Four years ago, Andy B set out on an ambitious undertaking. He wanted to travel the world and record an album with all of his closest friends, and the new friends he met along the way. In the time spent working on the album, Andy’s band grew to 172 members. This January, we finally got to experience Andy B and the World.
With The First One, Andy B and the World starts 2021 off with a band. Even though the album was recorded with almost 200 people, it sounds like everyone was part of the same session. It’s really a feat that needs to be heard to believe. The album is just so good. It’s an amazing blend of ska, punk, and folk. What makes this even more amazing is that Andy finished the album in the middle of a global pandemic.
Recently, Andy sat down to answer some questions about Andy B And The World. It’s an absolutely fascinating story. If you’re like me, you’ll find yourself rooting for him more and more as the interview goes on. Andy may just be the most inspirational person in ska music today. Enjoy the interview.
I don’t think I’ve ever experienced such an ambitious ska release in my 25 years of listening to the genre. What gave you the idea to work with 172 different people for this album?
Thank you for the kind words. The funny thing is that an even more ambitious plan is to come!
The idea itself came from, I guess, years of being in bands, and touring loads. Once I left two bands within two years of each other (New Riot & Upbeat Allstars), the signs were there that I definitely wanted to do something different, not away from music, but within it. I love making music, and so it was just a case of finding out how.
I did try to start a couple of bands just before the inception of this around 2014/2015, but it just wasn’t happening, and the more time that passed from touring made me miss the amazing friends I’d made on tour, and all over the place, and so the idea hatched to record these songs with all of these friends, as they’re all super talented and it’d just be nice to see them – and of course, we’d make connections along the way.
I’m really keen on over-the-top plans and trying to be ambitious and so, yea, that’s where it came from. I actually remember when I launched the idea properly right at the turn of 2017, jokingly saying “we’ll end up with 100 musicians or something mad like that.” Oh if I knew… As the project took shape, I just felt like I’d found my calling music wise, and so just wanted to push the project bigger and bigger!
The album took four years to complete, including a major chunk of the production during lockdown. How were you able to make it sound so cohesive? When listening to it, it feels like everyone was in the same room for the entire recording session.
Well I’m glad you say that as that’s exactly what I was hoping to achieve, so thank you! Having a producer/studio engineer background, I like albums to breathe, but I’m not a big fan of when albums change massively in sound from song to song all the way through. It makes it feel less like a cohesive work and more like a compilation album, and so I was focused on that pretty tightly from the outset.
Of course, when we were travelling, it was me recording the singers and players so I was able to keep a watchful eye on sonics – wait, should that be ear? [Laughs] But once the tracks started coming in remotely from afar during lockdown, it just meant a lot of EQ’ing and back and forth to ensure each song kept it’s own character, that every layer I added in did something and wasn’t just dropped in randomly. I wanted everyone that got involved to know their part was part of the end result, community is very important to everything we’re trying to create here.
But some parts were a challenge, and compromises had to be made – the drums for example. There’s four drummers and five drum kit recordings there, all from totally different rooms too! I wanted to let each kit shine in it’s own way but that “album experience glue” would have not been there, so I spent a few days pulling the kits to a collective best sound. There’s a reason the album took me many, many, many weeks to mix! With so many awesome players though, the performances shine and when the performance shines, it just works.
At any point, given the time it took and the setbacks you experienced along the way, did you ever feel like packing it up? What kept you motivated to keep going during the more difficult moments during the development of the album?
I never once wanted to give up, not even slightly. There were definitely setbacks. I lost around two grand’s worth of round the world flights when a rather badly timed redundancy occurred in 2017. I was able to go to the States for a few very enjoyable weeks but yea, that was hard.
The following year I had a bit of a life mental health dip, which then led to me going to do a pair of 2000km cycle rides for mental health charities with Tobias and Sonny, two other musician friends.
Then, the final time I came back to the project with real vigor, 2020 hit and we all know how that went! But, turn lemons into lemonade as they say, and I used lockdown to finish the album remotely, and involve even more people than I could have got to! If anything, I’m more positive to go further with this, and return to the travel part as soon as we can!
Another special thing about this release is that all of the proceeds are going to charity. Which charities are you supporting and what made you choose them?
Absolutely, this is a theme that will run the lifetime of this project.
On this release, we’re supporting Centrepoint and Music For All. Back when I was living in Devon for a while, I went out with a local group and we took hot meals, and supplies in winter to the homeless community there. It’s always been something I’m aware of and very often I’ll help homeless people with some decent food when I can. Centrepoint focuses mainly on helping in matters of youth homelessness, be it assisting with housing, with help on support, education, health, life skills and so on.
With our second charity being Music 4 All, that came about as I’ve long felt that everyone should be afforded the opportunity to experience music, and how it can positively benefit us. Music 4 All focus on exactly that, both through donated lessons, donated instruments through community grants, so that people of all backgrounds and situations are given that chance that so many of us can take for granted.
There’s a lot of folk undertones on the album. Since folk is a storytelling genre at heart, what story are you telling with this album?
Honestly, it’s less of a story and more of a commentary on the state of the world and it’s communities at the point in time it was written, globally. Whilst we are certainly influenced heavily by and take from protest folk like Bob Dylan and so on, I wouldn’t say that we’ve borrowed the story telling side. But, I hope that we tell a story of community in general with it, of connections and communication, and of what we can achieve when we work together. After all, connection + communication + unity = community.
It’s my understanding that everything about this album was a DIY effort. What was the hardest thing about getting it all together?
Yes, it really is fully DIY! I think, as with all the communication, incoming and outgoing files, and when it came to vlogs or pictures for the album, media, with all 172 people coming through me, that just keeping on top of that was the hardest part. I was petrified of leaving someone out, so I had notebooks and notebooks of writing to keep tabs on it. It took me a while to get it under control! BUT, it was always heartwarming seeing parts come in and watching the songs come to life in different layers piece by piece, so it was all worth it!
When you were reaching out to everyone for contributions, who surprised you the most when they agreed?
Um, more or less everyone! When it first started out in 2017, and I reached out to some American bands I’d never met, like Tef London, The Main Street Sweep & Rundown Kreeps for just three examples, I was blown away by their enthusiasm, not a single “er, what” moment. which just shows the open minded strength of character across our scene.
Of course, some of the big names I was surprised to get a yes from, but big shout out must go to Angelo from Bracket, and Dennis from Ten Foot Pole, who despite not being in ska bands at all, but well known and respected punk bands, joined in, were super lovely to deal with and nailed it!
Kye Smith was a really early one too, who I couldn’t believe said yes. I think he was the first big name in fact. Safe to say – he nailed it. He’s on the song “Frantic.”
What are you most proud of when thinking about the album?
I’m just so proud of everyone on it! I think, I hope it’s a real testament to what can be done when we follow our ambition, dream big, and join in together! When I see little conversations pop up between bands that are on it that I didn’t know knew each other, it warms me’eart!
Who are some of the bands that make up “The World?” That was MC Lars on “Got Your Back,” right?
Oh my God, how long have you got? Yeah, that’s MC Lars in “Got Your Back”. Fun fact, he talks about Fandangle (the band I was in when him, myself and Tom, the other chap singing on that song, met) and Yeovil, in reference to Yeovil Ski Lodge where Will Blake used to put on AMAZING shows, where I do believe we first met!
But, the list is huge: Less Than Jake, Reel Big Fish, The Slackers, Hayseed Dixie, Kye Smith, MC Lars, RX Bandits, Suburban Legends, Monkey, Ten Foot Pole, Bracket, [Spunge], The Toasters, Captain Accident, Bite Me Bambi, Jaya The Cat, Skatune Network, The Godfathers, Zebrahead, Death By Stereo, 4ft Fingers, Beat The Red Light, Call Me Malcolm, Rude Boy George, Abraskadabra, Faintest Idea, We Are The Union, The Resignators, Cartoon Violence, The Clerks, Los Skagaleros, Los Nahuatlatos, Random Hand, The JB Conspiracy, I Divide, Thieves, The Hostiles, even GWAR! It honestly goes on, and on… chuffed to have every single one!
Since the album is called The First One, are we to believe The Second One will be out in 2025?
Well, we’ll be announcing what’s next in March, but if all goes to plan, way, way sooner than that. I’m in the rhythm of knowing how to do this in a far more organized way now!
Are you holding auditions for gang vocals for the next album anytime soon?
I honestly urge anyone that would like to take part to get in touch with me. This is a “yes” project, and we’ll get you involved however we best can. We’ll be looking to make the gang vocals to end all gang vocals!
When you’re not focusing on the biggest ska band in history, what are you up to?
Wait, there’s other stuff?
I’ve been following a lot of what’s been going on in England during the pandemic. How are you doing and what are your self care tips?
Oh, yea it’s a disaster. Whilst I was able to turn lockdown into something that drove this first stage of the project to completion in one way, it’s been savage all round and heartbreaking to watch. Most of my friend group is made up of bands, and people working in the industry.
In terms of self care, just please look after everyone and think long term. Care and diligence now, whilst hard, will get us out the other side quicker and with less loss of life. What was it Bill and Ted said? “Be excellent to each other.”
Use that exercise allowance daily. Fresh air is so good for us. We’re not good at being in four walls and it’s a great way to keep motivation up. I can feel the days I don’t straight away now. And if you can’t, maybe some brain food!
Do you have any plans to do any live shows with any of the collaborators to promote the album?
Yeah, there’s a few in the works for sure! “Penciled in” is the phrase I guess. We’re in an unusual situation in that we can have different line ups in different countries. But, right now there’s no plans for loads of shows. Merely a few.
If the readers only remember one thing about Andy B & The World, what do you want it to be?
That we can do anything if we put our minds to it. And, to help those without our chances to reach theirs too.
And hopefully, just to check out what we created. If you like the concept, please do join us for the ride on our YouTube channel. We documented, badly, the making of this first album. We’ve got big plans to do that even better as we move forward. If you hear a voice or an instrument you like, please go check out the band of those singers or players. Let them know you think they’re awesome!
Any last words?
Ambition is critical…