From Belfast comes Andy White who has a love for music and strong opinions about the societies he lives in. We contacted Andy and learned more about his music and about his future plans of wearing sunglasses more often!
First off, for those not familiar with your work, who is Andy White?
He’s an Irish songwriter/troubadour from Belfast City. He writes words. A lot of words. Sings, plays the acoustic & electric in public. Bass, piano in private. Knocked on the door with ‘Religious Persuasion’ some years ago, and his new album is ‘The Guilty & The Innocent’.
“Growing up in Belfast it was obvious that someone had to say something. Making something beautiful out of chaos is what my Mum taught me.”
How did you get into making music and especially protest music?
My grandmother played the piano, taught the piano, loved the piano. I listened to The Beatles, T Rex and Bob Dylan on my Dad’s Pye Black Box record player. Scribbled poetry. Knew during punk that anyone could do it. Growing up in Belfast it was obvious that someone had to say something. Making something beautiful out of chaos is what my Mum taught me.
Are you a part of a strong, like-minded scene in Belfast? Or do you feel alone at times and that more people need to use their voices responsibly through their music?
I played at Tom Robinson’s Power In The Darkness 40th anniversary show last week. I had been at the first as a schoolboy. It was like when the Sex Pistols played Manchester – everyone at the gig went and formed a band, started to write music, or ended up in rock’n’roll.
There are no rules of art, and ‘responsible’ doesn’t feel right – though it should just ‘be’. Use your own instinct to select. Do what feels right and watch out for what’s not.
Can you share some of your favorite political/socially conscious/protest bands or musicians, current or not?
Kendrick Lamar, Courtney Barnett, Tom Waits, Sinead O’Connor (always). John Cooper Clarke, Billy Bragg and Tom Robinson. The Streets.
Do you partake in other activist activities outside the music?
Demonstrations.
What do you think you’d sing about if the world was all of a sudden kind and full of empathy between all people and animals?
Ha ha dream on!
How do you feel people are receiving political music these days?
With earbuds.
What is on the horizon for you?
Wearing sunglasses more often! Touring this album, I want people to hear the songs.
(insert from Shouts: Apparently when one writes ” 8) “, as in the question number, in the chat on Facebook it automatically changes it into a sunglasses wearing emoji.)
Thank you very much for participating and for the music you make!
Thank YOU!
