Get To Know: AMY ANDREWS

Posted: September 18, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Books, Brilliant Folks I've Interviewed!, Feminism in Action, Humane Organizations, Music, Random Cool Things, Southern Musicians - Georgia, Veg Restaurants I love, Vegetarianism | Tags: , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

Amy Andrews is a Baltimore-born, Decatur GA-transplanted, fierce feminist singer-songwriter. She is about to embark on a Feminist Bookstore Tour of North America to raise funds for the few indie feminist bookstores and community centers still in operation.  She wants you to know about her many furry friends, and her encyclopedic knowledge of musicals, but MOSTLY about the Kickstarter campaign she just launched to get herself on the road to do good.

Name:

Amy Andrews

Occupation:

singer-songwriter

My companion animals (names and personality traits):

Lillian A. Cookie – “Lillian A. for ‘Angelic’ Cookie”

Freckles – “The Loveable Curmudgeon”

Hazel(le) – “The Maniac”

Lexi – “The Skittish Hedonist”

Louise – “The Big Ol’ Baby”

Magnolia – “The Misunderstood Misanthrope”

Ripley – “The Senior Stateswoman”

The movie that best represents me right now:

Tommy Boy – life on the road is just one adventure after another.

Obviously, my favorite musical of all time is:

As a kid I would sing “I Don’t Know How To Love Him” Mary Magdalene’s piece from JCS, “Aldonza” from Man of La Mancha, or “As If We Never Said Goodbye” from Sunset Boulevard for auditions. Auditions for kid roles.  Totally age inappropriate audition material, but it was what I felt most natural performing. I think I’ve always been a bit on the mature side. And intense.

And with that I say, favorite musical? Maybe a tie between RAGTIME, TITANIC, & GYPSY? I could also throw in The Last 5 Years, Songs for A New World, Jesus Christ Superstar, Mame, Chicago, Cabaret, Evita, …

Bucket list item that would surprise my friends:

I don’t think I have a bucket list item that would surprise anyone, and I can’t really think of anything that would.

I’m an introvert, but I’m a performer (I think that’s a lot more common than people imagine), so I suspect people would assume that I have a desire to do something wild or ostentatious, but… I would just love to travel the world, live in many places, experience different cultures, but… probably just spend a lot of time alone in beautiful, natural landscapes.

Well, I would also love to sing Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy alongside Bette Midler, but I don’t think that would surprise anyone either. I grew up with a, well documented, desire to become Bette Midler.

Here’s another, and maybe I’ve never said it aloud:  I would love to host SNL. (Gosh, I hope Lorne Michaels is reading this.)

My favorite road trip so far in my life:

The last one always seems the greatest, doesn’t it?

Well, nothing exotic here, but, I recently went on a drive just through north GA for the day – passing small-town churches, withering buildings, seemingly long-forgotten cemeteries. Stopping at roadside antique shops, leisurely taking in historical markers, dropping in a small diner tucked away just off the road, taking an impromptu hike through the woods. It was unexpected, and beautiful.

My biggest fan:

The aforementioned Lillian A. Cookie, and my mom, of course.

My most favorite veg food or restaurant:

The Grit, in Athens. I’m going there this weekend, and I intend to get some delicious nutritional yeast goodness, sweet potatoes, and strong coffee. Read the rest of this entry »

A Thousand Times, Yes.

Posted: September 27, 2011 | Author: | Filed under: Film, New Music Excitement, Punk | Tags: , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

THE JULIE RUIN (Carmine Covelli, Sara Landeau, Kathleen Hanna, Kathi  Wilcox, Kenny Mellman)

So much Kathleen Hanna excitement happening right now!  Her new project The Julie Ruin just posted their first official band photo, looking like a family on the beach who happily refused to wear matching white outfits with bare feet. Good for them, very regular. They are obviously holding out on the fun crazy for the CD cover art. I will be patient.  Seriously, though, really psyched to hear them. 

I’m even more eager to point out to you a kickstarter project called The Punk Singer. Holler, what?! Yes, it’s a fundraiser for the documentary by that name about Kathleen Hanna herself - the feminist icon and punk revolutionary we all know and love.  As so:

 “Credited as a founder of the third wave of feminism and Riot Grrrl – Hanna has been a seminal radical activist, musician, and cultural icon for over twenty years. She’s also been a lightening rod for controversy, and a famously private person. Five years ago, she disappeared from the public eye, and is only now re-emerging. The Punk Singer combines twenty years of archival footage and an intimate look at four consecutive seasons of Hanna’s present life, to tell the story of what happened, and who she is now. ”

The film is being put together by Sini Anderson, co-founder of Sister Spit, among many other titles, and from the looks of the trailer, it will be well worth the wait.  I wanted to post the kickstarter video, but can’t make it work so I am telling you to go watch it here: NOW!  You won’t be disappointed. It will be like this photo times one million.

UPDATE:  Read what the subject of the film says about it: here.

I Can Help

Posted: September 22, 2011 | Author: | Filed under: Bands Who Rock, Music | Tags: , | Leave a comment »

So you’ve been extreme couponing and find yourself at the end of the month with a few extra dollars left out of your paycheck and no ideas on how to spend them. I can help with that. How about you make some music with it?  Not you, literally, (then again, why not) but in this case, how about helping some really talented, seasoned musicians put out an album of good ol’ Southern-styled, fun times alterna-grass sounds? Yeah, that’s it, you’re welcome.  I have just the place for you to visit: check out my pals Roxie Watson and their kickstarter project: here. Roxie Watson is a band named after two of their grandmamas, and as that would suggest, they are the real deal. There are a lot of imitators and wannabe hipster/alt-country/bluegrass bands cropping up all over these days, but these five women play it, sing it, live it and grew up with it.  They are currently over halfway to their project’s financial goal, and would love your support to push them over the top. The deadline is Friday, October 14th. So go check them out! Right now!