Andrew Fetterly Wilkes-Krier (born May 9, 1979), known professionally as Andrew W.K., is an American singer, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, record producer and motivational speaker. He is known for his combination of rock, metal and pop music and anthemic songs about partying. Raised in Michigan, Wilkes-Krier began his musical career in the mid-1990s. He performed in a number of local bands before eventually moving to New York, where he produced his first recordings under the Andrew W.K. moniker. After gaining initial attention with the 2000 EP Girls Own Juice, Wilkes-Krier rose to prominence with the release of his debut studio album I Get Wet in November 2001, which was followed by The Wolf (2003) and Close Calls With Brick Walls (2006). Legal troubles preventing Wilkes-Krier from releasing music in the US led up to him making the album 55 Cadillac (2009), which consists of solo improvisational piano pieces. He returned to rock music with the albums You're Not Alone (2018) and God Is Partying (2021). The instrumental jazz-noir album Temptation to Exist (2026) was surprise released after a five-year hiatus. He has also undertaken a number of other musical and non-musical ventures including television and radio work, motivational speaking and writing.
Top Tracks
Credited On
- Andrew W.K - Who Knows - Andrew W.K, released February 7, 2006 (
DR-4478). Artist, Keyboard, Narrator, Vocals.
Biography
From the en.wikipedia article Andrew W.K. (CC BY-SA 4.0), revision 1377333458.
Early Life
Andrew Fetterly Wilkes-Krier was born in Stanford, California, on May 9, 1979 and raised in the outskirts of Los Angeles, until moving to Ann Arbor, Michigan at the age of four. His father is professor James E. Krier, a legal scholar at the University of Michigan Law School and co-author of the widely used Dukeminier & Krier property casebook. His mother is Wendy Wilkes. His younger brother, Patrick, was a golf professional and is now a golf coach in Michigan. At the age of four, Wilkes-Krier began learning piano at the University of Michigan School of Music. He has recalled early family trips to midnight mass as having had an enormous impact on his love for music. He was dubbed Andrew W.K. by an elementary school teacher to differentiate him from his classmates Andrew Cohen and Andrew Gilchrist. He later attended the private college preparatory Greenhills School for middle school before attending the alternative Community High School from 1993 to 1997, where he continued to study piano and keyboard.
1993–1999: Early Career
In 1993, at the age of 14, he joined the band Slam, later to be called Reverse Polarity. In 1996, a song recorded by W.K. entitled "Mr. Surprise" was included on Plant the Flower Seeds, a compilation by the Ypsilanti, Michigan-based record label Westside Audio Laboratories, marking his first publicly released recording. Over the next five years, W.K. would play in a number of Detroit-based punk rock and heavy metal bands, including The Pterodactyls; Lab Lobotomy; Music Band; Mr. Velocity Hopkins; playing drums in grindcore metal band, Kathode; in addition to forming the noise rock project Ancient Art of Boar, later known as AAB, which served as an outlet for his early solo material. In 1998, W.K. moved from Michigan to New York City, where he worked a variety of short-lived jobs. These included a bubblegum machine salesman, an opera ticket salesman, a fashion photographer, a window decorator at the Bergdorf Goodman department store, and a waiter for a Mexican restaurant. He also worked at the offices of the avant-garde fashion company Comme des Garçons. He ended the AAB project and began recording new solo material under his full "Andrew Wilkes-Krier" name; the year saw the release of a cassette-only single entitled Room to Breathe on Hanson Records. A follow-up release entitled You Are What You Eat was scrapped when the master recordings went missing. W.K. also recorded the soundtrack for an independent film named Poltergeist made by Aaron Dilloway and himself, one track of which appeared on the Hanson Records compilation Labyrinths & Jokes. In 1999, he moved to Seffner, Florida, to start building his live band with drummer Donald "D.T." Tardy, of death metal band Obituary.
2000–2003: Solo Breakthrough, I Get Wet and The Wolf
In March 2000, Wilkes-Krier released his first EP, Girls Own Juice, also abbreviated as AWKGOJ, on Bulb Records, his first solo release under the moniker Andrew W.K. (He had first been credited as "Andrew W.K." on a remix entitled "Wolf Eyes Rules (What Kinda Band?)" for the experimental noise band Wolf Eyes.) Girls Own Juice introduced his hard rock-influenced musical style and experimental tendencies, described as "Judas Priest mixed with Sparks" by Magas, a collaborator of W.K.'s. Girls Own Juice was well received by critics, and was awarded a five-star rating by the British music magazine Kerrang!. The release increased buzz for W.K., centered around his "hedonistic, so-dumb-it's-smart rawk." He continued to build his reputation by performing various solo gigs in the New York and other East Coast areas. Wilkes-Krier and his then manager Matt Sweeney later shipped out a number of Andrew W.K. demo tapes, each accompanied by a handwritten letter. One tape reached alternative rock musician Dave Grohl; impressed, Grohl offered Andrew W.K. a slot opening for his band Foo Fighters at a concert in San Francisco, which he accepted. Another tape reached The Island Def Jam Music Group executive Lewis Largent, who liked the demos enough to attend an Andrew W.K. gig at the Mercury Lounge, where Largent was impressed by how W.K. "won over every last person in the audience." Wilkes-Krier reacted with surprise to Island's interest in him, and despite his manager urging him not to accept his very first offer, W.K. was eager to begin work with Island. Girls Own Juice was followed by another Bulb Records EP entitled Party Til You Puke in October 2000. Following the release of Party Til You Puke, Andrew W.K. left Bulb Records amicably to sign with Island Records. W.K.'s major-label debut studio album, I Get Wet, was released on November 13, 2001, on Island Records. Continuing the sound established by his previous Bulb Records EPs, I Get Wet is characterized by its metal and punk rock influences and lyrical content revolving around partying. The album is known for its cover art, a photograph by Roe Ethridge of Andrew W.K. with a stream of blood running from his nose onto his chin and neck, which generated minor controversy in Europe after it was seen to represent cocaine abuse; W.K. claims to have achieved the effect by striking himself in the face with a cinderblock during the photo shoot, and subsequently supplementing his own blood with some of an animal obtained from a butcher's shop. I Get Wet earned positive press from publications such as NME and Kerrang! and featured two UK hit singles, "Party Hard" and "She Is Beautiful", also rising to the top spot on Billboard's Top Heatseekers albums chart. She Is Beautiful was also featured on the 2003 Freaky Friday soundtrack. At the same time, W.K. also developed a reputation for his highly energetic live shows. Andrew W.K. joined Ozzy Osbourne's Ozzfest that summer, and a number of I Get Wet's tracks, such as "Party Hard", "It's Time to Party", and "Fun Night" were licensed for use in various video games, films, TV series, and commercials. In 2002, W.K., Gibson Goodness and Alec Rominger re-recorded his song "We Want Fun" from AWKGOJ for the soundtrack of Jackass: The Movie; an accompanying music video was also produced, filmed and directed by Jeff Tremaine with additional camera work by Spike Jonze. By September 2018, the album had sold 267,000 copies in the US. In late 2003, W.K. released his second studio album The Wolf. In contrast to I Get Wet, which was recorded by W.K. with his live band, The Wolf featured W.K. playing all instruments, with heavy use of overdubbing of these instrument sections in production. The album spawned the singles "Tear It Up" and "Never Let Down" in the United States, while the song "Long Live the Party" was a minor hit in Japan. The single "Tear It Up" was included as menu music in the video-game Nascar Thunder TM 2004. Despite earning Andrew W.K.'s highest chart position ever at #61 on the Billboard 200, it fell off after only a week, and three months after its release the album had only sold 36,098 copies. On tour for The Wolf, W.K. was injured on stage and broke his foot. After the concert, he signed autographs from the ambulance. Not wanting to let his fans down, he performed the remainder of the tour in a wheelchair.
2004–2008: Close Calls With Brick Walls
Though Close Calls with Brick Walls failed to see wide release in 2006, W.K. continued to be active; he released a live concert DVD entitled Who Knows? in February of that year and presenting five screenings of the film in New York and Hollywood. In March 2006, during an episode of Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones' radio show Jonesy's Jukebox, W.K. debuted a new song entitled "I'm a Vagabond". On November 26, 2008, under Universal Music Group, he released his fourth studio album, The Japan Covers, which consists of cover versions of J-pop songs, as well as a compilation entitled The Very Best So Far.
2009–2019: 55 Cadillac, You're Not Alone and Other Releases
In February 2009, Wilkes-Krier claimed to have found a loophole in his contractual constraints allowing him to form his own record label, Skyscraper Music Maker, based in London and Manhattan. The label released DAMN! The Mix tape Vol. 1 on May 25, 2009, a compilation of W.K.'s production work for Skyscraper Music Maker artists Bad Brilliance, Aleister X, and Cherie Lily, with music by New York producer, DJ B-Roc. Wilkes-Krier's fifth studio album 55 Cadillac served as the label's second release. Recorded entirely by Wilkes-Krier and consisting of his spontaneous solo piano improvisations, the album was released on September 8, 2009. In a piece written to accompany the release of the album, he explained that the last decade had "been so fraught with legal trouble" that he began to suffer hallucinations, which inspired him to produce the album, and that successful negotiations had allowed him to start a new label and release 55 Cadillac, which he described as "the sound of a piano being played by a free man – nothing more, nothing less." New negotiations were undertaken over the UK release of 55 Cadillac, as "certain people [who] weren't credited because they weren't involved with the recording... had to be given credit," owing to previous contracts. Wilkes-Krier and his management settled by renaming Skyscraper Music Maker as Steev Mike, which the parties involved saw as a reasonable compromise. All prior complaints were dropped and Wilkes-Krier was then allowed to release the album worldwide. On September 9, Andrew W.K. released a Japan-only album entitled Gundam Rock, consisting of covered music from the Gundam anime television series to celebrate its 30th anniversary in Japan; he had been approached by Japanese animation studio Sunrise Inc. to record the album following the success of The Japan Covers. With all prior legal disputes over credit and naming settled, in March 2010 Andrew W.K. and the newly named Steev Mike label presented its first official release: a repackaged two-disc version of Close Calls with Brick Walls with a bonus disc of rare and unreleased material entitled Mother of Mankind. To promote the set, Andrew W.K. joined the 2010 Warped Tour as a headlining act for the entire tour. A music video for the single "I Want to See You Go Wild" from Close Calls with Brick Walls, directed by Peter Glantz, was released in June 2010. In March 2011, Andrew W.K. released a new EP entitled The "Party All Goddamn Night" EP, which consists of five new tracks and two previously released singles. In September 2012, while attending a fan convention for My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic, he expressed the possibility of recording a new album. In a Reddit "Ask Me Anything" thread in October 2014, Wilkes-Krier stated that while his other career ventures had kept him from releasing a new studio album, he was eager to record one: "I've been stock-piling new songs for several years. I really want to make a new album as soon as possible." In September 2017, W.K. announced that a new studio album would be set for release on March 2, 2018, via Sony Music. In November, he announced its title, You're Not Alone, and shared its cover artwork. The album was released on March 2, 2018. In August 2018 he revealed to Riff Magazine that he had begun recording his next album.
2020–present: Napalm Records, God Is Partying, Temptation To Exist and Current Ventures
In October 2020, Andrew W.K. signed with Napalm Records and announced that he was working on a new album. The lead single "Babalon" was released on February 17, 2021. "Babalon" was announced via a Napalm Records press release and made available for limited pre-order on the Napalm Records and Andrew W.K. stores as a 7" vinyl with the instrumental B-Side "The Party Gods". The release, limited to 393 copies, marked a departure from Andrew W.K.'s traditionally positive and uplifting themes, and features "swinging drums and a sinister guitar riff opening the track's hellish gates." Andrew W.K.'s sixth studio album, God Is Partying, was released on September 10, 2021. Co-produced by long-time recording partner Ted Young, the nine-track album features W.K. performing all instruments. The announcement was accompanied by the release of a new single, "I'm in Heaven". On July 14, 2021, the video for "Everybody Sins" was released and features an appearance by Kat Dennings. In September 2021, the album God Is Partying was released alongside the single "Stay True To Your Heart". Shortly after the release of the album, W.K. delayed upcoming shows and deleted his website and social media pages with no explanation; his label also remained quiet on what was happening. On August 28, 2026, W.K. released the album Temptation to Exist on the fan run website AWKSHARE and through YouTube Music.
Live Music Venue
In the spring of 2008, Andrew and three partners opened a multi-level nightclub and live concert hall in downtown Manhattan, New York City. The venue was named Santos Party House, and featured 8,000 square feet (740 m2) of dance floor and concert facilities, and over 150 loud-speakers. The space was designed for disco dancing and live music. It was one of the few new venues in New York City to be granted a liquor license and a cabaret license. The cabaret license means people can legally dance until 4 am. Santos Party House received numerous awards, including The People's Choice Award for Best Night Club, Best New Club, Best DJ Night (from Paper Magazine), Best New Dance Floor (from The Village Voice), and many more. In May 2009, Wilkes-Krier and his work with Santos was the subject of an extensive four-page article in New York Magazine. In 2010, the Zagat Survey rated Santos Party House the "Top Dance Club" in all of New York City. Santos Party House's last night of operation was May 29, 2016.
Personal Life
Andrew W.K. previously lived in Midtown Manhattan but left in 2006 or 2007, "bouncing between short-term situations" in other locations outside New York. He married Cherie Lily on October 4, 2008, in a traditional Persian wedding ceremony. Lily performed with W.K.'s band as a vocalist and hypewoman from 2006 until 2018. W.K. has two children but keeps them out of the public eye. W.K. has a younger brother, Patrick Wilkes-Krier, who is a professional golfer. In May 2021, W.K. announced via a press release that he and his former wife Cherie had begun amicable divorce proceedings in late 2019. He also confirmed that he was dating actress Kat Dennings, after the two met in Los Angeles in early 2021. A week later, on May 13, 2021, the couple announced their engagement on Instagram. They married on November 27, 2023, at their Los Angeles home.
Current
Erik Payne – guitars, backing vocals (1999–present) Gregg Roberts – bass, backing vocals (1999–present) Dave Pino – guitars, backing vocals (2012–present) Amanda Lepre – guitars, backing vocals (2016–present) Clark Kegley – drums (2016–present)
Former
Donald Tardy – drums (1998–2003) Frank Werner – guitars, backing vocals (1999–2013) Jimmy Coup – guitars, backing vocals (1999–2004) Jeff Victor – keyboards (2001–2002) Rich Russo – drums (2003–2016) Kenny Andrews – guitars, backing vocals (2003–2011) Johnny "Beans" Sutton (2004–2005) Derek Weiland – keyboards (2006–2007) Cherie Lily – vocals (2006–2018) Justin Payne – guitars (2008–2013) Blake Canaris – bass, backing vocals (2010–2016) Erica E.T. Pino – keyboards, backing vocals (2018–2019) German Cervantes - guitars, backing vocals (2003)
Sources
- Wikidata entity Q505898.
- en.wikipedia, Andrew W.K. (revision 1377333458), CC BY-SA 4.0.
- ja.wikipedia, アンドリューW.K. (revision 111034507), CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Photograph: Andrew W.K.jpg - Press shot via Deezer (artist 3688).
- Occupation: en.wikipedia.org.