Andy Richards
![]() | This poorly sourced must be removed immediately from the article and its talk page, especially if potentially libelous. )Find sources: "Andy Richards" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (May 2024) |
Andy Richards | |
---|---|
![]() Andy Richards in his studio, Out of Eden, September 2009 | |
Background information | |
Birth name | Andrew John Richards |
Born | London, England | 26 October 1952
Genres | Pop, rock, folk, jazz, classical, alternative, soundtrack |
Occupation(s) | Musician, composer, producer, film scoring mixer and engineer, music supervisor |
Instrument(s) | Piano, organ, keyboards, synthesizers, Pro Tools music engineer |
Years active | 1978–present |
Website | andyrichards |
Andrew John Richards (born 26 October 1952) is a British pianist,
Artists he has played with[1] include Frankie Goes to Hollywood, George Michael, Propaganda, Grace Jones, Rush, Annie Lennox, Gary Moore, Pet Shop Boys, Godley & Creme, Dusty Springfield, Petula Clark, Strawbs, OMD, Malcolm McLaren, Nik Kershaw, T'Pau, Maddy Prior and Denny Laine.
Richards has performed and programmed keyboards on 8 UK No. 1 singles, namely: "Relax" (1984) and "Two Tribes" (1984) by Frankie Goes to Hollywood, "Careless Whisper" (1984) by George Michael, "The Lady in Red" (1986) by Chris de Burgh, "It's a Sin" (1987), "Always on My Mind" (1987) and "Heart" (1988) by Pet Shop Boys and "Spaceman" (1996) by Babylon Zoo.
Films Richards has worked on include
On Tim Burton's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)[2] and Frankenweenie (2012), Richards played the classical organ in the chapel of his alma mater, Rugby School.
Early life
Richards began studying piano at the age of 6. At 8, he went to
He left Rugby School at the age of 17 and moved to London where he played with various artists and bands, including the singer Maggie Nicols at her experimental voice and jazz workshops at the Oval House Theatre. At that time, Richards also took jazz piano lessons with jazz pianist Howard Riley.
At 19, he returned to
Career
Strawbs
In October 1977, Richards auditioned for the folk-rock band, Strawbs. Pete Solley, the producer and keyboard player in the band Paladin spotted Richards playing in the band 'Rock Workshop' in Stoke-on-Trent and recommended him to Dave Cousins at a time when Strawbs were looking for a full-time keyboardist. A week later, Dave Cousins and the band invited him to join the group.
He toured and recorded with Strawbs, his first gig being at the
In 1979, Tom Allom, Heartbreak Hill's record producer, invited Richards to play for the very first time as a session musician on Michael Chapman's album Life on the Ceiling at Sawmills Studios in Cornwall.
Early sessions
In mid-1980, Strawbs split up and Richards became a musician for hire, working and recording with
Whilst in
Trevor Horn and "Relax"
In the fall of 1983, Richards was playing keyboards for the show Electric Ice, which was being performed at the Victoria Palace Theatre by ice skater Robin Cousins and his troupe of skaters, when he received 2 calls – one from the band Yes and the other from record producer Trevor Horn via a recommendation from audio engineer and mixer Julian Mendelsohn. He auditioned for Yes but immediately began work as Horn's keyboard player in October 1983; the first track they recorded together being Frankie Goes to Hollywood's "Ferry 'Cross the Mersey", written by Gerry Marsden, and the second was "Relax".
Horn had made 3 versions of "Relax" prior to Richards and guitarist Stephen Lipson joining his ZTT Production 'Theam' in late 1983. Horn left the studio late one night asking for Lipson to erase the multitrack (of version 3) due to lack of progress, but came back into the studio some time later to hear Richards playing a variety of modal chords based around the key of E minor with Lipson playing guitar along to the unerased multitrack.[5][6] The final version of "Relax" was born and it won Best British Single at the 1985 Brit Awards and was at No. 1 in the UK charts for 5 weeks after being banned from BBC Radio, initially by DJ Mike Read, for being "obscene".
In 1984 as a
Music production
From the mid-1980s and throughout the 1990s, Richards continued with his session work but also branched out into record production, producing for bands and artists including Pet Shop Boys (with "Heart" being at No. 1 in the UK for 3 weeks[9]), T'Pau, Fuzzbox, Prefab Sprout, Malcolm McLaren, Dusty Springfield, Petula Clark, OMD and Berlin.
Out of Eden Studios and film score mixing
In 2000, Richards setup one of London's first bespoke all-digital mixing/recording studios, Out of Eden – a partnership between himself and the directors of the late studio complex Eden Studios in Chiswick, West London.[10] It was a revolutionary audio concept which was the subject of a number of articles on the web, including The Polymath Perspective.[11][12] It was here that Richards began the transition from being purely music-based into being involved in music for film and beyond.
In 2005, Richards began a partnership with acclaimed film music editor and producer Mike Higham[13] (who had also worked with Trevor Horn) which has endured as Higham-Richards.
Current projects
Richards continues to run his own digital studio, Out of Eden, in West London where he has mixed a number of film scores, including the
He worked on his solo project entitled This Time... An Imaginary Soundtrack that was due for release in 2019.[14]
Discography
Source:[15]
1970s
Year | Title | Artist | Credits |
---|---|---|---|
1978 | Heartbreak Hill | Strawbs | Piano, synthesizers |
1978 | Life on the Ceiling | Michael Chapman | Piano, synthesizers |
1979 | The Old Pals Act | Peter Bennett | Synthesizer (Yamaha CS80) |
1980s
Year | Title | Artist | Credits |
---|---|---|---|
1980 | Snaigow | Dougie MacLean | Synthesizers |
1980 | Japanese Tears | Denny Laine | Keyboards, piano, organ |
1981 | My Very Favourite Nursery Rhymes | Tim Hart and Friends | Synthesizers |
1981 | On a Wing and a Prayer | Dougie MacLean | Piano, synthesizers |
1982 | The Unexpected Guest | Demon | Keyboards, synthesizers |
1983 | Windows | White Door | Keyboards, synthesizers, producer |
1983 | Mixed Emotions | Ian Sutherland | Synthesizers |
1983 | The Plague | Demon | Keyboards, synthesizers |
1983 | Love Breakdown (single) | White Door | Keyboards, synthesizers, producer |
1984 | Phonogenic | R.P.M. | Piano, synthesizers |
1984 | Make It Big | Wham! | Piano, synthesizers |
1984 | The Riddle | Nik Kershaw | Keyboards |
1984 | Welcome to the Pleasuredome | Frankie Goes to Hollywood | Keyboards, synthesizers |
1984 | You Caught Me Out (single) | Tracey Ullman | Keyboards |
1984 | Careless Whisper | George Michael | Piano, synthesizers |
1984 | Relax (single) | Frankie Goes to Hollywood | Pianos, keyboards, synthesizers |
1984 | Two Tribes (single) | Frankie Goes to Hollywood | Pianos, keyboards, synthesizers |
1985 | Phantasmagoria | The Damned | Keyboards |
1985 | The Ups and Downs | Stephen Duffy | Keyboards |
1985 | Whats the Password | Trio | Keyboards |
1985 | Power Windows | Rush | Guest artist, keyboards, programming |
1985 | A Secret Wish | Propaganda | Keyboards, synthesizers |
1985 | Big Music | Machinations
|
Keyboards, Fairlight programming |
1985 | Shine | Kids in the Kitchen | Keyboards |
1985 | Slave to the Rhythm | Grace Jones | Keyboards, synthesizers |
1985 | Run for Cover | Gary Moore | Keyboards |
1985 | Air Supply | Air Supply | Keyboards, synthesizers, programming |
1985 | Kiss and Tell (single) | The David Austin Band | Keyboards, synthesizers, programming |
1985 | Cry | Godley & Creme | Keyboards, synthesizers, programming |
1986 | Disco | Pet Shop Boys | Keyboards, Fairlight programming |
1986 | Radio Musicola | Nik Kershaw | Keyboards, programming |
1986 | Liverpool | Frankie Goes to Hollywood | Keyboards, Fairlight programming |
1986 | Into the Light | Chris de Burgh | Keyboards, synthesizers, programming |
1986 | Enough is Enough | Billy Squier | Keyboards, Fairlight programming |
1986 | Count Three & Pray | Berlin | Keyboards, Fairlight programming, producer |
1986 | Suburbia (single) | Pet Shop Boys | Keyboards, synthesizers, programming |
1986 | The Lady in Red (single) | Chris de Burgh | Keyboards, synthesizers, programming |
1987 | Hold Your Fire | Rush | Keyboards, Fairlight programming |
1987 | Actually | Pet Shop Boys | Keyboards, Fairlight programming, producer |
1987 | Soldier of Fortune (single) | Thin Lizzy | Keyboards, Fairlight programming |
1987 | Walk on Fire | Silent Running | Keyboards, Fairlight programming, producer |
1987 | Always on My Mind (single) | Pet Shop Boys | Keyboards, Fairlight programming |
1987 | It's a Sin (single) | Pet Shop Boys | Keyboards, Fairlight programming |
1987 | Rent (single) | Pet Shop Boys | Keyboards, Fairlight programming |
1988 | The Power of Six | The Mint Juleps | Keyboards, Fairlight programming |
1988 | Introspective | Pet Shop Boys | Keyboards, Fairlight programming |
1988 | Medicine Man | Habit | Keyboards, Fairlight programming, producer |
1988 | After the War | Gary Moore | Keyboards, Fairlight programming |
1988 | Flying Colours | Chris de Burgh | Keyboards, Fairlight programming |
1988 | Push | Bros | Keyboards, Fairlight programming |
1988 | Don't Say Goodbye | Strawbs | Keyboards, synthesizers |
1988 | Hey Manhattan! (single) | Prefab Sprout | Keyboards, Fairlight programming, producer |
1988 | Heart (single) | Pet Shop Boys | Keyboards, Fairlight programming, producer |
1988 | Missing You | Chris de Burgh | Keyboards, Fairlight programming |
1989 | Waltz Darling | Malcolm McLaren | Keyboards, Fairlight programming, producer |
1989 | Results | Liza Minnelli | Keyboards, Fairlight programming |
1989 | Blast | Holly Johnson | Keyboards, Fairlight programming, producer |
1989 | Big Bang! | Fuzzbox | Keyboards, Fairlight programming, producer |
1989 | Love and Power | Cry No More | Keyboards, Fairlight programming, producer |
1989 | Young Man Running | Corey Hart | Keyboards, Fairlight programming, producer |
1989 | The Best of Berlin 1979–1988 | Berlin | Keyboards, Fairlight programming, producer |
1989 | Losing My Mind (single) | Liza Minnelli | Keyboards, Fairlight programming |
1989 | Love Train (single) | Holly Johnson | Keyboards, Fairlight programming, producer |
1989 | Americanos (single) | Holly Johnson | Keyboards, Fairlight programming, producer |
1989 | International Rescue (single) | Fuzzbox | Keyboards, Fairlight programming, producer |
1989 | Oh Sharon (single) | Cry No More | Keyboards, Fairlight programming, producer |
1990s
Year | Title | Artist | Credits |
---|---|---|---|
1990 | 1234 | Propaganda | Keyboards |
1990 | Move Until We Fly | Nick Kamen | Keyboards, Fairlight programming, producer |
1990 | Planet Oz | Inga Humpe | Keyboards, Fairlight programming, producer |
1990 | Reputation | Dusty Springfield | Keyboards, Fairlight programming, producer |
1991 | The Promise | T'Pau | Keyboards, Fairlight programming, producer |
1991 | Discography: The Complete Singles Collection | Pet Shop Boys | Keyboards, Fairlight programming, producer |
1991 | Sugar Tax | Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark | Keyboards, Fairlight programming, producer |
1991 | Dreams That Money Can't Buy | Holly Johnson | Keyboards, Fairlight programming, producer |
1991 | Call My Name (single) | Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark | Keyboards, Fairlight programming, producer |
1992 | If You Don't Love Me (single) | Prefab Sprout | Keyboards, Fairlight programming, producer |
1992 | The Singles
|
Corey Hart | Keyboards, Fairlight programming, producer |
1992 | Oxygen (single) | Petula Clark | Keyboards, Fairlight programming, producer |
1994 | Blue Nights | Denny Laine | Keyboards, synthesizers |
1994 | Can't Get Off | Robin Beck | Keyboards, Fairlight programming, producer |
1995 | Heart and Soul - The Very Best of T'Pau
|
T'Pau | Keyboards, Fairlight programming, producer |
1995 | Anthology | Nik Kershaw | Keyboards, programming |
1995 | Memento: The Best of Maddy Prior | Maddy Prior | Keyboards |
1995 | Are My Ears on Wrong? | Jakko | Keyboards |
1995 | Medusa / Live in Central Park | Annie Lennox | Keyboards |
1995 | Right Here, Right Now (single) | The Flood | Keyboards, Fairlight programming, producer |
1995 | Free Vol (single) | Pierre Morin | Keyboards, Fairlight programming, producer |
1995 | Wherever Would I Be | Dusty Springfield & Daryl Hall | Keyboards, Fairlight programming, producer |
1995 | No More I Love You's (single)
|
Annie Lennox | Keyboards |
1996 | Reach for the Sky: The Anthology | Billy Squier | Keyboards, synthesizers |
1996 | Spaceman (single) | Babylon Zoo | Fairlight programming |
1997 | Reputation & Rarities | Dusty Springfield | Keyboards, Fairlight programming, producer |
1997 | The Plant Life Years | Dougie MacLean | Mini Moog, piano |
1998 | Salvation | Alphaville | Keyboards, Fairlight programming, producer |
1998 | Wishful Thinking (single) | Alphaville | Keyboards, Fairlight programming, producer |
1998 | Human Being | Seal | Keyboards, Fairlight programming |
1998 | The OMD Singles | Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark | Keyboards, Fairlight programming, producer |
1998 | Where We Belong | Boyzone | Keyboards, programming |
1999 | Concert Classics, Vol 6: Alive in America | Strawbs | Keyboards |
1999 | Turn It On Again: The Hits | Genesis | programming |
1999 | The Seduction of Claude Debussy | Art of Noise | programming |
1999 | Visions of Dreamscapes | Alphaville | Keyboards, Fairlight programming, producer |
1999 | Every Day I Love You (single) | Boyzone | Keyboards |
2000s
Year | Title | Artist | Credits |
---|---|---|---|
2000 | Ronan | Ronan Keating | Keyboards, piano, synthesizers, programming |
2000 | Sonnet | Oberon | Engineering |
2000 | Dino | Jessica Folker | Keyboards |
2000 | The Singles Collection: 1994–1999 | Boyzone | Keyboards |
2001 | They Called Him Tin Tin | Stephen Duffy | Keyboards |
2002 | Tracey Ullman Takes on the Hits | Tracey Ullman | Keyboards |
2002 | Ringing Down the Years/Don't Say Goodbye | Strawbs | Keyboards, composer |
2002 | The Ultimate Collection | Petula Clark | Arranger, producer |
2002 | Kylie Fever: 2002 Live in Manchester (video)
|
Kylie Minogue | Producer, director |
2003 | Blue Angel | Strawbs | Keyboards, composer |
2008 | Gold | Dusty Springfield | Keyboards, producer |
2010s
Year | Title | Artist | Credits |
---|---|---|---|
2010 | Ultimate | Pet Shop Boys | Keyboards, producer |
2010 | 40th Anniversary Celebration Vol 1: Strawberry Fayre | Strawbs | Piano, synthesizer |
2011 | Sector 3 | Rush | Keyboards, piano, synthesizers, programming |
2011 | Combined | Claudia Brücken | Keyboards, Fairlight programming |
2013 | Greatest Hits | Dido | Engineer, mixer |
2015 | Prognostic | Strawbs | Piano, synthesizers |
2018 | WGAF... AWGUI! (single) | Fuzzbox | Keyboards, programming, engineer, producer |
Filmography
1980s
Year | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
1986 | Biggles: Adventures in Time
|
Keyboards, Fairlight programming |
1987 | Turnaround | Keyboards, Fairlight programming, composer (with Mark Shreeve), producer |
1989 | The BFG | Keyboards, Fairlight programming |
1990s
Year | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
1995 | The Glam Metal Detectives (TV series) | Keyboards, Fairlight programming |
1996 | True Blue | Keyboards, Fairlight programming |
2000s
Year | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
2001 | Bridget Jones's Diary
|
Score mixer |
2001 | The Parole Officer | Score mixer |
2001 | Mike Bassett: England Manager | Score mixer |
2002 | Dirty Pretty Things | Score mixer |
2002 | Ali G Indahouse | Score mixer |
2002 | My Little Eye | Score mixer |
2003 | Mona Lisa Smile | Score mixer |
2003 | Touching the Void | Score mixer |
2003 | Johnny English | Score mixer |
2004 | Terrible Kisses (short) | Composed, performed (as Andy Richards/Mike Higham), produced & score mixer |
2004 | Bushido: The Way of the Warrior (short) | Composed, performed (as Andy Richards/Mike Higham), produced & score mixer |
2004 | Dead Cool | Composed, performed (as Andy Richards/Mike Higham), produced & score mixer |
2004 | Shaun of the Dead | Score mixer |
2004 | Out of Reach | Score mixer |
2004 | Dear Frankie | Score mixer |
2005 | The Jacket | Score mixer, music supervisor & producer |
2005 | Avant l'oubli | Score mixer |
2005 | Mrs Henderson Presents | Music editor |
2006 | The Bridge | Score mixer |
2006 | The Last King of Scotland | Score mixer |
2006 | Wild Romance
|
Composed, performed (as Andy Richards/Mike Higham), produced & score mixer |
2006 | Tsunami: The Aftermath | Score mixer |
2007 | Hannibal Rising | Score mixer |
2007 | Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street | Music engineer, score mixer, organ & additional music. |
2008 | Incendiary | Score mixer |
2008 | Slumdog Millionaire | Score mixer |
2009 | State of Play
|
Score mixer |
2010s
Year | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
2010 | Inside Job | Score mixer |
2010 | Kick-Ass | Music editor |
2010 | The First Grader | Choir production, score mixer |
2010 | 127 Hours | Score mixer |
2011 | The Rum Diary | Song producer: The Mermaid Song by Patti Smith |
2011 | The Ballad of Sandeep (short) | Composed, performed (as Andy Richards/Mike Higham), produced & score mixer |
2012 | Dark Shadows | Additional score mixer |
2012 | Frankenweenie | Organ and additional score mixer |
2014 | Big Eyes | Composed, performed, produced score mixed the cue: "The Art Gallery" by Andy Richards |
2018 | Mission: Impossible – Fallout | Piano |
References
- ^ "Andy Richards - Credits - AllMusic". AllMusic.
- ^ a b "Andy Richards". IMDb.
- ^ "Pipe Organs | Rugby School". Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
- ^ MakeTrax: Sneaky Pierre – Don't Hold On For Love. BBC. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
- ^ "Classic Tracks: Frankie Goes To Hollywood – 'Relax'". Sound on Sound. April 2008. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
- ^ zttaat.com. "Zang Tuum Tumb and all that - Articles - The making of relax". www.zttaat.com.
- ^ "Frankie Goes To Hollywood – UK Singles Chart Information". The Official UK Charts Company. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
- ^ "George Michael – UK Singles Chart Information". The Official UK Charts Company. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
- ^ "Pet Shop Boys – UK Singles Chart Information". The Official UK Charts Company. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
- ^ "Eden Studios". RecordProduction.com. 2007. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
- ^ "Interview: Andy Richards (Part 1)". The Polymath Perspective. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
- ^ "Interview: Andy Richards (Part 2)". The Polymath Perspective. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
- ^ "Michael Higham". IMDb.
- ^ "Andy Richards - Composer, Producer & Musician". www.andyrichards.com.
- ^ "Andy Richards". Discogs.
External links
- Official website
- Andy Richards at IMDb
- Andy Richards at AllMusic