Interview with Andrew W.K.

he wants to see you go wild hi I’m

he wants to see you go wild hi I’m Rebecca Brayton and welcome to

Rebecca Brayton and welcome to

Rebecca Brayton and welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re speaking

watchmojo.com and today we’re speaking

watchmojo.com and today we’re speaking with Andrew W K

from a young age you start playing in

from a young age you start playing in bands I mean what what drew did you to

bands I mean what what drew did you to

bands I mean what what drew did you to music initially well I liked that you

music initially well I liked that you

music initially well I liked that you could perform that it was something that

could perform that it was something that

could perform that it was something that you could do that was fun for yourself

you could do that was fun for yourself

you could do that was fun for yourself but you could also involve other people

but you could also involve other people

but you could also involve other people and not just your band members but an

and not just your band members but an

and not just your band members but an audience I started playing piano at 4

audience I started playing piano at 4

audience I started playing piano at 4 and a half that’s could be a very

and a half that’s could be a very

and a half that’s could be a very solitary experience of course I was

solitary experience of course I was

solitary experience of course I was taking lessons there was other students

taking lessons there was other students

taking lessons there was other students around but one of my time spent

around but one of my time spent

around but one of my time spent practicing on just playing by myself and

practicing on just playing by myself and

practicing on just playing by myself and then the idea somehow of getting out

then the idea somehow of getting out

then the idea somehow of getting out there in front of other people and

there in front of other people and

there in front of other people and seeing what they thought of it became

seeing what they thought of it became

seeing what they thought of it became very exciting so that’s when I got more

very exciting so that’s when I got more

very exciting so that’s when I got more into performing and an entertaining if

into performing and an entertaining if

into performing and an entertaining if it that’s the right word

your father is a well-known legal

your father is a well-known legal scholar at the University of Michigan so

scholar at the University of Michigan so

scholar at the University of Michigan so I guess the question is why music not

I guess the question is why music not

I guess the question is why music not law my brother James II career he’s a

law my brother James II career he’s a

law my brother James II career he’s a professor of law specializing in

professor of law specializing in

professor of law specializing in property law and environmental law is

property law and environmental law is

property law and environmental law is also very successful writer of a

also very successful writer of a

also very successful writer of a property law book that’s pretty much the

property law book that’s pretty much the

property law book that’s pretty much the book that anyone studying American law

book that anyone studying American law

book that anyone studying American law has to use and he did encourage me to

has to use and he did encourage me to

has to use and he did encourage me to consider following in his footsteps at

consider following in his footsteps at

consider following in his footsteps at one point but then I think also he was

one point but then I think also he was

one point but then I think also he was very excited about me going into the

very excited about me going into the

very excited about me going into the arts because he is very artistic but did

arts because he is very artistic but did

arts because he is very artistic but did not necessarily get to pursue those

not necessarily get to pursue those

not necessarily get to pursue those ambitions the same way so at first he

ambitions the same way so at first he

ambitions the same way so at first he was very concerned and thought I was

was very concerned and thought I was

was very concerned and thought I was throwing my life away and then when he

throwing my life away and then when he

throwing my life away and then when he saw that maybe there is a chance that

saw that maybe there is a chance that

saw that maybe there is a chance that I’ll be able to survive he got very

I’ll be able to survive he got very

I’ll be able to survive he got very excited and he’s actually been very

excited and he’s actually been very

excited and he’s actually been very involved and supportive and in

involved and supportive and in

involved and supportive and in incredible ways that most people aren’t

incredible ways that most people aren’t

incredible ways that most people aren’t as fortunate to have from their parents

as fortunate to have from their parents

as fortunate to have from their parents so I really bow down to my dad and my

so I really bow down to my dad and my

so I really bow down to my dad and my mom we make creatively they made me and

mom we make creatively they made me and

mom we make creatively they made me and I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for them

I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for them

I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for them and their support

what is your songwriting process a piano

what is your songwriting process a piano is my main instrument so most the time

is my main instrument so most the time

is my main instrument so most the time I’m writing on piano and then I’m

I’m writing on piano and then I’m

I’m writing on piano and then I’m bringing the guitar later and sort of

bringing the guitar later and sort of

bringing the guitar later and sort of reinterpret the piano part for guitar

reinterpret the piano part for guitar

reinterpret the piano part for guitar which is very fun actually there’s so

which is very fun actually there’s so

which is very fun actually there’s so much you can do on guitar you can slide

much you can do on guitar you can slide

much you can do on guitar you can slide up and down you can bet notes it’s such

up and down you can bet notes it’s such

up and down you can bet notes it’s such an expressive instrument piano the

an expressive instrument piano the

an expressive instrument piano the beauty of it comes from its limitations

beauty of it comes from its limitations

beauty of it comes from its limitations at times but other than that I actually

at times but other than that I actually

at times but other than that I actually prefer to try to write songs in my head

prefer to try to write songs in my head

prefer to try to write songs in my head where you sit and close your eyes and

where you sit and close your eyes and

where you sit and close your eyes and you think okay what would the coolest

you think okay what would the coolest

you think okay what would the coolest song in the world sound like that hasn’t

song in the world sound like that hasn’t

song in the world sound like that hasn’t already existed tougher ibly and then

already existed tougher ibly and then

already existed tougher ibly and then just try to picture how it would go and

just try to picture how it would go and

just try to picture how it would go and if you listen to a lot of music you can

if you listen to a lot of music you can

if you listen to a lot of music you can hear all the instruments and just sort

hear all the instruments and just sort

hear all the instruments and just sort of picture it in it and then the key is

of picture it in it and then the key is

of picture it in it and then the key is to translate that to figure out how to

to translate that to figure out how to

to translate that to figure out how to actually play what you just imagined

so what would you say is the overall

so what would you say is the overall theme of your music it really is no

theme of your music it really is no

theme of your music it really is no overall theme except to get a physical

overall theme except to get a physical

overall theme except to get a physical sense of excitement going theme I

sense of excitement going theme I

sense of excitement going theme I usually think of an idea or a concept a

usually think of an idea or a concept a

usually think of an idea or a concept a mood I mean I want people to be happy

mood I mean I want people to be happy

mood I mean I want people to be happy but to me it’s more of a physical

but to me it’s more of a physical

but to me it’s more of a physical sensation when I hear a song that I

sensation when I hear a song that I

sensation when I hear a song that I really like it’s a physic my body feels

really like it’s a physic my body feels

really like it’s a physic my body feels a certain way my stomach gets

a certain way my stomach gets

a certain way my stomach gets butterflies today I get chills

butterflies today I get chills

butterflies today I get chills I’ll get full-body chills that’s what I

I’ll get full-body chills that’s what I

I’ll get full-body chills that’s what I want out of a song I got I put on bridge

want out of a song I got I put on bridge

want out of a song I got I put on bridge over troubled water I’m gonna get

over troubled water I’m gonna get

over troubled water I’m gonna get full-body chills every time it doesn’t

full-body chills every time it doesn’t

full-body chills every time it doesn’t feel what is that feeling it’s not a

feel what is that feeling it’s not a

feel what is that feeling it’s not a thought I mean I’m thinking about the

thought I mean I’m thinking about the

thought I mean I’m thinking about the lyrics I’m thinking about the melody but

lyrics I’m thinking about the melody but

lyrics I’m thinking about the melody but I’m not having ideas like I have it’s a

I’m not having ideas like I have it’s a

I’m not having ideas like I have it’s a different kind of idea music it seems to

different kind of idea music it seems to

different kind of idea music it seems to be the only thing for better or worse

be the only thing for better or worse

be the only thing for better or worse that gets this certain kind of sensation

that gets this certain kind of sensation

that gets this certain kind of sensation so I want to use it for all it’s worth

so I want to use it for all it’s worth

so I want to use it for all it’s worth to do that not really interested in

to do that not really interested in

to do that not really interested in expressing something or telling a story

expressing something or telling a story

expressing something or telling a story other people are very good at that and I

other people are very good at that and I

other people are very good at that and I love music like that I feel like I’m

love music like that I feel like I’m

love music like that I feel like I’m here to try to get those chills going up

here to try to get those chills going up

here to try to get those chills going up and down people’s spines and get that

and down people’s spines and get that

and down people’s spines and get that that that feeling that just makes you

that that feeling that just makes you

that that feeling that just makes you you know you maybe want to move your

you know you maybe want to move your

you know you maybe want to move your body