Andy Bull Blogs About Michael Jackson’s Death, Joe’s Reaction

Andy Bull before a torn backdrop

Andy Bull updated fans on his blog at MySpace (@andybull) on Wednesday (July 1), talking about the death of Michael Jackson and the aftermath from the family, notably his father Joe, and the media. The Australian singer songwriter tells readers:

Now that Michael has died, the swarms are left to pick over his carrion. The wreckage of his once enviable life seems to me like a giant junkyard. The Black Entertainment Awards was distinguished by Janet Jackson appearing to say a few words, representing a family that were “too upset” to appear themselves. Since then we’ve seen footage, pictures and quotes of Michael’s father looking not like a man broken by the loss of a son, but like a business man who’s business deal has just fallen through. A mild disappointment, rather than a tragic grief, is about all we get from Jackson Snr. His words of mourning seem rather hollow… compounded by the product spruiking epilogue of his official statement, that went along the lines of “in conclusion, the next product I want to show you is this terrific blue-ray disc player”. It becomes pretty clear that Mr Jackson Snr was the ultimate stage parent, a salesman who ultimately sold out his own children. Michael Jackson, like a whatever the hell Joe is selling now, was pimped from the beginning, and, like a girl who’s only ever felt good when people tell her she’s pretty, Michael relied completely on that song and dance for any sense of worth or connection. It filled the place, rather poorly, of real familial relationships (particularly paternal)…

Andy Bull Talks About Being Thrust Into Lisa Mitchell’s Band

Andy Bull in a suit

Andy Bull updated fans on his blog at MySpace (@andybull) on Sunday (May 10), having wrapped up a tour with Lisa Mitchell that saw him transition from opening act to opening act and member of Lisa’s band after she had an accident slicing bread. The Australian singer songwriter tells readers:

Yesterday I arrived home from touring. To fill you in, I went around the country as the support for Lisa Mitchell (“Neopolitan Dreams”, “Coin Laundry” etc). We played 20-something shows at venues in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia. At the beginning of the tour I came along with the purpose simply of performing as the support act.

Before the third show, however, Lisa cut her finger pretty badly with a sharp knife while attempting to cut some bread. Sounds like a silly way to go cutting yourself up, but poor Lisa managed to take off a fair chunk of her pointer finger on the left hand; a digit you might call essential in the act of playing guitar. So before the show, Jan (that’s pronounced Yarn), her bassist, wrote out the chord charts for me and asked me to join the band, because Lisa wasn’t able to play the guitar, and piano would have to substitute. So that’s what I did. With chord charts resting on the keyboard, I played the set without too much fuss, just the odd look over my shoulder to Jan, and Rob (the drummer) for some queues. By the next night, I was well into the swing of it. There is a nice economy in the way Lisa’s songs work; simple chords, simple structures, simple time signatures; its what makes the songs work the way they do; and it also makes them a breeze to perform, even on first reading.

Andy Bull ‘Young Man’ Video

Andy Bull 'Young Man' single cover

Andy Bull is out with the music video to his new single ‘Young Man’, the second release off the Australian singer songwriter’s upcoming debut album, out August 7th on Island Records. Watch it at theloop.com.au.

Lisa Mitchell Cut off Half Of Her Finger?

Andy Bull checked in with fans on his blog at MySpace (@andybull) on Friday (April 24), while on tour with ‘Australian Idol’ season four finalist Lisa Mitchell, who apparently suffered some sort of accident. The Australian singer songwriter tells readers:

Also it looks as if i have been absorbed into Lisa Mitchell’s band for this tour, since she cut off half of her finger, and am acting now as her pianist, which is good fun. It means I’m on stage most of the night, between my own set and hers. Its fun to play in somebody else’s gig as well as play my own set. Best of both worlds… plus a few extra coins in the pocket to spend at any of the thousands of road side porn stores here in QSLD. This place has more adult shops than Melbourne has cafes….

Andy Bull Road Blocked Trying To Meet Duffy Backstage

Andy Bull

Andy Bull checked in with fans on his blog at MySpace (@andybull) on Monday (March 30), talking about his show at the Sydney Opera House, supporting Duffy, and his frustrating attempt to meet with the singer backstage after the show. The Australian singer songwriter tells readers:

So I’m walking down the hallway after the Duffy show, on my way to the dressing room to get my stuff and go home. I see a room full of people, and assuming that it’s Duffy’s band, I decide I’ll poke my head in to say “great show, have fun in Sydney”. Before I can even get close, Duffy’s rough cockney tour manage, a balding guy with a scowl, basically manhandles me out of the way, tells me I am not welcome and that I should “get lost”.

What, the, fu**? Are you serious?

“This is a private meet and greet. Go away”. I looked over his shoulder to see a Duffy inside, having a meet and great with what looked to be Universal Music!! The hell? Thats Universal Music in there. I’m signed to Island Records, part of Universal. And i cant even walk down the damn hallway. I’m being pushed out of the way by some smash-faced bastard with the cold eyes of a shark, telling me to get f*cked. Annoying.

I wasn’t trying to even meet Duffy. Two reasons why:

1. I had already met her. She approached me at the MySpace show to say hello and thank you. She was lovely, it was cool. It was polite, and it was enough.

2. You don’t bother approaching celebrities after a show, ever, unless you have been specifically invited. This is a rule.

Andy Bull Shirtless For Cleo’s 50 Most Eligible Bachelors List

Andy Bull checked in with fans on his blog at MySpace (@andybull) on Tuesday (March 17), talking about his inclusion in Cleo magazine’s 50 Most Eligible Bachelors list. The Australian singer songwriter is featured in three shirtless pictures at Cleo.com.au. He writes:

Hi folks, I’m a tad coy about mentioning this, but I suppose I should…. you may have seen that I am one of Cleo Magazine’s Top 50 bachelors of the year. A funny sort of thing, to be sure. SO… you can go to the website or see the mag.. and even vote. And yes, somehow they convinced me to be photographed semi naked… gasp!

Andy Bull Sings The News

Andy BullAndy Bull checked in with fans on his MySpace TV channel, singing a news update from behind a piano. The Australian singer songwriter offered a clearer picture on when fans can expect his debut album.

“I have been finishing my album this week, and it’s due around June or July,” Andy sang, adding that he’ll be performing at SXSW “somewhere in the U.S.A. I’ve never been.”

Watch the video via MySpace below.

Andy Bull Sees Album Release Delay As An Opportunity

Andy Bull

Andy Bull updated fans on his blog at MySpace (@andybull) on Wednesday (February 4), talking about his frustrations getting his album released. The Sydney, Australia singer songwriter tells readers:

After the surprising attention paid to ‘Small Town Girl’, I was due to release another single before last year ended…. but you know, this being the real world, and plans meaning not much more than a pocketful of dust out here, things got waylaid with a couple of tours, and some other stuff that resulted, essentially, in me running out of time to properly release something before the Christmas period (a time new comers like me don’t dare venture outside…. Christmas releases, summer tours, and festivals full of the big names makes it hard to compete for attention… which I can understand; I wanted to see Ryan Adams, Neil Young, Bon Iver, Fleet Foxes, TV on the Radio… but I had gigs on most of these nights and couldn’t get to any of them).

So after that delay, I grew very impatient… I stamped my foot and told the people I work with “Look, if my singles and album is going to keep being delayed and put back like this, then I want to record more music in the meantime”; I didn’t want to have an album made up of songs recorded a over a year beforehand when so much has gone on in the year since. So that’s basically we’re I’m at. I’m writing the next single (or rewriting to be precise, after some thoughtful revision of the song and what it was I am trying to say with it exactly) and finishing a couple of other recordings that I want to get up to scratch to go on the album. If all goes to plan, three or four of the songs on the album will have been written in the last few months.

I’m not gonna kid you, since there’s nothing to gain; its been hard work. I’ve been sitting on these songs, champing at the damn bit to put it out for all to hear so that I can’t keep pushing forward. I’ve been trying to see this delay as an opportunity; one last chance to say something good, to make something that bit more accomplished, to go on this, my first album. The first one seems like such a big deal…. like such a big step… only because a) it’s my first full presentation to the world and b) it’s taken many years to get to this point.

Andy Bull’s Debut Album Pushed Back To February 2009

Andy Bull

Andy Bull checked in with fans on his blog at MySpace (@andybull) on Friday (November 7), telling readers his self-titled debut album on Island Records is getting pushed back. The 23-year-old Australian singer songwriter explains:

I am very excited to announce that since the album release has been pushed back to February next year, it means I have found some time to get back into the studio and record a few of the many many new songs I have recently written… including ‘Cheating On You’, which you may recall from the live show. Sweet!

Andy Bull ‘Small Town Girl’ Video

Andy Bull 'Small Town Girl'

Andy Bull is out with the video for his new single ‘Small Town Girl’, directed by Straighty180, off the Sydney, Australia singer songwriter’s upcoming debut album on Island Records. Watch it at YouTube.

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