| Andy Clockwise | |
| Birth Name: | Andy Kelly |
| Alias: | Andy Clockwise |
| Birth Place: | Sydney, Australia |
| Genre: | Alternative dance, indie, nu-folk, new wave, post punk, folk, classic pop, rock, electronic, theatre |
| Years Active: | 2005–present |
| Label: | ABC Music Universal Music Publishing Exhibition Records |
| Website: | http://www.andyclockwise.org |
Andy Clockwise (born Andy Kelly[1]) is an Australian-born indie musician, performer, writer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist. He is best known for his songs Open Relationship (Feat. Stella Mozgawa)and Dancing World. He has released 3 EPs and 2 full-length albums.
Born in Sydney to an artistic family, he later immigrated to the United States. Though not much is known about his formative years, he mentioned his sister tried introducing him to 80s glam rock music, though he "never really got into the 80s hair bands"[2]
In 2004, Clockwise recorded a double concept album inspired by an imaginary radio station, Classic FM, which he wrote, produced, engineered, and mixed in his home studio. It was picked up as a Triple J Feature Album and led to him headlining his own national sold-out tour.[3]
Are You Well? was released as a promotional radio EP for the U.S. in 2010. The EP featured the single "Love and War", released through Australia's Triple j. To support the album, Clockwise toured with The Strokes front man Julian Casablancas. In February 2011, "Love and War" was featured on an episode of the CW drama 90210.
In 2010, Clockwise released the studio album, The Socialite. In May 2011, "The Casanova (Remember Love)" was featured in an episode of .
The EP was a culmination of his experiences on the road and at home in the United States, and as Clockwise stated, "It's about the wars we put each other through... a pop musical ode to dysfunctionality.[4] " It mixed elements of folk and electronic music. In support of the EP, he toured with The Adicts and Warpaint, among others. The singles "Steam Dream" and "Murphy's Law" were in heavy rotation on LA's KROQ, Alt-98.7, and KCRW, and "Hopeless", featuring Holly Valance, received thousands of plays on SoundCloud. The EP's lead single "Dancing World" was circulated on specialty radio in LA and over 60 stations in North America, reaching #12 on the speciality FMQBY Radio Chart .[5] [6]
Starting in 2015, Clockwise has been doing DJ sets for "Dance Yourself Clean," an LA indie dance party. During that time, he started recording songs between his Hollywood home studio, Australia, and London for what would become his latest EP, The Good Book, which he describes as "a celebration about the lies that we tell ourselves and an ode to the fleeting nature of existence."[7]
In November 2015, the video for the EP's first single "Open Relationship" premiered in Interview Magazine. Described as "LCD Soundsystem-meets-'80s disco and funk,[8] " the single was inspired by a friend's real-life experience in a relationship.[9] During the first half of 2016, Clockwise toured extensively across North America as a special guest for "Dance Yourself Clean," with sold-out shows in DC, San Francisco, Seattle, Atlanta, Brooklyn, and San Diego. In March, he was invited to play as part of an official showcase at South by Southwest Music Conference. The Good Book was released on 8 April 2016 through Exhibition Records; its latest single, 'The Best', "begins with a full synth bath" culminating in "existential and intimate utterances...illustrated among ear-worm keyboard hooks."[10]
In 2017 Clockwise retreated from public life after the death of his mother and started penning a musical "The Moth Requiem" and working on a 4 Volume album "War Stories" that will be released in its entirety in 2023. It was originally slated for a release with an extensive tour of the United States in 2020, but the 40 date tour was shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Andy retreated to his farm outside of Sydney and started producing and writing for other artists during this period.
War Stories spans several volumes and 36 tracks of classic pop/new wave/folk and 80s post-punk. Made in his Hollywood Hills studio in LA and Boulevard Recording, as well as during stints in London and Sydney, it features work by Omar Yakar, Drew Erickson, JT Thomas, Stella Mozgawa (Warpaint, Kurt Vile) and Jade Macrae. This will be accompanied by the re-release of Andy's catalogue to streaming services.
In 2020-2022, Clockwise teased songs and videos to War Stories, his new album, along with a single, “Gonna Get It (Just What We Deserve)”.[11] He was the sole producer of this album.
Andy has announced a return to playing live in the United States in March 2023.
Andy Clockwise cites Charlie Chaplin, Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, Björk, The Pixies, David Bowie, and Nick Cave as influences.[12] Also, Dire Straits and Lijadu Sisters were mentioned as influences during an interview with Y! Entertainment.[13] Clockwise's music has been compared to LCD Soundsystem and Nick Cave and described as "refreshingly soulful and unabashedly experimental".[14] He came out of the nu-folk/indie rock movements of Sydney & Los Angeles.
| Classic FM |
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|---|---|---|
| The Socialite |
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| Song Exhibition |
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|---|---|---|
| Dancing World |
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| The Good Book |
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