No one parties like Andrew W.K. The musician/writer/lecturer has turned the concept of “partying” into something of a philosophy, one that pushes forward the ideals of self-improvement, knowledge, and enjoying life. No longer is partying just an excuse to have fun and drink with your friends. Under the tutelage of Andrew W.K., partying is an essential method to living your fullest possible life.
The singer recently embarked on a massive speaking tour, one that hits all 50 states, in order to better present his philosophical approach to partying to audiences in a new way, but by no means is that an indication that his music career is over. In fact, readers in Texas have the opportunity to see the rocker bring the party to Denton this weekend when he hits the stage at Oaktopia Fest.
We recently had the chance to speak with the rocker about his career, his speaking engagements, and the deeper meaning behind the word “party” as well as the evolution of his philosophy as he’s gotten older.
Eddie Kautsch: Your 50 state speaking tour seems to far outweigh the amount of musical performances you will be doing for the remainder of the year. Do you find this is a more effective approach to conveying your message?
Andrew WK: When it comes to shows, music says everything and more than words can never say. But words have a very direct and literal power, when discussing partying. So music is the sound of partying, and words are the intellectual side. And now we get to discuss that. I’ve never done a full lecture tour like this. I’ve never done a 50 show, 50 state tour either. This is a new experience for me. I may never do it again, and I’m excited. I’m excited to preach the power of partying.
Do you see yourself doing more of this in the future? Is this a long-term shift of focus, or is music always going to be on the forefront?
Partying is the forefront, the feeling of being alive, the life force, that is what I serve. That is my focus, that is what I worship, I get that through music, I get that through talking with you right now, actually. I want to do whatever I can do to communicate that feeling. So that is the focus. This is the tenth anniversary of the lectures. I usually just do them one-off here and there. This is the first real big lecture tour. If the people want me to do more, I’ll do more. I’m at the mercy off the party sprit, and whatever the party spirit demands of me, that’s what I’ll do. I’m never going to stop music.
You were trained as a classical pianist since the age of 4 years old. Obviously since you can remember…
I never thought I’d be a professional music player in any way, but yeah, music is like learning to walk, or learning to tie your shoe, or something. Once it’s in there it’s just part of you until you die.
Are you still affiliated with GlobalAngels.org?
That’s so funny. Yes, and I haven’t even heard about it in years, and just got and email back from them today. How do you know about them?
I did some digging and found some of the things you do outside of music and that came up. Somewhere on the internet it says that you are an ambassador for Global Angels. Providing empowerment, education, and clean water to over 17 cities in 10 countries, with countless other notable musicians involved. What specifically drew you to this type of work?
The Global Angels wanted me to go skydiving. and that was too frightening. I thought I might die, then I really might actually become an angel, or maybe I’d go to hell and become a demon or something. But I was very happy to contribute in the ways I was able to, and I certainly should say I haven’t done nearly as much as most people who are devoted to charity. I try to contribute to the greater good of mankind, but I’m always humbled by those who really put their efforts where their mouth is. I do look forward to becoming more charitable as time goes on. I’m severely in debt, so I can’t donate a lot of money right now, but I can still donate my good will towards mankind.
From screening your live concert movie, Who Knows, to specials on Viceland and Cartoon Network, how the hell can you do all of this and everything we’ve talked about above, and still party hard every day?
Well that stuff to me is partying. Devoting myself to whatever opportunities come my way, trying to be the best I can, trying to conjure up this joyful feeling. You know, I’m doing it to cheer myself up, too. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad you are getting this positive feeling. Doing this type of stuff is what keeps me going, it cheers me up, I try to stay focused on activities that are about joy and excitement, and raw positive energy. That makes me feel like, okay, that life can feel good. Maybe being alive is not such a scary and tense thing. Maybe there is a way to focus on these good things. Like I said, my one focus is this party feeling, and if I can do it through a TV, or do it through a lecture or do it through song, or do it through a phone intercom, they are all under that same umbrella of this life force feeling.
The last time you played in Denton it was during one of the worst ice storms in my town’s history. Turnout was low, but you still played and people managed to have a great time. In a situation like that, what inspires you to keep the party alive? What are your expectations for the party you’ll be bringing when you return for your main-stage set at Oaktopia Music Festival?
Well first of all, you know, it’s the oldest tradition of, “The show must go on.” So you do everything you possibly can at all times to not cancel. We were able to drive. I didn’t think the ice could get that bad that far south, but I grew up in Michigan. Even we struggled. The fact that anyone came to that show was incredible. We didn’t know if the venue employees would be able to show up, or if they would have to cancel. But those shows, in a way, become very special. Because the people that do make it out, it really is a real show of dedication, including the staff that came to work because they could’ve probably stayed home. I was very thankful, and obviously very excited to come back for Oaktopia, with the different kind of weather. We are very lucky to be invited, and privileged to be included, and we are going to give it everything we have because, what else are we gonna do?
Do you feel like the style of music you landed on as an adult was because of, or in spite of, the classical training you had from childhood? Were you drawn toward something different, or is it more of an extension of what you were already building on?
That’s an excellent question. I think piano training was all about melody and rhythm. There were no lyrics, there were no other instruments. It wasn’t really a style or a genre really. Even classical music, it’s just traditional musical elements. Before I ever heard a rock band, or even knew what a band was really, I was playing these melodies and learning these scales. I think that I love rock and roll music because it’s loud and it’s about that kind of frantic energy, at least for me. So I like to use those instruments. Why use quiet drums if I can use very loud drums? Why use just one guitar when I can use 3 guitars? And with the keyboard and everything hitting with as much intensity as possible. Even if it’s quiet, it can be intensely quiet. If it’s sad it can be intensely sad.
I wanted to make intense music that had intense feelings. It wasn’t passive, it was very active and very aggressive in its joyfulness. And that definitely came from those early music lessons because that’s where I first got chills. I got this orgasmic feeling in my body from watching my piano teacher play some piece she was working on and I said, “Wow music can actually make you feel like this.” It changed the way it felt to be alive! And it wasn’t a fluke, because the next day she played the song again and it happened again! And I thought “Wow, well I’ve got to do this forever.” Because if music can make me feel like this every single time, then this is something magical. So I wanted to make music that was completely devoted to that feeling of euphoric happy excitement.
A lot of your fans started listening to your message as teenagers and young adults more than a decade ago. A lot of them have changed their definition of what it means to party. What is your philosophy on what it means to party, and how has it evolved over time?
The reason I like that word party and this idea of partying as a mindset is that just about anybody can relate to it and understand in their own way, whether it’s a 4-year-old or a 93-year-old. This is an accessible entry point into a joyful experience. Even people that think they don’t like partying still understand that it’s meant to be a pleasurable encounter. You’re celebrating something you’re thankful for. Now, it could be Friday—you’re thankful the weekend has come around, so you party. You party New Year’s, you’re thankful for the start of a new year. Or a birthday. This approach with me, I mean all of that is valid, and then I wanted to add to it.
If I want to convince myself that it’s good to be alive every day, and that I’m thankful for that, then I’m going to celebrate just existing right off the bat. So I’m going to party all day, every day about being alive. That involves this leap of faith that you’re deciding that life is a proactive experience. Even when it’s hard, even when its challenging, even when it’s painful, it’s all part of some transcendental positivity that almost kind of defies definition.
But we can still worship that, and celebrate that, and be actively aware of this, miracle, I guess, of getting to exist. We got to come into existence and what are we going to do about it? Are we going to complain about it? Are we going to say, “Oh it sucks to be alive”? Or are we going to try to decide, even if it involves, again, kind of a blind faith that it HAS to be good? Otherwise we wouldn’t exist. If we exist, then it must be a good thing to exist. That’s the decision. That’s the faith. That’s what the partying is. It’s a mindset that interprets everything as part of some huge adventure. Some huge celebration of existence.
Andrew W.K.’s lecture tour continues tomorrow night in Austin, Texas. For dates, see below. For tickets, click here. See him rock Oaktopia in Denton, Texas this Saturday, September 24.
9/22 — Austin, Texas — The North Door
9/29 — Honolulu, Hawaii — The Republik
10/1 — Anchorage, Alaska — The Tap Root
10/3 — Seattle, Wash. — Neumos
10/4 — Portland, Ore. — Revolution Hall
10/6 — Jackson Hole, Wyo. — Pink Garter Theatre
10/7 — Bozeman, Mont. — The Eagles Ballroom
10/8 — Boise, Idaho — Neurolux
10/9 — Salt Lake City, Utah — Urban Lounge
10/11 — Englewood, Colo. — Gothic Theatre
10/13 — Las Vegas, Nev. — The Bunkhouse Saloon
10/14 — Mecca, Calif. — Desert Daze
10/17 — Phoenix, Ariz. — Phoenix Masonic Temple
10/19 — Santa Fe, N.M. — Meow Wolf
10/21 — Norman, Okla. — Opolis
10/22 — Wichita, Kan. — Barleycorn’s
10/23 — Omaha, Neb. — Waiting Room
10/24 — Sioux Falls, S.D. — Icon Lounge
10/25 — Fargo, N.D. — Sanctuary Events Center
10/26 — Saint Paul, Minn. — Turf Club
10/27 — Madison, Wis. — High Noon Saloon
10/28 — Des Moines, Iowa — Temple Theater
10/29 — St. Louis, Mo. — The Ready Room
10/30 — Little Rock, Ark. — Revolution Music Room
10/31 — Baton Rouge, La. — Manship Theatre
11/1 — Oxford, Miss. — Proud Larry’s
11/3 — Nashville, Tenn. — Marathon Music Works
11/4 — Birmingham, Ala. — Saturn
11/5 — Athens, Ga. — 40 Watt Club
11/6 — Tallahassee, Fla. — Club Downunder
11/7 — West Columbia, S.C. — New Brookland Tavern
11/8 — Carrboro, N.C. — The ArtsCenter
11/9 — Richmond, Va. — Capital Ale House
11/10 — Charleston, W.V. — Labelle Theatre
11/11 — Louisville, Ky. — Zanzabar
11/12 — Bloomington, Ind. — Rhino’s Youth Center
11/13 — Detroit, Mich. — Masonic Temple Chapel
11/14 — Cleveland, Ohio — Capitol Theatre
11/16 — Philadelphia, Pa. — Trinity Center for Urban Life
11/17 — Washington, D.C. — Black Cat
11/18 — Baltimore, Md. — Soundstage
11/19 — Arden, Del. — Gild Hall
11/20 — Brooklyn, N.Y. — Music Hall of Williamsburg
11/21 — Asbury Park, N.J. — House of Independents
11/25 — Burlington, Vt. — First Unitarian Church
11/26 — Portland, Maine — SPACE Gallery
11/27 — Portsmouth, N.H. — 3S Artspace
11/28 — Boston, Mass. — Paradise
11/29 — Hamden, Ct. — The Space
11/30 — Providence, R.I. — Columbus Theatre
