Andy's Kitchen

You're very welcome to Andy's Kitchen, a cheerful place where friends gather and the craic is great. So sit ye down and hae a cuppa....

Dug out of a drawer in Scotland, here's a snapshot of history. The Wizard made a side trip to Tijuana, Mexico on one of their early tours (against the good advice of their manager, rumor has it.) Click the photo to see the whole thing.

Past items:

Andy in Amsterdam,
February 2001
(photo by Gerry O'Beirne)

Photos from the Chicago Celtic Festival, September 2000

Celtic Music, A Complete Guide, by June Skinner Sawyers, pub. 2000 Da Capo Press features a lengthy write-up about Andy in the section titled Contemporary Ballad Masters. She also has a good few words to say about Silly Wizard and the other individual members.

Andy and Murphy -- click for larger image

Andy talks about his beginnings as a song-writer, growing up immersed in music and song.

Have you read Scotland is Not for the Squeamish, by Bill Watkins, yet? This sequel to A Celtic Childhood is, indeed, not for the squeamish, but if you are a long time fan of Silly Wizard, you will enjoy the bits of trivia regarding the Wizard, how they got their name and their start.

From 1976 to 1988, Andy was the singer for Silly Wizard, a powerhouse Celtic folk band that redefined the genre, adding Andy's original songs and tunes, written in traditional styles, to their comprehensive repertoire of Scottish and Irish "root" music. The band's last tour of America in 1988 had sold-out gigs at every stop.

It was as Silly Wizard's lead singer that Andy really earned a name for himself, as a talented songwriter, arranger of traditional songs and tunes, and perhaps became best known for his vibrant and evocative singing. His success with Silly Wizard allowed him to launch an independent music career after the band split up in 1988.

"One (Un)Silly Wizard" an article by Laurie Devine, August 1991, published in Dirty Linen magazine

Silly Wizard -- a history of the band and profiles of the members.

SOUND CLIP:
Andy talks about his first trip to the States, Silly Wizard's American debut.

For several years after "The Wizard" broke up, Andy toured with Manus Lunny, fantastic Irish singer and instrumentalist. They worked together on the albums Fire in the Glen (with Phil Cunningham), At It Again and Dublin Lady.

SOUND CLIP:
The personal importance of traditional music, his first paying gig, and the strong impression Van Dieman's Land left on him during last year's Australian tour.

Photo: GM Rosson