VINCE’S TELL ALL / TELL NOTHING INTERVIEW WITH ANDREW W.K.

Friday, January 29th, 2010 at 2:33pm by

andrew wkIn the interview with “Andrew W.K.” that you’re about to read, the man on the phone with me uttered these words:

It’s been very tricky for me, and that’s why I hope you understand and other people are able to grasp is that I’ve been trying to deal with this as much as I can and have many different people to please or satisfy. Not just my friends and the people who like what I’ve been doing in music, but people that I’ve worked with for a long time before anybody had any idea of who I was. I’m trying to do the best I can with all these different responsibilities.

What the words on the e-printed page don’t communicate is the level of concern and earnestness in his voice, and the slow manner in which a person speaks when they’re trying to be very careful about the words they use. And that was the tone of this entire interview, encapsulated by that one quote; through the course of my 45-minute chat with “Andrew W.K.,” I got the impression that the man on the phone with me was really, really worried that he was about to blow it, that if he said the wrong thing the floodgates would burst open and he’d be fucked.

Could it be that the man I spoke to is just one of many actors slated to play the role of Andrew W.K.? Could it be that his advisors — of which he talks frequently in our chat — have advised hm to perpetuate these rumors for the sake of publicity? Who knows. Then there are evasive statements like this one which popped up throughout our interview:

Regardless of whatever confusion there was, there should be no confusion about the fact that I am Andrew W.K. and can go out there and be it and have people understand that.

To me, uttering the words “I am Andrew W.K.” could be total truth if the idea of “Andrew W.K.” was a construct from the very beginning. If Andrew W.K. is just an idea, then anyone hired to play the role could say “I am Andrew W.K.,” as in “Right now I am in the role of Andrew W.K.” and not be lying at all. I also find it very curious that the man I spoke with said he can “go out there and be it” as if he isn’t inherently Andrew W.K. but has to go out and “be” or act the part. And several times throughout the interview he answered questions specifically phrased to determine whether or not the man with whom I was speaking was the same man that performed at other events with the simple statement “I am Andrew W.K.” which would fit through the above ontological loophole.

Okay, yeah. So I guess the situation is, as I’ve stated earlier in our interview tonight, that on one hand I was wanting to follow some advice that was presented to me on how to address this and that advice involved certain language that was deemed the most appropriate on how to not avoid the truth but address the issue in a way that allowed me to still retain my own standing. See, it’s even hard for me to talk about this now because, again, this video wasn’t meant to be seen like this. It wasn’t anticipated that this kind of questioning would come up and the very nature of how I spoke that night was based on limitation that I’m still within now.

“How not to avoid the truth?” That seems like an admission that there is truth being hidden. And seeming admissions of defeat such as this one:

I wouldn’t be in this situation if I didn’t sign up for it a long time ago… I’m just really sorry. I’m really sorry that I can’t answer these questions better. I can keep trying. I’ll continue to, and I have been. I feel like I’ve been doing better. I feel like most people that are close to me understand what’s going on. Some people have a sense of what it is and let it go.

Wow. Loaded. What situation did he sign up for? Doing better at what — learning how to not to answer questions directly?

Of course, Andrew and his team could all just be laughing at the insane amounts of publicity this conspiracy theory has given his new album.

Read my interview with “Andrew W.K.” after the jump. It’s a doozy.

Thanks for taking the time today. I’m sure you’re aware of all the media stuff that’s been going on surrounding you lately. Do you follow all that stuff? Do you get involved in all the internet craziness?

It depends on, I guess, what it is. I try to spend my time in as a productive way as possible. I guess if I’m alerted by someone to look at something, I’ll look at it. From past experience, sometimes taking too much time or spending too much time on that kind of stuff can be detrimental.

Yeah, definitely. Do you take all the conspiracy theory stuff and step back and laugh at it or do you get upset by it?

It’s all case by case. I’ve had different reactions over the years. At times I felt very frustrated by it. It depends on exactly what accusations you’re talking about. In general, I can say if people have thought things about me or my work that I haven’t liked or that I haven’t agreed with, there are all sorts of different ways that it’s felt to me. It’s frustrating, anger-causing, it’s also been confusing at times, and sometimes it’s been totally fine or I just laugh it off and move on. It all depends on what specifics are involved.

I guess specifically I’m talking about the theories that there are 2 of you or were 2 of you, that the concept of Andrew W.K. was somebody who was played by 2 different actors.

Yeah. I’ve tried to figure this out myself, a lot more recently, but over the years I’ve tried to figure out different ways to answer this and deal with this accusation in particular. Not the accusation of me being an actor, but the accusation that there are more than 1 person who is Andrew W.K. I think of it that maybe people started thinking this because they saw someone dressed as me. That’s happened actually quite a bit where people told me they met me before, but I’m 100% sure that I’ve never met them before and they say that they were hanging out with me. I’ve heard very concrete reports, that I believe from close friends, that they were at an event or a concert or at a party where they thought I was there. There was someone there pretending to be me and dressed up as me like a Halloween costume type thing. That’s something that I considered, early on when I chose to wear the clothes that I wear, we were all aware that it would be easy for people to dress like me, but that was the whole idea – to make it a very accessible presentation that people could participate in and my clothes wouldn’t be seen as separating me from other people.

No one really thought, I don’t think, anticipating on how it could be used this way or used against me or where people actually could impersonate me and get away with it and make people think that they are me. The first time that ever happened, when someone told me they saw me at some place that I wasn’t, that was very disturbing because I guess in this business and dealing with media in general in presenting yourself, there’s always the opportunity for someone to change what you said or misconstrue what you meant or just write something that wasn’t true at all, but you got to take that with a grain of salt. This took it to a whole other level where the idea that someone else was actually going out and representing me or pretending to be me and someone had seen them and thought it was me, that really felt crazy and was very frightening because I had no control at all. Then there was this idea that this person could go around saying whatever they want and people would think that’s me and think that I said it. So whatever ideas that they’re promoting or whatever music they would be making or just the way they would behave in public is then becoming a representation of me when that’s not at all what I would want.

That, I think, is how it probably started, and that’s just the nature of being someone who’s easily looked-like. It’s easy to look like Andrew W.K. It’s a pretty basic outfit. I just saw a guy the other day when I was in Colorado who looked a lot like me and people always mistake him for me, he said. That’s when I first started thinking “well maybe this really does boil down to that.”

Right. It seems like people are — and I’ve definitely heard of imposters and that’s definitely petrifying if you’re the person that’s being imitated — it seems like people are and have been saying that there being 2 different actors that have played Andrew W.K. Is that not the case?

That’s one of the accusations, but the one I’ve been hearing more of was that I was imitating Andrew W.K. Is that what you mean?

No, not really. That there were 2 separate people that have played the role of Andrew W.K.

Yeah, that’s what we were just talking about before. I think that is absolutely true and people do think that’s what happened. I think they think it’s more than 2 people. I think people have thought that there were a number of people that could be playing this part, I guess, like a role. Yes people have asked me that before. I thought what you were talking about and what is, to me, a little more difficult to understand how it came about is this idea that I’m the one who is impersonating Andrew W.K., that I’m not the real one. That’s what I’ve been dealing with more recently over the last 4 or 5 years more and more where I was being accused of not being Andrew W.K.

So you’re the same dude who’s been Andrew W.K. for your entire life? There’s never been another Andrew W.K.? Has there been another dude that has performed as Andrew W.K. and gotten paid to do a legit tour and concert as Andrew W.K.?

Well, no, not that I’m aware of personally, but that’s what I was talking about earlier, that I think there may have been some shows where people have shown up as Andrew W.K. and people believed it and it wasn’t me or sanctioned by me or anybody that I work with. I think that’s probably how this started. That to me is the most simple explanation. For that type of confusion.

Yeah it makes sense. I could definitely see somebody pretending . . .

I’ve seen it. I have always been excited at Halloween time to get photos of someone dressed up. It’s always a big honor to have someone do you as Halloween, but I never really considered someone . . . like if someone went out in New York and just wore that outfit and had the right hair and look on their face that they could just go around as that. That’s an interesting thing.

I think what sort of brought this back into the spotlight recently was that there was interview that surfaced or a lecture, rather, that you did in the U.K. with RockFeedBack. Now that was you, right? Not an imposter, or was that you?

That was from 2 years ago. That was from 2008.

Yeah that was from the end of 2008 and for some reason that interview, I guess the video of it, just made its way onto the internet for the first time. I don’t know why it took so long. In that interview, you seem to say that you weren’t the same person as the person on the I Get Wet album and that you just didn’t mean that in a philosophical way.

Well, I’ve addressed this recently in several statements that I made that were released. Did you get a chance to see those statements?

No, I haven’t seen that.

Okay. Well there’s one on YouTube, there’s one on my website, and also on Twitter (that’s been an easy way to defend myself). Basically I said that I haven’t actually seen the entire video, but the part that people have been talking about is the combination of 2 basic things: one, it’s just a misinterpretation of words, but I understand why they’re being interpreted that way and two (more importantly) 90% of what was said at that particular lecture in London was prewritten and asked of me to say by several very close people that I trust very much, and [these people] advised me to put an end to a lot of questions that people have been asking me personally. I am aware and I do take responsibility for the fact that it did not necessarily help the situation. That’s what I’ve been trying to deal with, and I thank you for giving me a chance to try and figure this out now as well. It’s been very tricky for me, and that’s why I hope you understand and other people are able to grasp is that I’ve been trying to deal with this as much as I can and have many different people to please or satisfy. Not just my friends and the people who like what I’ve been doing in music, but people that I’ve worked with for a long time before anybody had any idea of who I was. I’m trying to do the best I can with all these different responsibilities.

So who was it that had advised or told you to say specific things during that lecture?

First of all, the way you’re phrasing that question is making it sound a lot more tricky than it is. It’s not like someone told me what to say. This happens all the time, it’s always been that I always work with people that I get advice from and get feedback from and get answers, and there are times when I’ve been dealing with very sensitive topics where I have to be very careful how I word things and how I say things so that I don’t break any of the agreements that I’ve made with these people that I trust. I don’t want to. I don’t want to make things bad. The times that I have had difficulties in dealing with various people that I work with has been really unpleasant and it has wasted a lot of energy and time and money for everybody involved. I’ve gotten much better over the years at learning how to address certain topics in the appropriate way and that lecture was a result of me trying a new way of addressing some old questions . . . with the help of other people. I don’t want this idea that I work with other people that I have help from other people and I get advice from people to somehow make it seem like I’m not thinking for myself.

No, that makes total sense. Obviously everybody has managers, agents and so on and so forth and trusted people.

I never thought that lecture was going to be videotaped, first of all. I never imagined that anything I said that day would really go beyond that room. I don’t blame anybody. I’m glad that people wanted to tape it. That’s a compliment of course that people would care enough, but I certainly wasn’t expecting it to cause the kind of situation that we are now in. There’s not much that I can do about that now except just to try and calm it all down.

So who are the people that you trust that . . .

They’re just people I work with, like you described them. They can be called managers. They can be called creative directors. They can be called consultants. Some of them are lawyers that help on everything from record contracts to any kind of agreement between anybody that I do anything with. A lot of these issues have come from the fact that the majority of these people have asked not to be named, and they asked not to be named a long time ago. So it’s nothing new. It’s just that people’s awareness of them has grown over the years I guess just because they’ve been doing this for 10 years now. I guess the more time that it exists the more people have found out things about it. As far as who the people are, it’s not a big deal. It’s just for many reasons of their own, to not have their names out there and their names printed on the records or whatever.

But I really wish that that didn’t have to be such a big deal because I don’t even think that that’s very uncommon. I think there are people who like getting credit, some people like being quiet, some people like just doing the work, some people like getting the glory. Everybody has their own role and what they’re meant to do, and we try to all work well within that organization.

I was only curious of that because you brought it up. I’m still stuck on the statement that you made, and I apologize for not having seen those YouTube videos you mentioned. I wish I had known about them.

Of course, no problem. That’s why I’m doing this. Until people don’t have questions, I’ll keep doing my best to answer them. That’s the reason we’re talking. I understand, and I don’t blame you. It’s been tricky for me too.

This is the statement that you said: “I’m not the same guy that you may have seen from the I Get Wet album. I’m not that same person, and I just don’t mean that in a philosophical or conceptual way. It’s not the same person at all. Do I look like the same person?” What did you mean by that statement?

Well, I meant it exactly as I said, but the idea that I’m not Andrew W.K. was never meant to be the point of that. That was meant to make it very clear that I am Andrew W.K. and I was hoping that by appearing on that stage and saying it in that way I guess people wouldn’t accuse me of not being Andrew W.K. which is what I was dealing with more at that time. At that time, the question was more about are you the real Andrew W.K.? You don’t look like the same person as before. I wanted to make it very clear that I am Andrew W.K. Just because I don’t look the same as someone else. I asked people “do you think I look the same?” If they had said “no”, it doesn’t mean that I’m not actually Andrew W.K. and I happened to have the authority to go out there and be Andrew W.K. and have people believe it’s me. At that time, I think just because I did look different, people assumed that something had changed. I wanted to make it clear that if that was the case, it doesn’t mean that I’m not Andrew W.K. Regardless of whatever confusion there was, there should be no confusion about the fact that I am Andrew W.K. and can go out there and be it and have people understand that.

It seems to have added more confusion. You said “I’m actually not Andrew W.K.”

What context was that said in because I don’t have it in front of me?

I just have that part of it. “I’m actually not Andrew W.K. I’m not the same guy that you may have seen from the I Get Wet album. I’m not that same person.”

Okay, so this is the part of the lecture that was towards the beginning. Is that correct?

Yes, towards the beginning.

Okay, yeah. So I guess the situation is, as I’ve stated earlier in our interview tonight, that on one hand I was wanting to follow some advice that was presented to me on how to address this and that advice involved certain language that was deemed the most appropriate on how to not avoid the truth but address the issue in a way that allowed me to still retain my own standing. See, it’s even hard for me to talk about this now because, again, this video wasn’t meant to be seen like this. It wasn’t anticipated that this kind of questioning would come up and the very nature of how I spoke that night was based on limitation that I’m still within now.

Right. I’m not trying to put words in your mouth here at all, so don’t take offense, but it sounds almost like you’re saying that you’re advised to almost perpetuate this rumor.

Saying it like that, it makes it more of a question of whether it’s a rumor or not.

Well, it is. People are saying it. I think the definition of a rumor is that people aren’t sure but whispers are going around.

Well maybe the best way for me to respond is to say I can’t confirm or deny that issue.

The issue being whether or not you were advised to perpetuate this rumor as I stated it?

No, no, no. Whether or not I am Andrew W.K. in a way that was addressed in the lecture.

Got it. So whether or not you are the same guy as on the I Get Wet album?

No, not that. The idea that Andrew W.K. has been . . . the idea that . . . oh man. I don’t know how to say it.

It’s fine. Take your time.

I’m not able to find the right words that I’m able to say in order to put this together. It’s ridiculous. I’m sorry.

That’s okay.

There’s a reason why for a long time that I didn’t talk about this stuff at all and tried to avoid it as much as I possibly could. For years we did, until 2005 it never came up at all. Then there was a bunch of very unfortunate turns of events that we dealt with. It started being something that I haven’t been able to avoid, and it’s been really embarrassing and it’s been infuriating. It’s all my fault, really. I don’t want to look like I’m trying to blame someone or look like a victim because everything that I’m involved in, I got involved in. You know what I mean?

I wouldn’t be in this situation if I didn’t sign up for it a long time ago.

Sure.

I’m just really sorry. I’m really sorry that I can’t answer these questions better. I can keep trying. I’ll continue to, and I have been. I feel like I’ve been doing better. I feel like most people that are close to me understand what’s going on. Some people have a sense of what it is and let it go.

Right. To your credit, I think at this point in 2010, it seems like it’s gone from something that was sort of a pestering footnote on your career to something that people are actually really fascinated by in a good way. At least that’s the perception I’m getting from reading the internet and talking to people face to face about it is that people are legitimately fascinated and interested in this prospect that your career is something other than what it seems at face value.

Well that’s a very nice way of putting it. I don’t know if I ever thought of it as being good that people have questioned whether I exist or it is what it is. In many ways, it has been something that I’ve dealt with since the beginning – just people have doubts. Sometimes, like you’re saying, that doubts can be fun and sometimes maybe the thing being doubted won’t feel like it’s very fun. I agree, the way that you described it in terms of looking at the world in general with a sense of possibility or curiosity, I like that a lot. So, sure, if that’s a byproduct of it, then that’s great. Meanwhile, I would really like it to be able to come, maybe like you said, just to let the focus to be on the things that are a little more concrete.

Like the music, for example?

Yeah. [Inaudible] At the same time, I really don’t want it to sound like an insult to anyone who has been concerned or has had questions because that’s not at all what I mean to be saying by that. That’s why I’m answering your questions, and I always will as best I can. I’m also just very grateful to the people who have been supporting me throughout this without any doubt. That’s always been something I’m very thankful for.

Right. I don’t know if you saw it, but do you run your own Twitter?

I do, and I have assistants as well.

Okay. Maybe you didn’t but maybe you did see . . . we did an interview with Donald Tardy.

Of course, yes. I’m well aware of that. Thank you for talking to him. I was very, not nervous, but I was concerned at first when I first heard about it but then I was really relieved when I read it. I think I read all of it. It was quite long.

I was just really grateful to him for standing up for me. He spoke really over the top and said really nice things, which was really amazing of him. He also did help shed some light to clarify things. Sometimes someone else’s perspectives can really help make things a lot clearer. I think he just helped show how simple it all is.

So you said a moment ago though that you were concerned when you first heard about it or started reading it. Why were you concerned?

I just meant that you never know what someone is going to say to anybody about anything. A lot of people have been saying various things, obviously. Donald and I have remained very good friends ever since we first met, but I don’t talk to him all the time or see him a lot so I wasn’t sure what he really would think about any of this.

I mean I wasn’t sure what you were going to ask him, and people told me that Donald was being interviewed about the accusations. I was just in a general state of concern about the whole thing, so naturally I was like “okay, what’s this going to be?” I trust him, so I wasn’t expecting him to say anything crazy or tell any lies. Again, it’s someone else’s perspective, it’s someone else’s mind. I don’t have any idea of what he’ll say.

He did seem to basically say that as far as he knew, you were just Andrew W.K., just one dude. You came and played with Obituary in New York a few times. That was, in fact, you, right? The dude I’m talking to right now that played with Obituary?

I played with Obituary several times. I played with them at Warped Tour. At the Ozzfest was the first time they reunited, me and one of the other guitar players in my band, Eric Payne, I think maybe our other guitar player . . . there was like 6 guitar players. Donald on drums, John Tardy on vocals, Frank (Watkins) on bass from Obituary. I think Trevor was out too, Trevor Peres. That was the first time, and it was incredible. I think I played very poorly though.

[Laughter]

I remember being really disappointed with how I played on guitar.

Well he didn’t say anything about that.

I’m sure he couldn’t hear from where he was on the drum set.

Probably not. You did the thing with the 77 drummers too, right?

Yes. That was the Boredoms.

The Boredoms, yeah.

Yeah, yeah. That was awhile ago. That was 2007 or 2006.

Yeah that was . . .

No, 2007, it must have been 2007.

That was also you as in the guy I’m talking to right now as opposed to somebody else, not an imposter or anybody else.

It was Andrew W.K.

Okay. That’s an interesting answer.

That’s the only answer that could be. That’s who I am, that’s me.

But it wasn’t necessarily the guy I’m talking to right now or it is?

It [pause]… even me not saying anything could make it worse. Could we make that silence off the record?

[Laughter]

I’m serious. The way that I can answer that question is to say that Andrew W.K. and that was Andrew W.K. at 77 Boadrum.

Right, sure we can make that silence off the record.

Okay. I appreciate that. It’s not supposed to be like that.

[Andrew later agreed to leave this part on the record. -Ed.]

We have this thing coming up at Santos. When is that? What’s the purpose of that event?

Oh yeah. That is on February 23rd. Originally it was just going to be a Q & A based lecture, but since there have been more questions, I made it much more open and directed towards trying to address, the best I can, some of these situations that you’ve been discussing.

What’s the format of that event going to be?

It’ll just be an open discussion. There will be a microphone that people can pass around and ask questions. I’ll be up there with a microphone. I’ll have some copies of my new album and some posters to sign, take pictures with people, say “hi” to people and whatever. It’ll be very unstructured.

I got to ask, you seem to definitely be a little worried about answering these kinds of questions. Why are you even putting yourself in that kind of situation if you could just do nothing?

Well I’m not going to do nothing, I’m going to hopefully do the best I can. There are certain questions that I can’t answer. As you’ve seen, there are certain names that I can’t name. Other than that, I can pretty much talk about anything. There are just certain limitations, very basic limitations. Those haven’t been a problem up until very recently. Really, the first 5 years it was never an issue. The last 2 it became more of an issue. If it’s going to be a big issue at this night, then that’ll just have to be. But it’s not going to be my choice to only have people ask unanswerable questions, I hope. There are so many other things to talk about. We’ll be able to discuss lots of other different things. I do think that there is a lot that I can discuss regarding some of these issues, but some of the very pointed, simple questions, unfortunately, are just off limits. That’s something that I agreed to a long time ago. It’s not anything new.

Don’t you think that that adds fuel to the fire, the fact that you can’t address certain topics?

I think being honest about not being able to answer certain questions is the best I or anyone else in my situation could ever hope to do. Everyone has privacy that they maintain. Everyone likes to have their own secrets or life that they live that is for them, and they are able to still interact in the world and exist in the world and do all kinds of stuff. There are certain limitations that they’ll experience due to keeping that information private, but as long as they’re aware of that and reasonable about it, then everything should be healthy.

I’ve always been very upfront about what I can’t discuss.

What do you hope to gain out of this session at Santos?

Some kind of closure, some kind of sense of relief, hopefully a refocusing on everything other than these questions. Maybe, most of all, time spent with people that like what I’ve been doing and enjoy this music and all the work that I do and what it stands for. Shit, trying to show them that I’m still here and that I’m available.

I think people definitely know that you’re still there and available. There’s definitely been a lot of attention in the media lately for you.

I don’t want to skirt the issue. I always think it’s so strange when people try to evade or hide or stay out of sight when people are looking for them. If people are looking for me, I want to be very present and very upfront and say that “I am here, and I’m not trying to hide away from this. I’m trying to deal with it and confront it as much as anybody else. I never have hidden away from it. Here’s what I can say and what I can’t say. I just beg people to understand that so we can all move on.

I think people appreciate that, but as long as there are certain things that are off topic, I don’t know if that desire from people is ever going to go away.

I don’t want it to ever be thought of as “off topic” because that sounds like me trying to dictate what people should be interested in or what people should care about with me dictating what kind of questions people are supposed to ask me. People can ask me whatever questions they want. As much as I give them that freedom, they have to give me the freedom to be able to answer them with whatever I want or not to be able to answer them at all and move on. Just like if I ask someone a question and they say “you know what? I can’t answer that one or I don’t want to answer that or for many reasons I’ve chosen, I’m in a situation where I’ve agreed to not answer it,” I would say “okay.” I understand that it might not mean that I still don’t want to answer that question, but I’ll certainly have respect for that person’s situation and not, I guess, bother them about it.

I hope that you can think about that in your situation: you made a promise to someone, and it’s very basic. If you’ve ever told someone “I’ll never tell this” or if someone said “okay, you have to promise me that you’re never going to tell this.” I mean have you ever been in that situation where you gave your word to someone like that?

Yeah, sure.

That’s simply what I have done, and I’ve never intended and never will break it especially when I’m being asked it so much. Imagine how the people I made these promises to feel. People are counting on me right now, on a lot of sides. There is a lot of pressure. I don’t feel like a victim, again, I don’t want to say that. But, I am upholding a lot here for a lot of different people involved.

I understand that. It’s just that there’s a difference between the promises somebody makes in their personal life and promises that seem to shatter the foundation of what people believe about you. I think there are 2 different kinds of promises we’re talking about.

I don’t know what anyone believes about me specifically. That’s what, I guess, someone finds out in these kinds of situations. I never knew people believed this kind of stuff or didn’t believe it until it came out. So much of it to me is so beyond absurd that it’s hard for me to believe that someone else would believe it.

Yeah. Well it’s definitely some pretty whacky stuff, I’ll give you that. At this point, like I said, I think it’s good for your career. I think it’s really taken on a life of its own in a good way.

Well that’s a very positive point of view, and I appreciate that. I’ll try to look at it that way.

I said this a minute ago, but I think as long as those specific topics are, you didn’t like the phrase “off limits” but as long as there are certain answers you can’t give, I think these questions will persist from the media forever. No amount of lectures, I don’t think, are going to make them go away.

Well, we’ll see. I mean I have hope that there will be other things more interesting to talk about.

Yeah. Well, good luck to you, man.

Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you very much. Thank you for your time and for letting me, for the best I can, to defend myself and for your great questions. And really, thanks for giving me some new points of views to think about this. That was very nice of you.

[Laughter] No problem. Thanks for taking the time, I really appreciate it.

Yes, you bet, you bet.

-VN

Andrew W.K. will host “A Night of Questions” on Tuesday, February 23rd at Santo’s Party House in NYC. His new record Close Calls with Brick Walls comes out the same day.

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    I am D.B Cooper.

  • CountScottchula

    Okay, I get the intellectual side of wanting maintain standing, having integrity in keeping promises made (a trait maybe not as common in today’s world), but I am going to be as upfront and honest as I can as well….why is this an issue? Either the dude is who he is and that’s it, or not. Very cryptic answers given to some of the questions, and given this is the first real exposure to this “issue” that I have had (I guess I live under a rock or something) I am looking at it from a very uninformed (well, less so now) and basic point of view. If there is something underhanded going on, to have REAL integrity, you man up, own it and admit there was shenanigans (yes, I got to use fucking shenanigans in a sentence) going on. If you have nothing to hide, and things are straight up, you say simply “Fuck this, I am Andrew W.K., anyone else is fucking poser and a fake.” Simple. It’s like he’s some high school kid who knows something about someone and says so, but won’t tell what it is, but keeps talking about it. Publicity stunt? Perfect, it worked, cop to it and move on (there is no bad publicity really). Legit weird shit, fine, keep it simple and say “If there is someone else, they’re a fake.”

    Okay, I’m done whining, I hope Andrew W.K.’s cage isn’t shaking loose, and I hope this, like every other stupid, mindless fucking piece of shit rumour/story that entertainment conjures up will die quickly and quietly – write good songs, kick fucking ass, and shut the fuck up already!

  • CountScottchula

    Oh yeah…and fuck.

  • John

    Wait, what? I’m going to go listen to I get wet now.

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Tom-Campagna/40702766 Tom Campagna

      i get wet rules so hard

      • John

        I cannot help but party when I listen to that album.

        • http://www.facebook.com/people/Tom-Campagna/40702766 Tom Campagna

          indeed

  • Michelle

    Brilliant!

  • RenegadeDave

    Seriously, how can you say nothing in so many words? What a tease. Nice try though Vince, nice try…

  • Thrashbuster

    This guy is a genius. Not surprised his father is a law professor. It’s very difficult to do an interview this long and say this much while still maintaining a lot of mystery about yourself. If you read the first few chapters of Chuck Klosterman’s new book Eating the Dinosaur there’s quite a bit about how people use interviews to alter public perception and control their public image. Seems to provide a good context to all this shit.

  • Sean

    After reading this I’d have to assume the whole rumor is completely bogus, its now purely a good way to generate publicity. If there was any truth to this and they didn’t want people to know, they’d simply lie. There is nothing illegal about lying about who you are unless you are impersonating a real person and don’t have their permission. Thru legal agreements you could probably dig up the whole ‘entity’ versus real person drama anyway.

    The only reason to dance around it so much is to keep people thinking there really is something to it when there really isn’t.

  • Diesel Computer

    How can a guy who provided such a concise, cock smashing party explosion of an album give such a horrific wall of text interview? I definately do not want to get wet now.

    • John

      You know, sometimes you just get wet without even trying.

      • Hammer_Smashed_Hurtt

        Thats what she said

  • Sev

    the general dodginess of all answers implies there’s some shenanigans going on

    at the very least ‘andrew wk’ is a stage persona that he feels very very separated from, regardless of whether or not it’s one actor or two

  • Bicro

    His next album title:

    Makavelli W.K. – The Party Killuminadi: The 7 Actor Project.

    • yetzer hara

      hilarious.

    • matt

      this.

  • Ben

    None of this changes the fact that, despite what some of you tards may think, Andrew W.K. sucks on a truckload of donkey cock.

    • Hammer_Smashed_Hurtt

      I wholeheartedly 110% agree.

      • Bruce Wayne’s Kitchen Appliance

        I 100 percent wholeheartedly disagree.

        Andrew W.K. is the human manifestation of Metal.

  • Tony

    What a waste of bandwidth. A never quite famous to be a has-been gives a nearly hour long interview that is practically impossible to get through. Why am I, or anyone supposed to be interested in this talentless fuck?

    Because he was a novelty act and got in with various other pseudo celebs in LA?

    Easily the most boring, vapid, and self-important interview I’ve read in a long time.

    • http://www.heavyblogisheavy.com/ Alkahest

      Speak for yourself asshat. This is very interesting. And I Get Wet is a good album.

    • DemonicLemming

      Pretty much. I’ve never talked to a person who had listened to his music, let alone liked it or gave a good fuck about what he had to say (or to talk about saying stuff he could talk about).

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Brett-Stanton/1599722401 Brett Stanton

    I didn’t even read this whole interview, because all the preview snip-its so far have been cryptic nonsense. But I will put this out there. What if AWK has been the same guy all along, but just happened to sign a shitty record, managment, and/or lawyer contract, which is now making it seem like there’s something to hide, but in reality the only thing being hidden is that AWK is just an idiot and made bad business decisions and has been advised by some dickhead lawyer to not speak on it, although he really wants to be open about it but legally can’t?
    wow, nice run on sentence dick.

    • Bruce Wayne’s Kitchen Appliance

      Wow, nice run on sentence you di….oh wait. Nevermind.

  • TallNerdGuy

    What if Andrew W.K. and this situation he has found himself in is just part of some long-running alternate-reality game? If thats the case and truth becomes known (whatever that truth may entail), my brain probably wouldn’t be able to handle it.

  • Cullen

    This did clear up some things but only led to the mystery of the whole machine. I’ve always read about this since 2003 and never once has it made me think any different of him. I plan on being at the event on Feb 23rd and really can’t wait for the American release of “Close calls…” and the new album.
    This interview was very well done and I think you for not making this super awkward and great way of asking the questions.
    And right now “Long live the party” is playing on Malcom in the Middle.
    Thank you again.

    • Bruce Wayne’s Kitchen Appliance

      Close Calls with Brick Walls is like I Get Wet 2.0.

      That is to say, it fucking dominates.

  • Kye

    Well then…

    My cousin did that 77 Boadrum thing. I should ask him if he knows anything about any of this. Probably not though.

    • Kye

      You know…why doesn’t someone just ask his wife. I mean, sure, that’s easier said than done, but she met him in like 03-04, so if he is a different person, then either she married someone who wasn’t yet hired to play this role, or she married a guy who no longer does. And thus, one of those people is really named Andrew WK, and the other is not.

      And really, this all does just seem like a big promotion engine running. I’ve never cared about this guy’s music, but this shit comes out and all of a sudden I’m reading about the dude. Go figure.

      • http://www.facebook.com/people/Naomi-Rose/1215474773 Naomi Rose

        same here man, i heard “party hard” a couple times in high school, threw it on my ipod just cause it went well with the playlist, and that’s pretty much the entire extent of my relationship to his music. then i read this, and i find myself wanting to listen to more of his music…..

        clearly i’ve been baited by this lame little mystery….

  • b-side

    The whole Andrew W.K. secrets / identity thing should be a great topic for the new metalsucks blog on legal stuff…

    “If you’ve ever told someone “I’ll never tell this” or if someone said “okay, you have to promise me that you’re never going to tell this.” I mean have you ever been in that situation where you gave your word to someone like that?”… sounds like he made a pact with the devil !!! (a very metal thing to do I guess?)

  • Hendecahedron

    What I think you should have done, Vince, is to have forced this guy giving the interview into a simple yes/no answer format, and skip all that lawyer-speak we were thrown at us.

  • http://ihatejade.com/?id=1japi3153329oacnd59ftmp5ve6x2l jesus on the dashboard

    Its the chewbacca defense!

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Naomi-Rose/1215474773 Naomi Rose

      hahahahahahaha

  • zperk

    Why is this so hard for everyone to clear up? Sit him down, open up your laptop and turn on the “Party Hard” video, point to the screen and ask him “Is this you on camera? Yes or no?” Mystery solved.

    • Tanner

      +1 Thank you!

    • builtforsin

      “, but some of the very pointed, simple questions, unfortunately, are just off limits.”

      No pointing OR simple questions, dick!

    • Ian

      Get “Andrew W.K” to show you his fucking birth certificate or some sort of ID. Mystery solved. Oh wait, this guy’s a pussy fucktard. He should be a goddamn politician, the way he beats around the bush. And if this “Andrew W.K.” is reading this, you are a fucking corporate puppet with a hand shoved up your ass.

      • Bruce Wayne’s Kitchen Appliance

        You must have been dropped on your head as a child. I feel sorry for you.

  • http://thenumberoftheblog.wordpress.com/ groverXIII

    I’m pretty sure that this is something that he and his people, whomever they may be, have cooked up and are perpetuating. And they’re doing a damn good job of it.

  • Rachel

    I guess I will have to find out on Warped Tour this summer when I see him in person.

  • cougar party

    I’ll admit, I don’t even listen to AWK at all, but I am fascinated by this whole thing. I think based on this interview and other statements from the AWK camp, it’s logical to conclude there truly was/is more than one person playing AWK.

    He is way to cryptic to his answers and his unwillingness to deny these rumors is an omission of guilt. Crazy shit.

  • Facebook User

    Give me a fucking break. He is clearly hamming this up for publicity, and I’m sure there was a brief pre-interview to go over this bullshit story. I can’t even say he is just playing into it because it sounds like a completely self-generated prank. As an inside joke, I’m sure that Andrew and his people probably think its funny and clever; he does seem to be a very bright and interesting guy and the type who would get off on something like this. However, as a PR stunt I think it fails because it doesn’t make me want to listen to his shitty music. Although, my assumption fails to take into account the fact that most people are complete fucking morons. His next release will probably go platinum.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Jason-Lekberg/779008102 Jason Lekberg

    Wow. So either he’s an extremely smart guy who’s intentionally perpetuating a rumor that is helping to revitalize his dead career, or he has serious metal issues. He really comes across like a scared child with a metal handicap who doesn’t know what to say. Saying “I can’t answer because I made a promise not to talk about it” just really sounds like, “Yes” to me.

    • Andy Synn

      “serious metal issues”.

      +1

  • Patrick

    “a metal handicap”

    +1

  • builtforsin

    Who cares, his music is lame.

  • David

    It honestly sounds like the dude has some serious legal sh*t that went down in the early part of his career that he’s still dealing with (and obligated not to talk about until it’s fully resolved).

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Josh-Eldridge/6238293 Josh Eldridge

    I don’t mind if Andrew W.K. is multiple people… just as long as the person I go to see at a show parties hard.

    That said…. WOW, my brain hurts from that interview.

  • Chainsword

    Who new that sweaty guy in the old white t-shirt was so intelligent. Well played AWK.

  • Bruce Wayne’s Kitchen Appliance

    Just to let you in on a little secret,

    Steev Mike = Dave Grohl.

    Dave Grohl = Huge Asshole.

    • DemonicLemming

      Dave Grohl > Andrew W.K.

  • Austin Millbarge

    Call me D-Gas, cause I don’t give a shit.

  • yetzer hara

    has anyone looked at his youtube channel? i think that andrew wk is one person, has been the same person, but is bipolar or schizophrenic or both. some of the stuff in those videos is only the stuff that insane people pull off.

    • http://Myspace.com/wearecarnevil AEnema175

      this is very possible. He also could be like one of my friends who i know if put in this situation would say its true because he doesn’t think the same way he did and is hence a different person (he is a philosophical nut.) so if this guy is as intelligent as we think he is, he is just like my friend, cause my friend is the most intelligent person i know, yet he has absolutely no common sense. And even though i enjoy conspiracy theories (even though i don’t believe them), this is getting old.

  • THe real awk

    Bullshit!!! I am the real andrew wk

  • I

    Ok, fine, I guess I’m going to have to tell the truth here since he doesn’t seem to want to. The AWK that gave this interview is in fact the identical twin to the original AWK. The original AWK was abducted by aliens shortly after he found the lockness monster getting humped by bigfoot. He was then droped off at area 51. Upon which the government hired the twin so the truth about what happened wouldn’t be released. Which is why he is alowed to talk about this without talking about it. Makes perfect sense to me.

    • Deven

      Thats the most logical answer so far.

  • smearCampaign

    there is a fine line between genius and insanity…

  • Ølin of Carl

    Until you looks at this interview with all of your eyes you can’t see what W.K. is really trying address. Unfortunately most people are hopelessly blind. Thickneck metalheads especially. Y’all can’t see the forest for the trees in your face.

  • Frampler

    ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

  • Phro

    Maybe he’s just in a cult.

    The way he’s talking sounds more like cultish rhetoric than anything. Especially these “mystery” advisers. Almost like a Born Again…

  • Metal Fuckin’ Dave

    I’ve never drank the Andrew W.K. koolaid. I can not in any way figure out why his music was even popular in the mainstream, much less popular to the metal crowd. Other than his involvement with Obituary members, I see nothing metal about the guy. I think he is a talented musician, sure, but not metal. And the music, to me, doesn’t even seem accessible. It is loud, obnoxious, half-assed party rock that even pails in comparison to Poison’s first album. And I fucking hate Poison.

    That being said, I was initially intrigued about this “There is more than one Andrew W.K.” concept but I think I know what is going on. The motherfucker is a member of the “church” of Scientology.

  • ThisIsNecessary

    No way. I am actually Andrew W.K. Thanks for all the support guys, party hard!

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Edward-Wilfred/100000007099811 Edward Wilfred

    I actually think it would be pretty cool if he wasn’t the same guy. Like the original one died so they had to find another. Like the phantom or dread pirate roberts.

  • http://www.jasonhead.com/ gjhead

    Does this dude actually make enough money to have all these assistants and advisers and stuff? Is he really that popular? wtf?

  • http://Myspace.com/wearecarnevil AEnema175

    When Andrew signed to one of the labels he has been on, he may have signed away his rights to his own name (you never know with record companies and their complicated fine print) and if he left said label he would loose the right to be “the Andrew WK that made ‘I Get Wet.’” So he legally has to say “I’m not THE Andrew WK, but i am AN Andrew WK.” Stuff like this happens all the time. Mayhem had to change their name to “The True Mayhem” because too many other bands were claiming ownership of the same name. So this may have been the cause of all his troubles and having to word things carefully because if he says something wrong he would be in legal trouble.

    But this is just a theory and i hope i worded it in a way that anyone other than myself can understand.

    • http://www.myspace.com/adamfuckingrahn Adam

      Bingo.
      That, I think, is why the was no new AWK material in the US for several years., and Load Records released the Close Calls LP. I heard tell that he and Island Records had a major conflict and the use of his name was in jeopardy in some way.

      But I dunno

  • bdsm

    I can agree with pretty much all of what is being debated, but what I still don’t understand is if Andrew really wanted everything to happen, why would he basically smear himself? I certainly think he was well aware of what could happen if he said the wrong thing, so I’m not taking issue with what he can and can’t legally say. What I’m saying is that maybe he thought people would actually never ask, or at least that it wouldn’t get this far.

    I think some of this goes back to the rumors that he had cut his hair, was wearing wigs, changing his image, etc. I think that has a huge deal in all of this along with everything else. But he has definitely been stuck in the controversy, and to his credit, what else could he do? It’s not natural to hide, it certainly wasn’t when everything was normal. I think there was probably many events that took place that were not related to each other, but caused by other bad events that happen.

    I also still think Andrew’s father, James Krier has something to do with a lot of this, not just in a bad way. The guy is a professor of contract law, so it makes perfect sense that when his son is dealing with a lot of contracts, his Dad is either involved in writing them OR is involved in making us think there are contracts. How could he not? Would anyone entertain the idea that he’s lying about the contracts and legal difficulties? If his Dad just made all that up, wrote some basic documents and had Andrew sign them too, it could explain the last five years, or Andrew WK cutting his hair, getting married, openning a nightclub, etc.

    Putting the band on hiatus was clearly an intentional move, as the band is now headlining the 2010 Warped tour. But if Andrew doesn’t release the albums he said he would, or produce a bunch of other albums, it’ll probably be because of a bunch of stuff that doesn’t require him leaving NYC or breaking other contracts for any extended period of time. If he had announced 4 years ago “hey guys, I kinda want to admit to you the truth, and I’ll tell you when I’m ready. Until then, enjoy me singing Party Hard with 10 year olds”. That could all be what he WANTS us to think. So I try to always take that into consideration. I think everyone probably gets caught up in trouble when you’re in the entertainment business. Not that I don’t think that hasn’t happened to Andrew. But if he really is trying to discredit himelf, then maybe this way he gets to putt his full efforts into the Andrew WK project without breaking the contract? I don’t know. That would be pretty nuts too.

  • Sanctuary6

    i think this quote from Andrew just about sums it up:

    “I’ve always been very upfront about what I can’t discuss.” -Andrew WK

    • Metal Fuckin’ Dave

      yep.

  • SonOF

    I am kind of annoyed by the cryptic nature of the answers and frankly think this is a whole lot of nothing, yet I read the whole thing, and would read anything else about him that was released as well. I am interested in and thinking about Andrew WK (either the man or the creation), which makes me want to hear his music, etc… So I guess for him, it’s definitely mission accomplished – I am on board.

  • SonOF

    This is the biggest bunch of nothing I have ever read:

    “Well, I meant it exactly as I said, but the idea that I’m not Andrew W.K. was never meant to be the point of that. That was meant to make it very clear that I am Andrew W.K. and I was hoping that by appearing on that stage and saying it in that way I guess people wouldn’t accuse me of not being Andrew W.K. which is what I was dealing with more at that time. At that time, the question was more about are you the real Andrew W.K.? You don’t look like the same person as before. I wanted to make it very clear that I am Andrew W.K. Just because I don’t look the same as someone else. I asked people “do you think I look the same?” If they had said “no”, it doesn’t mean that I’m not actually Andrew W.K. and I happened to have the authority to go out there and be Andrew W.K. and have people believe it’s me. At that time, I think just because I did look different, people assumed that something had changed. I wanted to make it clear that if that was the case, it doesn’t mean that I’m not Andrew W.K”

    He was asked originally (in the old interview) if he was the same person as the Andrew WK on the I Get Wet album and he said ““I’m actually not Andrew W.K. I’m not the same guy that you may have seen from the I Get Wet album. I’m not that same person,” and claimed he didn’t mean “not the same person” in the philosophical sense. Yet in the new interview (above quote) it seems like he DID mean he “wasn’t the same person” in the philosophical sense. Or at least that is how I interpreted it.

    • SonOF

      The whole thing is all very silly. :-)

  • Cryzthormagnusian

    There’s a guy that works in an office downstairs that looks exactly like Andrew WK, no shit.

  • BonerMagik

    Honestly, this issue with him is actually quite simple if you ask me.

    Here’s my take on it (and I will be as concise as possible):

    He and Island Records had some kind of disagreement and he was not legally aloud to perform under the name Andrew WK (only in certain contexts) because he was still legally bound to a contract with Island Records which he chose to walk away from around 2004-2005. Due to various legal loopholes he’s been able to continue performing and release albums under the Andrew WK name (only in Asia it seems, with the exception of the “55 Cadillac” album). It seems to me that the primary reason he’s been able to stay afloat financially is due to his popularity in Asian markets (South Korea and Japan in particular). The second reason he’s been able to support himself (and perform and operate under the Andrew WK name) is due to him opening up the nightclub “Santos Party House”, which, from what I gather, is a fairly popular nightclub in downtown Manhattan. I had the honor of seeing his first performance at his club (Sept. 15 2008). I also got to meet him and briefly converse with him…there’s definitely only ONE Andrew WK and he’s a super awesome dude.

    Since the release of the “55 Cadillac” album, there seems to have been some kind of move towards reconciliation between him and the people he used to work with on Island Records, which explains why he’s only now able to do a worldwide release of his third “lost” album CCWBW (“Close Calls With Brick Walls”).

    Now as far him appearing dodgy on certain questions has primarily to do with legal bindings that he simply cannot break, which, if he did answer them directly, could have the effect of entirely ruining his career. At the very same time, as a natural by-product of not answering questions more directly, it has the effect of creating an allure of “mystery” and “intrigue” that is capturing people’s attention (and imaginations given the absurdity of some of the people’s responses on here); which, in turn, could help boost sales on his upcoming albums but seems to be something that he doesn’t really want to deal with in the first place.

    Okay, I’m done writing now. Hope this helps.

  • Cir Eric

    I can’t believe people are so interested in this. His amazingly positive music and attitude toward life are much more worthy of attention than this rumour, which is all it is. There’s no facts to go by, really. No one can confirm whether this guy is the “real” andrew wk or not. And the only reason that question even exists is that people have asked it. It’s created by the public, basically, no matter what he said at a lecture or whatever.
    People will find a way to support their point of view. Like the World Trade Center conspiracy theorists. Like christians. Like athiets. Like scientists. Like ritual magicians. People will always find the meaning that supports their point of view and for the most part, ignore any information that doesn’t conform to their view. People are even capable of inventing a meaning where there isn’t any.
    This is the kind of nonsense house wives sit around discussing because they have nothing better to do.
    No one is going to force the man to say what he doesn’t want to say. People should show respect when he says that he made promises not to talk about things. Like he said have you never had anyone ask you to keep a secret for them? You show no respect for that. And thus, you don’t deserve an answer to your questions even if he wanted to explain things.
    But there is nothing to explain. Get over it.