Compiled & Maintained by Reid Lindsay
(reid.lindsay@studentmail.newcastle.edu.au)
Last Updated: 2 October, 2000
Copyright (c) 2000 by Reid Lindsay
- updated since last release
Table of Contents
1. General Information
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1.1 What is ON? 1.2 How can I contact ON? |
2. Band Information
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2.1 What equipment does ON use? |
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2.2 What bands/musicians have influenced ON? |
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2.3 What other bands would I like? |
3. Lyrics
3.1 Soluble Words
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4. Live
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4.1 What is ON's touring line-up? 4.2 I heard a song live that isn't on the album!
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5. Collaborations/Side Projects
6. Internet Resources
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6.1 Is Ken on the internet? 6.2 Is there an official homepage? 6.3 Is there somewhere I can talk with other ON fans? 6.4 Are there any ON fan sites? |
7. About the FAQ
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7.1 Contributing to the FAQ 7.2 Copyright and Distribution information |
1. General Information
1.1 What is ON?
ON is a band founded by Ken Andrews, who was previously with the bands Failure and the Replicants. ON released its debut album 'Shifting Skin' in June, 2000. The album is written, performed and produced by Ken Andrews and features guest performances by artists such as Matt Mahaffey of Self and Jeff Turzo of God Lives Underwater.
Ken has said: "Hopefully, ON is doing what the best '80s bands were doing then - coming up with a fresh sound for now."
1.2 How can I contact ON?
On the official band site at http://www.onmusic.org/ there is a 'Direct from ON' section in which Ken Andrews post news and updated information regarding ON. There is also a 'Message Board' section where ON fans can post messages. This is probably the best place to leave a message for Ken, as it is likely that his has read at least some of the messages posted there in the past.
2. Band Information
2.1 What equipment does ON use?
Guitars
1976 Gibson Les Paul Standard (Antique Natural finish)
Synthesizers
Digidesign SampleCell
Access Virus
Emulator E4 sampler
Roland JV-2080
Effects
Mutron Phaser
Echoplex
2.2 What bands/musicians have influenced ON?
The Cars
Ken has said: "I've always been drawn to groups - like the Cars, a huge influence - that are rooted in the pop tradition but try to put their own spin on it. Hopefully, ON is doing what the best '80s bands were doing then - coming up with a fresh sound for now."
The Replicants (of which Ken Andrews was a member) recorded a cover of the Cars' Just What I Needed. The track appears on their self-titled album.
Depeche Mode
Failure (Ken's previous band) contributed a cover of the track 'Enjoy the Silence' to the Depeche Mode tribute album 'For the Masses', released in 1998.
Depeche Mode's Martin Gore remixed On's track 'Soluble Words'. Ken has said of the remix: "To me it's kind of like a complete fantasy. When I heard it I was just like, 'Whoa, that's so cool.'"
2.3 What other bands would I like?
Blinker the Star
Self
3. Lyrics
3.1 Soluble Words
3.1.1 What is 'Seconol'?
Seconol is a type of sleeping pill. It is quite addictive and easy to overdose on.
4. Live
4.1 What is ON's touring line-up?
Tim Dow - drums
Tommy Walters - bass
Joey Sykes - guitar/backing vocals
Kevin Moore - keyboards
Ken Andrews - vocals/rhythm guitar
4.2 I heard a song live that isn't on the album!
4.2.1 Your Sister Says John
This song appears on the Soluble Words CD single. It was written by Jordon Zadorozny of Blinker the Star.
4.2.2 Let it Drip
Let it Drip is a song by Failure. It appears on their second album 'Magnified'. Let it Drip was written entirely by Ken Andrews.
Historical note: ON played Failure's Let It Drip live at the Del Mar Racetrack on Friday September 1, 2000.
5. Collaborations/Side projects
5.1 Has Ken been in any other bands?
5.1.1 Failure
Failure was Ken's previous band, who enjoyed moderate success with their three critically-acclaimed albums 'Comfort', 'Magnified' and 'Fantastic Planet'.
Failure contributed a track to the Depeche Mode tribute album, 'For the Masses', which was released in 1997. They covered the song 'Enjoy the Silence'.
Failure broke up in 1997 due to the deterioration of the relationship between songwriting partners Ken Andrews and Greg Edwards.
For more information about Failure, see http://www.failure.org/.
5.1.2 The Replicants
The Replicants consisted of Failure's Ken Andrews and Greg Edwards, Paul D'Amour (former bassist for Tool) and Chris Pitman (of Zaum). They released a self-titled album in 1995, which was a collection of eleven covers of songs by Paul McCartney, Syd Barrett, David Bowie, The Cars, Pink Floyd, etc. Ken Andrews contributes vocals and guitar as well as producing, engineering and mixing.
Ken says, "The Replicants idea started out as a demo, really, just to test out our new equipment, but Tool's A&R guy, Matt Marshall, heard it and got really interested. So we recorded some more songs and Zoo released it as an album."
5.2 What is Ken's involvement with ...?
5.2.1 Annetenna
Ken produced a project called Annetenna, featuring Anne Previn (previously of Ednaswap) on lead vocals. For more information, see the official Annetenna site at http://www.annetenna.com/.
5.2.2 Blinker the Star
Ken produced, engineered and mixed Blinker's second album 'A Bourgeois Kitten'. He also contributed backing vocals on 'Earman', percussion on 'Undergrowth' and keyboards on 'Pick'. Ken also produced, engineered and mixed the latest Blinker the Star album, 'August Everywhere'. He is also credited with guitar, backing vocals and synthesizers.
Jordan Zadorozny, frontman for Blinker the Star, has said this on his relationship with Ken in the studio: "I feel really secure with Ken. He and I have a very easy relationship where there’s no ego involved. If we disagree on something, we’ll go play ping-pong, and we always end up working it out. He’s really my editor. He knows how to give each little part its own space, which sometimes means eliminating parts. But it’s all for the benefit of the song."
5.2.3 Creeper Lagoon
Ken mixed Creeper Lagoon's new EP, Watering Ghost Garden. It is expected to be released in October, 2000.
5.2.4 Ednaswap
Ken mixed Ednaswap's 1998 album 'Wonderland Park'.
5.2.5 Methods of Mayhem
Ken is credited with additional guitars on Method of Mayhem's self-titled release.
Methods of Mayhem frontman Tommy Lee has said of Ken: "I love[d] [Failure]. That's why I called him. The guitar sounds on that Failure record are insane. Ken's a really nice guy, too."
5.2.6 Molly McGuire
Ken produced, engineered and mixed Molly McGuire's album 'Lime'.
5.2.7 Self
Ken contributed keyboard and drums on Self's album 'Breakfast with Girls'. He also co-produced the track 'Placing the Blame'.
5.2.8 Skycycle
Ken Andrews produced, engineered and mixed Skycycle's debut EP 'Breathing Water'. Kelly Castro, bass player with Skycycle, said: "We felt [Ken's] dry production aesthetic of dense guitars, grinding bass and fat drum sounds would bring something special to the songs we were planning on shaping into our debut."
5.2.9 The Jimmy Bruno Trio
Ken was involved with post production on The Jimmy Bruno Trio's 1992 album 'Sleight of Hand'.
5.2.10 Tool
Tool's debut music video 'Hush' was directed by Ken Andrews. The video, along with the song, deal with the censorship of music, and feature the band naked except for strategically positioned 'Parental Advisory' signs and tape over their mouths. The entire video can be downloaded from The Tool Page at http://toolshed.down.net/ or the band's official site at http://toolband.com.
Ken was also involved with the Replicants, a cover band which featured Paul D'Amour, the (now former) bass player for Tool.
6. Internet Resources
6.1 Is Ken on the internet?
Ken Andrews posts regularly in the 'Direct from ON' section of the official ON homepage (http://www.onmusic.org/). Although he has not posted in the message board, there is evidence that he does read at least some of posts there.
If Ken does have a personal e-mail address, it is not publicly available.
6.2 Is there an official homepage?
The official ON homepage resides at http://www.onmusic.org.
6.3 Is there somewhere I can talk with other ON fans?
The official homepage http://www.onmusic.org/ has a message board where fans can meet and discuss ON-related topics.
There is a Yahoo club for ON and Ken Andrews at http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/kenandrewson.
6.4 Are there any ON fan sites?
The Perfect Imposter (http://www.geocities.com/shiftingskin/)
One the best ON fan sites. Includes up to date news and some exclusive live photos of the band.
7. About the FAQ
7.1 Contributing to the FAQ
If you have some information which you think merits inclusion in the FAQ, or you have a question regarding ON, please mail it to me at reid.lindsay@studentmail.newcastle.edu.au.
7.2 Copyright and Distribution information
The unofficial ON FAQ is copyright (c) 2000 by Reid Lindsay. All other copyrights are owned by Epic/Sony Music and/or respective owners and are hereby acknowledged.
This document can be freely distributed as long as no modifications occur and no charge is imposed. If you would like to use part of this FAQ in an article, publication or on a web site, please include this web site (http://shiftingskin.cjb.net) as a reference for where you found the information.
Feel free to link to this FAQ at http://shiftingskin.cjb.net/faq/body.html.
The latest version will always be found at this URL. A text-only version of the faq can be downloaded here.