What is your name?
Andreas S Jensen
What is your genre of music?
It’s hard to nail down as one genre. I do several, and mix ’em up. There’s: classic singer songwriter material, alternative rock, indie pop, country, shoe gaze, electronics, 70’s AOR and more…
Give us a little bio about you.
I started out in my early teens writing and playing in bands in Denmark, did some records, moved to London and became a producer/writer, got a publishing deal and a bunch of cuts with artists from all over the place: The US, Germany, Jamaica, Barbados, Holland, Canada and of course the UK.
Some of the songs and productions did really well, the most selling one was Kevin Lyttles album that sold close to half a million copies, the most popular was Armand Van Heldens My My My which became the 2nd most played on BBC RADIO ONE that year. I wrote the verses and bridges with my writing partner Joe Killington under the name The Funktuary. The Funktuary later released a whole album as well.
Then I joined the Dub Pistols as a guitarplayer / vocalist, released my first EP Disconnected, and the single Take My Heart And Go which, like my new single Trust Is My Anchor, was supported by Tom Robinson on BBC RADIO6 and lots of smaller stations and blogs.
You just released your new single ‘Trust Is My Anchor’, tell us more about it.
Trust Is My Anchor is a song about the fear of the unknown. It’s about how I felt when I was thinking about moving to London, and probably what I often feel when I am thinking about doing something with an unknown outcome. It’s about the doubting and dithering I always have to go through. But the song is also reflecting on friendhips, love, age, and feelings of isolation.
What was the writing process like?
Very quick. The song came out really fast, and more or less in a finished form.
What was the recording process like?
I recorded Jack Cowens drums at Cowshed Studios in Bounds Green, North London. I did guitars and vocals there too.
I play with Jack in Dub Pistols and he plays with me live as well.
Then I went into Nik Bjerre’s place at Tileyard Studios near Kings Cross. Nik did some great trickery on a programmed percussion part I had done, which ended up as the main electronic sounds in the song. Then Nik and I mixed it. I’m very happy with the sound of the song. It’s a bit Jack Johnson meets Soundgarden with electronics…. -at least thats what I hear.
You are also set to release a new album,what can you tell us about it?
The album is called Disturbed. I wrote some of the songs at the House Of Songs in Austin, Texas with good friends there, great local artists and writers like Jeremy Nail, Nicholas Ginbey and Nano Whitman.
Describe the tracks in two words?
Fear Hope
Will you b heading out on tour or have any gigs? If so where will you be heading?
I will be playing a release gig at Water Rats in London on Sept 7th, and there are other gigs around the UK getting confirmed as we speak.
I have band gigs set up in Denmark too. I’m playing Copenhagen Sept 14th and Aarhus on Sept 15th + several later in the year.
If you sign up for the news letter, on my website you will get regular updates as the gigs cone in. Check also the Home page on my website for dates, and my facebook page.
what is your message you are trying to tell your fans?
I havent got a message to people. I just write music with stories. Some are from my life, some are mashups of my thoughts, my hopes and fears. And obviously when I write with other people parts of their stories are in there too.
What else can we expect from you?
I have a single called Only Die Once (+ video) coming out in September around the same time as the album gets released.
I also have several other projects on the go. It took me a long time to finish this album and the next one is kind of already written and mostly recorded, and I have projects going with other people that might get released fairly soon.
You are also apart of Dub Pistols, how is this different to your solo music?
In Dub Pistols I’m not really involved in the writing, I’m more like a sideman/session player.
Are you signed?
I’m not signed no. I self release and work with a small team of people.
Who are your influences?
There are so many, its really hard to say without mentioning a hundred names. But I think my main influences on Disturbed are: David Bowie, Soundgarden, Lou Reed, Tom Petty, Pink Floyd, Neil Young and The Beatles…with a touch of Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen.
I dont know if the album sounds like any of these artists though.
Where do you see yourself now in 5 Years?
I see myself as being an independent working artist. I believe my music can work well on radio and in films, and I believe it will. I like gigging and will be playing live a lot too, though it will be organised tours playing my own songs rather than now where I play in several bands as a backup musician.
I am ready now to go out there and take on the world representing myself and performing my own material.
When you’re not doing music, what do you do?
I hang out with family and friends. I should do that a lot more.
Where would your dream venue to play in your hometown?
I have two hometowns, so that will be the Roundhouse in London, and Vega in Copenhagen. Not because they are the biggest venues in town, cause they are not, more because the sound and vibe is really good in both of them. Having said that I love playing smaller clubs, where you got people right up in your face. Loppen in Copenhagen is for instance a brilliant venue.
Would you be up for collaborating with an unsigned artist or band? If so how can they contact you?
Yeh I am up for collaborations if I like the music and have time to do it. The hardest part is finding time. So it’s about prioritising. Things like “how good are the chances of the outcome of the collaboration being released and promoted well” is really important as well. However, that can be really hard to determine before we’ve even written the song …..
I can be contacted via my website. Theres a contact form there, or via my Facebook page.
What was the song you listened to most that influenced you to go more in to the music scene?
Probably some old Rock’n’roll song from the fifties. I loved rock’n’roll when I started playing.
Where is your dream festival to perform?
I’d love to play one if the three biggest stages at Roskilde Festival, cause it’s Danish and I am…
As a sideman I have toured in more than fifty countries and have performed at a lot of the larger European festivals (in Dub Pistols alone we play between 25-35 festivals every year), so I would love to play Coachella or something big in the States. Having said that I love all sizes of festivals, and would feel honoured to play any of them with my own songs.
What made you go in to music?
My parents got divorced when I was ten and in the following years I felt very lonely but found refuge in being a part of a band making music.
What’s the best advice you have ever been given?
Never give up!
(It’s also one of the worst pieces of advice I’ve been given).
‘You get what you give’ is another good one.
What advice would you give to aspiring musicians not just about the industry also just as an artist/band?
Play the music you like playing and stick to it.
What quote or saying do you always stick by?
I’d love to think I always stick to ‘You get what you give’ -but unfortunately I don’t…
When you are at a gig, what are 5 things you cannot forget?
Myself, why Im there, my instrument, amp, a good get out plan.
You come off Tour
1/ Where is the first place you go?
Home
2/Who is the first person you see?
My reflection
3/What is the first thing you eat.
Ideally something homemade
Do you have social media accounts so your fans can follow you?
Thanks a lot for featuring me on your site. It looks you’re up to some good things.
Let’s stay in contact.
