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Draft:Andy Szikla

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Andy Szikla
Born (1961-11-01) 1 November 1961 (age 63)
Genres
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • Guitar
Years active1982–present
LabelsCleopatra Records, Rubber Records, Sony Music Publishing
SpouseJordie Albiston (m. 2014; d. 2022)[1]
Websiteandy.szikla.com

Andy Szikla is a Musician[2][3][4] and Electronics Designer[5] [6][7] who lives in Melbourne Australia.

Early Musical Career

[edit]

-1985 Szikla played guitar in Melbourne synth pop band Ides Of March, which featured Andy McLean on drums (who later fronted cult band Horsehead and did a stint as a presenter on Countdown Revolution).[8]

In 1986 Szikla and McLean toured as members of abstract rhythm band 87 Fat Girls, with Szikla (as Mr Fish) on guitar and McLean (as Salli Mclean) as front man. They released one studio album, Jump From The Top (1987),[9] and one single "Shine Your Light" bw "Basically" on Cleopatra Records.[10] John Rees from Men At Work produced the album and played bass but did not accompany them live. On tour they were joined by Cameron McKenzie, also later of Horsehead, who became the permanent bass player.[11] At the end of that year Szikla left to perform solo as Mr Fish, and the band changed its name to 21 Guns.

During this period Szikla also served as guitarist side-man in The Kerri Simpson Trio.[11]

As Mr Fish, Szikla progressed through various incarnations from soloist to guitar/drums duo, and for about a year as a power trio. Eventually the name Mr Fish referred to a five piece band of permanent members, featuring Szikla as front man and main singer/songwriter. Described by The Independent as a "90's Outcry", influences included Tom Petty and Husker Du.[12][13] In 1994 Mr Fish Featuring Andy Szikla released their first and only album Allow Me To Introduce Ourselves.[14]

Late Musical Career

[edit]

After a long time away from music[15] and feeling lost after his mothers death and a marriage breakup, Szikla started writing new songs,[16] and eventually completed his first solo album Dark Valley.

Released in July 2013, Rolling Stone compared the sound to "big budget Tom Petty or Bruce Springsteen", also noting Szikla's ability "to write impressive songs."[17] This small budget album of nine songs was in fact recorded over a year or so in the living room of Szikla's flat, using a laptop, Mbox2 interface, a couple of mics, and his newly designed Szikla Prodigal Channel Strip[18](also used on recordings by Jon Stevens, Diesel, and Baby Animals).[19]

Produced by Szikla, Dark valley was mixed by Aria winning producer and engineer David Nicholas[19] who worked on Kick (INXS), and was Chris Thomas's engineer in London for some time. Mastering was by the legendary Don Bartley.[18]

Praise was widespread. Writing for Inpress, Jeff Jenkins opined: If this guy had been around in the seventies he would have been a superstar.[16] Drum's Michael Smith called it "a punch collection of Dark Roots /Folk/Americana-style ballads on which Szikla has sung and played everything." [18] BRAG Magazine, among others, named Dark Valley Indie Album of the Week.[20] Chris Parke of PARX-E Web Zine referenced "the Album's lyrical poetry" selecting 'Into The Light' as a "perfect example", and described Kerri Simpson's guest vocal performance on 'Take Me Up' as "scorching".[19] To Luke Axelby of the NMIT Campus Rap, Szikla's return from hiatus is seen as "purposeful and individual. Each song tells a story, some, like the title track, in an epic and almost apocalyptic manner."[15] Lauren Katulka in Sounds Of Oz mused: "If only every debut could be this good."[21] Patrick Emery writing for Beat declared: "Szikla’s rich narratives... convey a sense of intensity and pathos that’s as compelling as it is endearing, with the title track being an epic, occasionally existentialist journey through the frustrations, contradictions and occasional moments of sincerity that permeates human existence". Finally he states: "Andy Szikla is no ordinary artist, and Dark Valley is no ordinary record."[22]

Music videos were created for each and every song, featuring archival footage of farming communities, confronting cinematic images, and children enjoying the simple pleasures of a lost world.[22] Most of the videos were made by Szikla himself, with two videos ('Bastard Child' and 'Dark Valley') credited to Tony Saad.[23][24]

Electronics Career

[edit]

Works under the banner of SZIKLA TECHNICAL[25]

Creator of the Szikla Prodigal Dual Channel Strip.[26]

Tutorials writer for Audio Technology Magazine (2017-2018).[27][28][29]

Personal Life

[edit]

Andy Szikla was married to Australian Poet Jordie Albiston[30] from 2014 until her tragic death in February 2022.[31]

Genre

[edit]

Americana, Dark Roots, Folk,[18] Rock.

  1. ^ "Obituary - Jordie Patricia (Jord) Albiston - Obituaries Australia". oa.anu.edu.au.
  2. ^ Szikla, Andy. "Dark Valley". Andy Szikla, Dark Valley. Rubber Records. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  3. ^ Szikla, Andy. "Andy Szikla". YouTube Music. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  4. ^ Szikla, Andy. "Andy Szikla". Spotify.com. Spotify. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  5. ^ Szikla, Technical. "Szikla Prodigal Dual Channel Strip". rhinocerosmusic.com. Rhinoceros Music. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  6. ^ Szikla, Andy. "Andy Szikla, Author At Audio Technology". audiotechnology.com. Audio Technology Magazine. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  7. ^ Szikla, Andy. "About Us". Szikla Technical. Szikla.com. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  8. ^ Szikla, Andy (1993). Who's Who Of Australian Rock. Australia: The Five Mile Press. pp. 319, 502. ISBN 0867886684.
  9. ^ Szikla, Andy. "87 Fat Girls – Jump From The Top". Discogs. Cleopatra Records. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
  10. ^ Szikla, Andy. "87 Fat Girls – Shine Your Light". Discogs. Cleopatra Records. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
  11. ^ a b Szikla, Andy (1993). Who's Who Of Australian Rock. Australia: The Five Mile Press. pp. 151, 152. ISBN 0867886684.
  12. ^ Szikla, Andy (14 December 1993). "If it's a bit fishy... it's good". The Independent: 57.
  13. ^ Szikla, Andy (21 July 1993). "BAREFOOT, MR FISH, FUSE, Station Hotel". In Press Magazine: 21.
  14. ^ Szikla, Andy. "Allow Me To Introduce Ourselves". Myspace. Mr Fish Music. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
  15. ^ a b Szikla, Andy (1 July 2013). "CD's by Luke Axelby". NMIT Campus Rap: 22.
  16. ^ a b Szikla, Andy (23 July 2013). "Howzat!". Inpress (1284): 42, 43.
  17. ^ Szikla, Andy. "Andy Szikla, Dark Valley, Rubber Records". Rolling Stone Magazine (September 2013): 97.
  18. ^ a b c d Szikla, Andy (9 July 2013). "In The Studio: The Prodigal Album". Drum, Sydney (1168): 50.
  19. ^ a b c Szikla, Andy (July 2013). "ANDY SZIKLA Dark Valley Album Launch". PARX-E WEB ZINE. Chris Parke. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  20. ^ Szikla, Andy (5 August 2013). "Andy Szikla : Dark Valley INDIE ALBUM OF THE WEEK". The BRAG. Brag Media.
  21. ^ Szikla, Andy (4 July 2013). "Andy Szikla Wows with Dark Valley". Sounds Of Oz.
  22. ^ a b Szikla, Andy. "Andy Szikla : Dark Valley". Beat.
  23. ^ Szikla, Andy. "Dark Valley Playlist". YouTube Music.
  24. ^ Szikla, Andy. "Andy Szikla Dark Valley". Andy.Szikla.com.
  25. ^ https://connectonline.asic.gov.au/RegistrySearch/faces/landing/bySearchId.jspx?searchIdType=BUSN&searchId=92094481
  26. ^ Szikla, Andy (18 March 2016). "Szikla Technical Prodigal". Audio Technology (114): 80–82.
  27. ^ Szikla, Andy (24 November 2017). "View From The Bench: How Preamps Quietly Make Big Gains, Part 1". Audio Technology Magazine (123): 56–58.
  28. ^ Szikla, Andy (14 November 2018). "View From The Bench: Amplifier Class Wars". Audio Technology Magazine (130): 48–50.
  29. ^ Szikla, Andy (14 July 2018). "View From The Bench: Audio Level Meters". Audio Technology Magazine (128): 44–46.
  30. ^ Albiston, Jordie. "Jordie Patricia (Jord) Albiston (1961–2022)". Poet. Obituaries Australia. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  31. ^ Albiston. "Jordie". Poet. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
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