Q&A Today: Richard Andrews (aka Andrew Richards)

Richard Andrews,

...known in the music world as the soul of Uniform Motion, is a Kettering native who has found his artistic haven in Toulouse. His performances resonate with raw emotion, and his ability to meld styles has profoundly influenced the European music tapestry. Offstage, he is recognized for his insightful analysis of digital revenue streams for artists, a topic that has captivated over 10 million viewers on YouTube. 

At the helm of fabriq.fm, Andrews is a beacon of innovation, curating an eclectic discography that spans more than twelve albums. His acumen in sound design and voice-over narration enhances a variety of narratives, from cinematic pieces to interactive museum exhibits, challenging audiences to delve into the synergy of human emotion and artificial intelligence through his evocative musical narratives.

“Split the Echo,” his latest release, reflects on the contrast between the 1960s’ innocence and today’s digital complexity. It blends analog and digital sounds and features a video merging 1960s photographs with AI’s perspective. The song invites listeners to contemplate the past and the future through the evolving consciousness of AI. “Split the Echo,” as envisioned by Richard Andrews, is an intricate tapestry of sound that weaves the nostalgic innocence of the 1960s with the multifaceted digital landscape of the modern era.

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Let’s dive right into the first question: What kind of person is behind the artist Richard Andrews?

That’s a very open-ended question! My real name is Andrew Richards. I’m a British expat living in France. I’ve been making music for quite some time. I’ve released dozens of records and played hundreds of shows. But going back to what kind of person I am, I’m the kind of person who always tries to remember to say thank you to the sound engineer after a show!

Could you share your journey into music, how you became an artist, and who your most significant influences are?

I became an artist by accident. I had just moved to France and had no prior experience with music. I was sitting on a school bus and the cool kids at the back of the bus had asked the driver to play the Nirvana unplugged album. (Yes, this was in the 90s!) They asked me to translate the lyrics for them. 

While doing so, I sort of sang along to them and one of the aforementioned cool kids said I had a nice voice and asked me if I’d be interested in signing in his band. The rest is history as they say. Artists who have had a strong influence on me are Kurt Cobain, Radiohead, Talk Talk, Jeff Buckley, PJ Harvey, Boards of Canada, Grandaddy, Cat Power, Sufjan Stevens and Damien Jurado to name a few.

Regarding your latest song, “Split the Echo,” it’s truly remarkable. Could you tell us about your inspiration or muse for this piece and the story behind it?

To begin with, the inspiration for this track was the result of my having become obsessed with the music of Rival Consoles. There’s a single low end synth note playing throughout the song, which is a nod towards his music. I also wanted to incorporate a new piece of gear I had acquired, a PRO-1 bass synth. Sometimes, it’s the equipment that inspires you. 

And then in terms of the lyrics, it was the whole idea of taking these old family photos from the 1960s stored on slides and bringing them to life using AI. It’s hard to imagine a world without the internet and AI but that’s what it was like in the 60s before I was born and I think about that a lot.

On the topic of songwriting, some artists have mentioned losing their carefree approach over the years. How would you describe your own evolution as a songwriter?

In order to lose my carefree approach, I would have to have had one in the first place. I think I’ve always been very anxious about songwriting. And second guessing has been a constant side effect of that for several decades. 

I think I’ve become a bit more confident that I will “get there in the end” but whenever I start thinking about composing or recording something new, I worry that I don’t have it in me anymore or that I never did. But it always seems to work itself out. So I try to trust the process.

Andrew Richards is also associated with fabriq.fm. Could you provide more insights into that?

Fabriq is a non profit record label I founded in 2006 to help support my music endeavours. It grew into a label for other artists, mostly people I have worked with who needed a helping hand to release their own music.

Reflecting on your musical journey, what pivotal moments or game changers shaped your path?

That moment in the bus was probably the most pivotal one but there have been many others. The artists I have met and collaborated with over the years have had the biggest impact. But I have also found that touring really shaped my musical abilities. Anyone can play a few chords in their bedroom and use some post production tricks to improve their sound. But playing the songs live night after night really turns you into a proper musician.

Lastly, if there’s one song you wish you had written, which would it be?

Never Gonna Give you up by Rick Astley. It must be great getting paid whenever someone gets rick-rolled on the internet! But more seriously, there are so many! Maybe Roscoe by Midlake.

And what can we look forward to from you in the near future?

I have quite a few tracks ready to release. The plan is to release one per month but I think I will get bored with that and just release them all in one go! We will see!