Andy Cairns

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Andy Cairns
Birth name	Andrew James Cairns
Born	September 22, 1965 (1965-09-22) (age 43) Ballyclare, County Antrim, Northern Ireland
Genre(s)	Alternative metal Alternative rock
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter, Musician
Instrument(s)	Vocals, Guitar
Years active	1989–present
Label(s)	Demolition Records
Associated acts	Therapy?

Andrew James Cairns (born September 22, 1965) in Ballyclare, Northern Ireland, is a founding member, singer, guitarist and songwriter for Therapy?, a hard rock band from Northern Ireland.

Contents 1 Therapy? 2 Side Projects 3 Gear 4 Personal 5 Discography 5.1 Albums 5.2 Singles 5.3 Other releases 6 References 7 External links

[edit] Therapy?

After attending Ballyclare High School in the town, Andy then began working as a quality control inspector in a Michelin tyre factory. After playing in local heavy metal and punk rock bands, Cairns started the band Therapy? in 1989 with drummer Fyfe Ewing who he met at a local charity gig. Cairns quit his job and became a professional musician when Therapy? signed to London based independent label Wiiija. The band, completed by bassist Michael McKeegan, went on to widespread success, perhaps in particular with the much-lauded Troublegum album on A&M Records in 1994, which has sold over one million copies. To date, he has recorded ten full-length albums, two mini-albums, two compilation albums and numerous EP's with the million selling outfit. Along with McKeegan, Cairns is the only original member still with the band^[1].

Cairns' earliest work with Therapy? was characterised by an interest in psychiatry, psychosis and human isolation. Later Therapy? albums saw his lyrics become concerned with recurring themes such as doomed romance, loneliness and loss^[2]. He has a reputation amongst music fans for being a pleasant natured and approachable artist, happy to sign autographs or converse with fans. This "easy going" persona has marked him out as being quite different from fellow rock musicians, and has bolstered his enduring relationship with the music press. Despite a decrease in widespread popularity and changing personnel, Andy Cairns remains as active as ever as Therapy? frontman, with passionate support from fans at home and abroad.

[edit] Side Projects

In 1990, while still unsure of Therapy?'s potential, Cairns formed another group called Catweazle. The trio, completed with Michael McKeegan's brother Charlie on drums and a bassist known only as Chappie, played live around Belfast and recorded a seven track rehearsal tape which has been circulated in trading circles. One of the tracks recorded, "This Isn't (Where It's At)", later re-appeared with different lyrics as "Jude The Obscene" from Therapy?'s 1995 album Infernal Love.

In 1995, Cairns (tremolo guitar and vocals) alongside Therapy? cellist/guitarist Martin McCarrick (cello, organ and vocals), formed a shortlived and highly experimental combo called The Casey Jones Reaction. The duo demo'd a few tracks but nothing concrete arose from the sessions and nothing was officially released. However, in 2008 Andy posted several of the tracks on Therapy?'s official website. Two of the tracks, "Serge" and "Apple" featured Michael McKeegan on bass and were recorded in a studio. The remaining nine tracks were recorded on Martin's four-track^[3].

The Casey Jones reaction is cardiac collapse from cocaine use. It derives from an entertaining yet false story in which a railroad worker named Casey Jones competed against a machine in hammering down nails on railroad ties. According to legend, Jones won but died afterwards because his heart literally “exploded” from beating so fast and working so hard. While Casey Jones was indeed a railroad worker, in reality he died heroically attempting to save lives.

[edit] Gear

In the March 1998 issue of "Guitar Magazine", Andy had the following to say:

My amps were just Marshall JMP100s. Pedals-wise, I've always used Boss - I bought them all when I was 17 and they're still going, so I can't really fault them - and we added the Coloursound pedals for a bit more bite. The thing about the Coloursounds is they're basic. On the beginning of Tightrope Walker I started playing the riff and picked up this American radio station through the pedal. Left it on, though. They're great; they only make one sound - kkkkkkhhhhh! - but it's a great kkkkkkhhhhh!. For live work and the bulk of studio work I use my Gibson SG, just straight off the factory line. It's very power chord-y - good for stuff like Screamager, Nowhere - but I've also got this cherry '63 SG which I bought in America. That's got a lot more bite, it cuts through more. And Chris Sheldon also lent me this beautiful early-70's Fender Tele Deluxe - so solid, not that thin, almost transistor-y sound I find you get from a lot of Teles. There's also a Jaguar on a few tracks. What I really want though, is a good Les Paul. In my head, when I hear a Les Paul I hear Appetite For Destruction, Generation Terrorists or Never Mind The Bollocks, but whenever I play them they sound like Soup Dragons b-sides, this tinny, non-descript indie fizz. I'm one of these people who's probably played every type of Les Paul ever made and they all sound shite. And James from the Manics, who's a mate of mine, is one of these lucky bastards; he told me "I just walked into the shop and there it was!" I was, like, "no you didn't, you spent hours in shops searching for that, you specky little twerp!" I've had no luck with them, and I don't know why!

[edit] Personal

Andy lives in Cambridge with his wife and child. He was married in May 1997 to English born Kristina. Their son, Jonah Ramone, was born in October 1999. Cairns is a season ticket holder at Chelsea Football Club^[4][5].

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

• Babyteeth (1991)
• Pleasure Death (1992)
• Nurse (1992)
• Troublegum (1994)
• Infernal Love (1995)
• Semi-Detached (1998)
• Suicide Pact - You First (1999)
• So Much For the Ten Year Plan - A Retrospective 1990-2000 (2000)
• Shameless (2001)
• High Anxiety (2003)
• Never Apologise Never Explain (2004)
• One Cure Fits All (2006)
• Music Through A Cheap Transistor: The BBC Sessions (2007)
• Crooked Timber (2009)

[edit] Singles

• "Meat Abstract" (1990)
• "Teethgrinder" (1992)
• "Shortsharpshock" (E.P.) (1993)
• "Face the Strange" (E.P.) (1993)
• "Opal Mantra" (1993)
• "Nowhere" (1994)
• "Trigger Inside" (1994)
• "Die Laughing" (1994)
• "Isolation" (1994)
• "Femtex" (1994)
• "Stories" (1995)
• "Loose" (1995)
• "Diane" (1995)
• "Stories" (re-release) (1996)
• "Bad Mother" (1996)
• "Church Of Noise" (1998)
• "Lonely, Cryin’, Only" (1998)
• "Hate Kill Destroy" (2000)
• "Bad Karma Follows You Around" (2000)
• "Gimme Back My Brain" (2001)
• "I Am The Money" (2001)
• "If It Kills Me/Rust" (2003)
• "My Voodoo Doll' (2003)
• "Polar Bear/Rock You Monkeys" (2005)
• "Rain Hits Concrete" (E.P.) (2006)
• "Crooked Timber" (2009)

[edit] Other releases

• Thirty Seconds Of Silence (1989) - Demo tape
• Meat Abstract (1989) - Demo tape
• Caucasian Psychosis (1992) - a US compilation of the first two mini-albums
• Have a Merry Fucking Christmas (1992) - a 7" given away at Dublin and Belfast gigs
• Born In A Crash (1993) - a European only mini-album
• Hats Off to the Insane (1993) - a US and Japan only mini-album
• Live In Japan (Fan Club Edition) (1994) - a fan-club only cassette recorded live in Tokyo in October 1993
• Official Fan Club (1996) - a fan-club only CD recorded live in Arnhem in July 1995
• Scopophobia (2003) - a DVD release recorded live in Belfast's Mandela Hall in June 2003, plus promo video clips and extras
• Gold (2007) - a DVD release featuring promo video clips
• Webgig (2007) - a live studio video/audio download from the official website, recorded in September 2006

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Official Therapy? homepage