Andy Wells has been  a musician, songwriter,  teacher, producer and engineer of music for  many years.  / Engineer. He was brought up in the busy North Yorkshire market town of Bingley in England.  He attended Bingley teacher training collage pursuing postgraduate music teacher training and completed one year before opting out to play around a thriving local music scene in the late 70's and early 80's.

Much in demand at the time, as a session musician, due to his ability as a multi-instrumentalist, which soon gained him work with such notable names as Mike Rutherford, Sarah Brightman, Junior, the Maisonettes and in the early eighties ex-Argent guitarist/vocalist,

.     Andy toured with the John Verity Band throughout Europe and the U.K. and played on three consecutive John Verity albums. Initially influenced by early 70's progressive rock bands such as Yes, Supertramp and ELP including jazz influence's from his father's hero's Oscar Peterson, Duke Ellington and Count Basie and even Steely Dan. Andy's direction soon changed to take on a heavier edge from influences such as Free, Led Zeppelin, Bad Co. and Foreigner encouraging him to join local bands Baby Tuckoo and Voyager. Moving from studio to studio, gaining work as a producer and producing various rock outfits during the mid eighties, Andy soon realised that helping out engineering and producing local talent, was were his loyalties should lie, alongside writing and recording material, which would later appear on his demos in the early 90's.

Only appearing in local jam sessions throughout the mid to late 90's, Andy as spent most of the time in his own 24 track studio, recording and doing demo songs some of which can be heard on the album "LOST THE WILL TO PLAY". Writing is already underway for the next album, which Andy says will have a much harder edge than LOST THE WILL TO PLAY. Maybe after that, he will embark on a full progressive rock concept album, drawing from the influences such as the albums Dark Side Of The Moon, SGT. Peppers and Court Of The Crimson King (King Crimson) a tall order.

The album, LOST THE WILL TO PLAY, brings together nine tracks, which show Andy's diversity as a musician, songwriter, composer and producer. With influences pulled from classic 70's rock and the ballad style of Billy Joel to late 60's /early 70's progressive rock. This is displayed in 'REBORN', the albums closing track, with it's long spiralling guitar solo's performed by Tony Drake, and imaginary use of vintage keyboards such as the Mellotron, Hammond organ and Moog synthesiser.

Andy thinks that albums should be written and recorded to stand the test of time. Andy didn't want to record an album like so many other artists do, as a fashion statement all too often exercised these days. Music should be made to be able to refer back to and not fade over any given space of time just because certain aspects of music are not fashionable, doesn't mean that the artists, who feel comfortable writing and performing that sort of music, should no longer record it. After all the music of Beethoven, Bach and Mozart are still heavily revered as masterpieces in modern society, as should be the rock music of artists later in the 20th century.

(HITTING THE ROAD AGAIN)

After a chance meeting with seasoned local guitarist, Tony Drake, a veteran lead player of Rudy and the Zips and Be Bop Deluxe, Andy was inspired by Tony's playing to formulate a band of players to eventually get out on the road again with his music. Hopefully after certain contractual obligations and work with other artists in the studio, the chosen band will be out on the road again, later in the year. The actual band line up remains under wraps to this date but Andy and lead guitarist, Tony are auditioning musicians to take positions to go out on the road in order to promote the album. It's time to flex the muscles of rock and roll again after all, three tonnes of musical equipment takes some humping about. (Break out the kebabs and vindaloo's; late nights are on there way back and about time too.)

Dates for future gigs are to be announced, but rehearsals will soon be underway.

Incidentally, Andy owns a recording studio called: Hydeaway Studios. Work will soon be commencing on  his new   project a band he  put together called "pilgrim" it's a band effort not a solo project.  So far it has  three  prog tracks  written " Black Sun"  "Circus of the Absurd" & "Song of the Albatross."  Influences are a combination of

King Crimson, ELP and Greenslade, but very original.

(A WORD FROM ANDY WELLS)

I have worked as a musician for a lot of years now, more helping others than helping myself and I have taken a long hard look at the music industry as it stands today. It seems to me that these days, musical talent is invented via the media and not entirely through musical ability anymore. Bands are created these days and not formed through friendship and the capabilities of a bunch of individual musicians to write, perform and take music out live as it used to be in times gone by. This time honoured process is gradually being eroded through the greed of most major record companies and recording organisations, who have taken it upon themselves to manufacture and contrive performers who are all under the complete control of multinational companies. It's time that all serious performers and musicians drew a big line in the sand and said this process should stop right here, right now, before we loose the ability to create music the natural way as it a been for hundreds of years. Lets play music live (let real musicians have a voice).   {{sidenote]] I agree  with Andy whole-heartily on his comments. Contact Andy at:  andywells@hydeaway.fslife.co.uk

Though I added to this, the  majority of this Andy Wells biography is courtesy of- PURPLE HAYZEE

Andy Wells Discography

Solo:

Lost the Will to Play   8/29/2002

       Humanized  (EP)        5/01/2003      Can be purchased at BURBS via the UK Rock shop   www.burbs.co.uk

       Lost Toys   (A classical album)   to be announced and will be released on Holy Ground Records

With other bands:

1983  John Verity  Band    "Interrupted Journey" PRT Records LBP100

1985  John Verity  Band    "Truth of the Matter" PRT Records LBP 7971

1989  John Verity  Band     "Rock Solid" Sierra/ WEA Records LBR100

         Marseille                 "Walking on a Thin Wire"

         The Masonettes       "Heartache Avenue"