Andy Stochansky

Andy Stochansky is a Canadian singer-songwriter who was signed to RCA U.S.. He first started out as one the most wanted drummers in the Canadian music scene during the early 90's ( at one point playing with 8 local Toronto bands). " I would take my drums to a bar on Queen St ( a live music haven in Toronto) then pack them up and jump on the streetcar to get to my other 2 shows that night". His popularity caught the attention of songstress Ani DiFranco. Living just south of the border in Buffalo NY, Ani asked him to not only record on her albums but also be her touring co-pilot. " The connection was immediate, what you heard on stage years later, sounded like that from day one at that audition above my grandmothers grocery store" says Andy " We kind of looked at each other and immediately knew there was something very special there". The live shows grew from small town University cafes of 15 people to eventual world tours. " We had been playing over 150 to 200 shows a year for 7 years and I finally started to want other things.

What Andy did, was switch instruments (guitar/piano) and released his solo debut album, RadioFusebox, in 1999. The response to "Fusebox" was immediate. Music pundits everywhere were calling it one of the best CD's of the year. Joan Anderman from the Boson Globe called him " the best thing at SXSW" and David Byrne from the Talking Heads was quoted as saying he was a fan. "It was quite shocking, because I had no idea it would connect with audiences like this. My agenda for Fusebox was that I wanted to make a soundtrack sounding cd with lyrics. All the samples had to be homemade and the lyrics had to read as poems as well. I needed to get this type of cd out of my system. "It took a while to make and even though all these accolades were pouring through, I wanted to switch gears and make a pop album. The day after my final Fusebox Tour show in Vancouver I started writing something on the long drive home that would set me on course for the next few years" "I wanted something with hook. I wanted feel good music. I wanted something which made people move... not play to a bunch of white over privileged naval gazers, so I wrote "Stutter" and that opened the flood gates". Andy quickly had 25 new songs and wanted to let anyone hear them. He was approached by an independent promoter in California who wanted to know if he would play 6 shows in and around Los Angeles in Feb of 2000. The 2nd night of that tour in Los Angeles, Andy decided to play all his new songs. "What happened that night was movie material" says Andy. He and manager/wife Lisa Whynot were approached by 3 different record companies all wanting to sign him. One of the companies was RCA/Victor.

In the summer of 2002 " 5 Star Motel" was released. Two songs "Wonderful (It's Superman)" and "Stutter," received considerable radio attention and tours were planned but what stopped everything was 9/11. Tours were cancelled. Wheels were stalled and no one really knew what was happening next". Undeterred , Andy kept writing "Anywhere, anytime I would have the guitar in my hands or steal away with headphones and mini keyboard I was truly addicted". 5 Star Motel was produced by Tom Rothrock, but Stochansky chose Goo Goo Dolls frontman Johnny Rzeznik to produce his follow-up album, 100. Rzeznik heard Andy's demo tapes which were floating around the Los Angeles music elite. The producers already vying to produce him were Stone Temple Pilot brothers Robert and Dean DeLeo. Andy chose Rzeznik who seemed to have a serious love for the music and an understanding to take it to the next level. According to Stochansky, Rzeznik warned him, "the critics would eat me alive for working with him," but Stochansky chose to go forward with the project anyway, saying, " that's when I said, great, let's get started!". The CD entitled 100 never saw it's release. A restructuring of the RCA record company along with the firing of the very people who signed him, put Andy out on his own. " The first would be single from 100, entitled "Shine," was covered by Australian Idol competitor Shannon Noll. The song was a huge number 1 hit selling 8 times platinum. A second single "House of Gold" received huge radio success for Andy himself when released in Canada on Canadian independent label Linus. Shannon would have another Top 10 single again the following year when he covered another Stochansky song from the same CD. "Loud" a song Andy calls his response to his self imposed pressure when it comes to lyrics. " I just wanted to stop slaving in fetal position when I write lyrics and just wanted something akin to candy....and it felt so damn good to play".

Andy is now writing and co-writing for other artists between Los Angeles and Toronto. He guest-starred on the WB series Charmed as himself in the episode Spin City. "Shine" has been used for Hollywood film Better Than the Steins as well as rugby commercials in the UK. "On The Radio" a brand new never released song, has been used in U.S. TV series Brothers & Sisters. Australian artist Damien Leith had a top ten single with one of Andy's songs "22 Steps" and also made an appearance in the soap Neighbours, portraying an Irish singer/songwriter singing in 'Charlies Bar' in 2008. "Summertime" is slated for radio release for Canadian Idol winner Brian Melo.

Discography

*"While You Slept" (1996)
*"Radio Fusebox" (1999)
*"Five Star Motel" (2002)
*"100" (2005)

External links

* [http://www.myspace.com/andystochanskymusic Andy Stochansky's official website]
* [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:l7he4j171wal~T2 Andy Stochansky] on Allmusic