encyclopedia
Andy White is an Irish
singer/songwriter and poet, born in Belfast
. He started writing poetry and music from a young age, penning a poem called "Riots" aged nine. He attended Methodist College Belfast
. He studied English Literature
at Robinson College
, Cambridge University, graduating in 1984. White first achieved recognition while at Cambridge as a guitarist for Tony Tiger and the Frosties, a student band that entertained thousands at May Balls (Kings 1982, Robinson 1983), the Red Event (1982) and dozens of college gigs. He went on to perform at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 1984 in a solo show, "The Ghost of electricity."
He released his first EP Religious Persuasion in 1985 on Stiff Records
, and his first album Rave on Andy White in 1986. He has since collaborated with Peter Gabriel
, Sinéad O'Connor
and English producer John Leckie
. White won Ireland's Hot Press Songwriter of the Year Award in 1993.
In 1995 he released an album (Altitude) with Tim Finn
(of Split Enz
) and Liam Ó Maonlaí
(of Hothouse Flowers
); the trio recorded as ALT
.
In 1999 a book of lyrics and poems (The Music Of What Happens) was published by Lagan Press.
After many albums with roots label Cooking Vinyl
, and a live performance album for Real World Records
/WOMAD, White currently records for ALT Recordings through UK label Floating World in Europe, and independently elsewhere.
White tours often, performing live at the WOMAD UK festival in 2000 and hosting the gala finale in 2005, MCing the main stage at the Fleadh in London for its first two years, and performing again in 2002.
White is best known for his songs such as (James Joyce's Grave, Street Scenes From My Heart), and noted for the political and literary content of his work.
In 2011, as a result of a continued friendship with the Canada-based songwriter Stephen Fearing
, he appeared on the collaborative album, "Fearing and White", part of a collection of songs written at infrequent intervals over the course of a decade. After touring the songs in the spring of 2010, the album was finally recorded during September. The UK release date was confirmed as 15 August 2011, with a tracklisting that includes "What We Know Now", "Say You Will" and "Under The Silver Sky".
White currently lives in Melbourne
, Australia
with his wife and son.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
singer/songwriter and poet, born in Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
. He started writing poetry and music from a young age, penning a poem called "Riots" aged nine. He attended Methodist College Belfast
Methodist College Belfast
Methodist College Belfast , styled locally as Methody, is a voluntary grammar school in Belfast, Northern Ireland, one of eight Northern Irish schools represented on the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference, and is a member of the Independent Schools Council...
. He studied English Literature
English literature
English literature is the literature written in the English language, including literature composed in English by writers not necessarily from England; for example, Robert Burns was Scottish, James Joyce was Irish, Joseph Conrad was Polish, Dylan Thomas was Welsh, Edgar Allan Poe was American, J....
at Robinson College
Robinson College, Cambridge
Robinson College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge.Robinson is the newest of the Cambridge colleges, and is unique in being the only one to have been intended, from its inception, for both undergraduate and graduate students of either sex.- History :The college was founded...
, Cambridge University, graduating in 1984. White first achieved recognition while at Cambridge as a guitarist for Tony Tiger and the Frosties, a student band that entertained thousands at May Balls (Kings 1982, Robinson 1983), the Red Event (1982) and dozens of college gigs. He went on to perform at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 1984 in a solo show, "The Ghost of electricity."
He released his first EP Religious Persuasion in 1985 on Stiff Records
Stiff Records
Stiff Records is a record label created in London in 1976, by entrepreneurs Dave Robinson and Andrew Jakeman , and active until 1985. It was reactivated in 2007....
, and his first album Rave on Andy White in 1986. He has since collaborated with Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabriel
Peter Brian Gabriel is an English singer, musician, and songwriter who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock group Genesis. After leaving Genesis, Gabriel went on to a successful solo career...
, Sinéad O'Connor
Sinéad O'Connor
Sinéad Marie Bernadette O'Connor is an Irish singer-songwriter. She rose to fame in the late 1980s with her debut album The Lion and the Cobra and achieved worldwide success in 1990 with a cover of the song "Nothing Compares 2 U"....
and English producer John Leckie
John Leckie
John Leckie is a British music producer, notable for producing many high-profile albums such as The Stone Roses's debut and Radiohead's The Bends...
. White won Ireland's Hot Press Songwriter of the Year Award in 1993.
In 1995 he released an album (Altitude) with Tim Finn
Tim Finn
Brian Timothy "Tim" Finn, OBE is a New Zealand singer and musician. Finn is most known for his music with New Zealand 1970s and 1980s rock group Split Enz, and later for his solo work, a temporary membership in his brother Neil's band Crowded House and his joint efforts with Neil Finn as the Finn...
(of Split Enz
Split Enz
Split Enz were a New Zealand band of the 1970s and early 1980s featuring Phil Judd and brothers Tim Finn and Neil Finn. They achieved chart success in New Zealand, Australia, and Canada during the early 1980s ‒ most notably with the single "I Got You", and built a cult following elsewhere...
) and Liam Ó Maonlaí
Liam Ó Maonlaí
Liam Ó Maonlaí is an Irish musician best known as a member of the Hothouse Flowers. Ó Maonlaí formed the band in 1985 with his schoolmate Fiachna Ó Braonáin....
(of Hothouse Flowers
Hothouse Flowers
The Hothouse Flowers are an Irish rock group that combines traditional Irish music with influences from soul, gospel and rock.-Career:The group first formed in 1985 when Liam Ó Maonlaí and Fiachna Ó Braonáin began performing as street musicians, or buskers, on the streets of Dublin,Ireland as "The...
); the trio recorded as ALT
ALT (band)
ALT was a one-off band, featuring former New Zealand band Split Enz frontman Tim Finn, Northern Irish singer/songwriter Andy White and the frontman of the Irish band Hothouse Flowers, Liam Ó Maonlaí, that recorded and played together in 1995....
.
In 1999 a book of lyrics and poems (The Music Of What Happens) was published by Lagan Press.
After many albums with roots label Cooking Vinyl
Cooking Vinyl
Cooking Vinyl is a UK-based independent record company, founded in 1986. Its original orientation was toward contemporary folk music—notably Billy Bragg, and Michelle Shocked's Texas Campfire Tapes, recorded on a Sony Walkman, one of its first releases...
, and a live performance album for Real World Records
Real World Records
Real World Records is a record label started in 1989 by Peter Gabriel to record and produce world music.-Overview:The label grew up alongside the success of the WOMAD festivals and Peter Gabriel's exploration of music from other cultures, and helped push world music into the general public's...
/WOMAD, White currently records for ALT Recordings through UK label Floating World in Europe, and independently elsewhere.
White tours often, performing live at the WOMAD UK festival in 2000 and hosting the gala finale in 2005, MCing the main stage at the Fleadh in London for its first two years, and performing again in 2002.
White is best known for his songs such as (James Joyce's Grave, Street Scenes From My Heart), and noted for the political and literary content of his work.
In 2011, as a result of a continued friendship with the Canada-based songwriter Stephen Fearing
Stephen Fearing
Stephen Fearing is a Canadian folk singer-songwriter.Fearing was born in Vancouver, British Columbia and raised in Dublin, Ireland. He returned to Canada in 1981 and began pursuing a career in music. In addition to his solo career, Fearing was one of the founding members of Blackie and the Rodeo...
, he appeared on the collaborative album, "Fearing and White", part of a collection of songs written at infrequent intervals over the course of a decade. After touring the songs in the spring of 2010, the album was finally recorded during September. The UK release date was confirmed as 15 August 2011, with a tracklisting that includes "What We Know Now", "Say You Will" and "Under The Silver Sky".
White currently lives in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
with his wife and son.
Discography
- Rave On Andy White (1986)
- Kiss The Big Stone (1988)
- Himself (1990)
- Out There (1992)
- Destination Beautiful (1994)
- Altitude (under the name ALT with Liam O'Maonlai and Tim Finn) (1995)
- Teenage (1996)
- andywhite.compilation (1998)
- rare (1999)
- Speechless (2000)
- Andy White (2000)
- Boy 40 (2003)
- Garageband (2005)
- Songwriter (2009)
- Fearing and White (2011) - collaboration with singer-songwriter, Stephen FearingStephen FearingStephen Fearing is a Canadian folk singer-songwriter.Fearing was born in Vancouver, British Columbia and raised in Dublin, Ireland. He returned to Canada in 1981 and began pursuing a career in music. In addition to his solo career, Fearing was one of the founding members of Blackie and the Rodeo...
.