Music
Before he plays Download, the party expert tells us how to get the most out of festivals and life.
Ask Andrew WK what he’s been up to and he'll probably tell you, “just partying really”. That’s not the whole truth, though. Andrew WK has been dishing out advice for the Village Voice, playing raucous live shows, writing a party bible, appearing at universities extolling the virtues of – yes – partying, and appearing on TV. But that’s all long forgotten when he’s living for the moment.
“I don’t like projects,” he explains, happily. “I don’t like the idea of compartmentalised efforts. I like the idea of just living and being… It took me a while to accept it, but I’ve turned myself over to that now. So I don’t know what I’ve been doing or what I’m going to do now or next. All the energy goes into the doing of things rather than the planning, scheming, plotting.”
One thing we do know is he’s flying to the UK to play Download on June 12-14. Because the Party Hard man knows how to have a good time, we asked Andrew WK how to get the most out of festivals and life itself.
Perhaps don’t set yourself so many goals in life or at festivals… I tried doing that, but I noticed way back, even the way my career launched, I could never have planned any of it. All the best things were unplannable – things I wouldn’t have had the nerve to dream up. It became evident that there was some other usher in the mix and I should probably just listen to their ideas – not even listen to, just bow down and follow them and let them pull me wherever they wanted me to go. Since I’ve taken that leap, things have been a lot partier.
Always seek out the most intense music… It depends on the riffs and melodies. Wolf Eyes are very atmospheric, it creates more than just a guitar melody you can sing. It creates a sensation and a feeling in your whole being, your whole body and mind. You might not say it’s energising, but it’s very stimulating and creates energy very similar to something like a cheerful rock music song. What I look for is intensity of intent and intensity of spirit. You can even get that from very quiet or mellow music. Even music that’s meant to comfort and soothe can do so in an incredibly intense way. I don’t care so much for passive music.
Partying successfully is all in the mind… I’m interested in it as a state of mind, where, rather than celebrating a specific event or a trivial passing of time, like a weekend coming up, we look at partying not only as an escape, but as an escape in which you find something more and you’re really celebrating existence itself. It’s about changing your mindset to see life itself as a huge achievement and not as a burden with only moments of glory, but the whole thing, even at its most painful, as an incredible adventure.
Take the party spirit away from the festival with you… See everything you can as a party and work at seeing it that way, even when it’s very, very hard. The festival makes it very easy, but try taking that mind-set and hold on to it and think how you can apply those feelings elsewhere in life, even where you least expect to.
Don’t listen to the bands you’re about to see… I’m always wary of listening to bands you’re about to go see. It’s sort of like looking at your Christmas presents before you get to open them. I go into a state of abstinence. If I’m going to see Judas Priest, I’ll abstain for at least 24 hours before to build up the crescendo. It’s almost like abstaining from an orgasm – it’s going to be that much more powerful when you experience the climatic moment.
Instead, listen to this little playlist on your way… I would just to listen to the whole of Napalm Death’s Harmony Corruption album straight through, but if there needs to be one song, You Suffer. The great thing about Napalm Death, if someone’s not excited to hear them, you can ask for only four seconds of their time. We could throw in Status Quo’sDown Down. I like Hatebreed a lot – especially Perseverance. When I was touring with them on Ozzfest I got to see them play every day and it was a very powerful experience. Current 93’s When The Long Shadows Fall. It goes on and on, but talk about a feeling. Sometimes there’s music that it seems has invented a new way to feel. Then I’ll pick the Bathroom Skank by Lee “Scratch” Perry and Hatebreeders by Misfits.
Andrew WK is on Facebook.
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