MUSIC: Andy Fairweather Low
Jeff Hemmings catches up with the legendary musician
There is a good chance you won’t have heard of Andy Fairweather Low, or know much about him. The older folk among you might know him better: not only did he score major hits with his band Amen Corner (‘Bend Me, Shape Me’, ‘(If Paradise Is) Half As Nice’), but also as a solo artist in the ‘70s (‘Wide Eyed And Legless’). Many a teenage girl had a poster of him adorning their walls back in the day…
Fairweather Low perhaps knew his limitations as a pop star early enough to set out on the road of being a session musician from the late ’70s; not any ordinary session player mind, but one who has played, recorded and toured with the likes of Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Van Morrison, The Who and Roger Waters among others. A fine singer as well as guitarist, you will have heard him on countless recordings.
Finally, after 26 years in the shadows, he made his own record, ‘Sweet Soulful Music’, released in 2006. “I was making a living, playing with Roger Waters for 24 years [as well as Clapton et al]. I had no inclination [to make a record]; I was happy playing, being paid very well, sleeping and eating very well. And then I got the bug, I wanted to play, and write songs again.
“My job was not to deviate from that path: I would play the opening riff of ‘Layla’ or whatever, and then Eric would do the solo; I would play the opening of ‘Tears In Heaven’ and then Eric would sing. With Roger Waters
I would play bass a lot of the time, while he strummed the acoustic, and when he played bass I would play the guitar. I hate the word utility, but it kinda sums it up – I was a utility player.”
‘Sweet Soulful Music’ was made with his newly formed band The Low Riders, who currently feature Paul Beavis and Dave Bronze and Nick Pentelow. Bronze co-produced the new Low Riders album, Zone-O-Tone, an excellent album that captures the current zeitgeist for all things ‘authentic’.
Welsh born and raised, Fairweather Low has lived in Wales all but a few years of his life. “I came to London with Amen Corner in ’66, and between ’71 and ’72 I came back and have lived here ever since. They built the motorway and the InterCity 125 and with the internet it’s all a lot easier. When I was working for other people, the phone either rang or it didn’t; it didn’t matter where you were.”
As for recent projects. he reels them off: “I’m in another band with The Gaddabouts, with Steve Gadd and Edie Brickell. We’ve just recorded out third album. I also did three weeks with Eric, played Glastonbury with Bill Wyman, Chris Barber’s 60th anniversary concert, and I’ve just done 16/18 tracks with Tom Jones… I’m busy and loving it, absolutely loving it!”
Komedia, Wednesday 2 October, 7.30pm, £24.75
