BIGGER THAN ME PODCAST
Get inspired by people who make a difference bigger than themselves with host Aaron Pete. From overcoming obstacles to finding motivation, these guests will inspire you to dream bigger and strive for greatness!
Popular guests include Premier David Eby, Vassy Kapelos, Brent Butt, Ariel Helwani, Rav Arora, Tara Henley and the Millennial Therapist.
BIGGER THAN ME PODCAST
181. Andrew Christopher Performs LIVE and Talks About Overcoming Loss
Aaron Pete hosts an intimate live event with singer-songwriter Andrew Christopher, exploring his artistic journey, the challenges of balancing family and art, and his bold pivot to original music and meaningful projects. Through heartfelt performances, Andrew reflects on personal loss, his creative process, and the healing power of music.
How is everybody doing? Are you having fun? Is it everything you expected and more? Okay, let's have a vote. Who thinks I pull off the top hat? Okay, perfect, it was a point. I just wanted to make a point that I can pull it off. Thank you guys. All so much for coming. This has been a blast. I hope you're having fun. I hope the food how was the food? How did it hold up? Good, yeah, I'm so excited to be doing this again.
Aaron Pete:It's been since, I think, june that we last hosted one of these and people are so nice and supportive of everything that we're doing here and I'm so grateful that you were all. No pressure on you, man, no pressure on you. I would not want to be that guy. This is such a blast to host. Like the goal of these has always been just for people to have fun. Like I want everybody to know people here, feel comfortable and be able to have a good time where you're connecting with people that you know and not feel like you're walking into a room I hate going to events Rebecca can attest to this where I don't know people and I feel uncomfortable, and so the goal of these is always for people to just be able to have fun with their friends, family, people they know, and just relax, eat great food and enjoy amazing music, which is what we're doing tonight, and so thank you all for coming. I hope that. How did the jello shots hold up? Did anybody expect it or was it good? Did it hold up? I'm glad I get bullied all the way leading up to it that I'm doing something like jello shots and people are like people aren't going to like that and you guys ran those out. And the last time we did it, which was the first live event we did nobody had any of them and I looked, I was pouring them out and Rebecca looks over at me and she's like this was such a waste of time for you and so we killed it this time and you guys all finished it. We're like out of alcohol. So kudos to you guys for figuring that out.
Aaron Pete:Tonight we're listening to a musician I've had the pleasure of interviewing previously and he's taken a new direction and that's why I wanted to re-interview him, speak with him again, because I think and I don't know if all of you know this, but like the challenges of being an artist, like they're real, like people aren't always like they say they support you, they say they want you to continue, but like it's an uproar battle and nobody understands the grind of trying to get it on social media, trying to get views on, like Apple Music or all of those things. So I hope that you can appreciate the amount of work that goes into this. This is his whole life dedicated to producing and creating music that we're going to be hearing from tonight. It's not an overnight thing, it's 10 years to create something like this no-transcript out tonight to support what we do.
Aaron Pete:And we're trying to do this podcast, we're trying to host these live events and I just I really want you to appreciate yourselves, because you're the people who actually show up. Like I message out to people hey, this event's going on and people go. Yeah, sure, I can make it, but maybe I'm busy that night I'm doing chess or something and it's just like ouch, ouch, I get it, but ouch. And so all of you are the people who do support entrepreneurs, creators, people who are willing to put themselves out there. So, without further ado I don't want to bore you, but without further ado, can we please give a gigantic round of applause for the man, the myth, the legend, andrew Christopher Appreciate it buddy.
Andrew Christopher:Yeah, no offense, that's what they said again here.
Aaron Pete:Oh, you are so late, you missed all of that.
Andrew Christopher:She got the grand entrance.
Aaron Pete:Before we start, I just want to do a huge cheers whether it's water, pop, whatever you guys are drinking to coming out tonight, to celebrating the endeavor of an entrepreneur. Please, cheers for all of you guys coming out tonight.
Andrew Christopher:Cheers buddy. Thanks, I missed you.
Aaron Pete:So before we start, I want to pull it back to the beginning and just understand like I think it's important for people to understand why you're here. Like, how do you start on a music journey? Where did that start for you?
Andrew Christopher:Well, I think I always kind of bring it back to my being raised in the church and joining the church choir and being in piano lessons as a kid. That's kind of where I would say that music got started. You know, singing in church choir and taking piano lessons. And my three older sisters, you know singing in church choir and taking piano lessons. And my three older sisters, you know same, they took piano lessons. And you know Carolyn took it a bit more seriously than everybody and so I saw her really excel in that and I would think that's a big part of it for me is seeing her take it seriously and so, thankfully, she kind of kept playing music and so it was always around.
Andrew Christopher:And then, you know, getting into high school, I joined a high school band. I played drums throughout high school band and picked up a guitar in grade 12, I believe, joined my first band in grade 11, maybe just singing for some older guys that were starting a band and needed a singer. That band was called Argyle. So that's your trivia note my first band ever was called Argyle. And yeah, so I guess those are kind of the real early beginnings.
Aaron Pete:Was it a way of expressing yourself or sharing a part of yourself that people didn't understand? When did that start to become a part of why you participate in music?
Andrew Christopher:You know, I think a lot of the early days were more centered around me getting a bit of attention. I think I liked performing and you know I played a lot of sports and did pretty well at a couple of them, and so I always kind of had a lot of attention on me and I think I liked it. You know, I think I've grown a bit out of that, I think I would say, but as a kid, you know, I think a lot of kids want to be kind of welcomed in that way and and paid attention to, and so anything I could do that was was grabbing some attention from people I I kind of was drawn towards, and music was one of those. I again I was, I was lucky, I was pretty naturally gifted at it, I believe, and so I think, more so than expressing myself, it was about having people you know kind of looking at me, paying attention to what I was doing. I think that was the draw at first, and then it evolved more into the expression part of it.
Aaron Pete:Could I challenge that maybe a little bit and say maybe needing attention. But I think for so many young people they want to be seen, yeah, they want to be recognized in a positive, pro-social sense yeah, yeah, I think.
Andrew Christopher:so, you know, and, and there was a lot going on in my childhood years and adolescence and and reasons that I would want to be seen, I think, and performing. I think there was a lot going on around the home that didn't really sit well with me, whether I really knew it or if it was more subconscious, and so, again, music and sports, I think, were a way of excelling at something that people would recognize me for and a way for me to express myself. I think in an extent, but it might have been, as I said, a bit more subconscious at that time of my life.
Aaron Pete:The other piece I just want to understand is what do you think your, why is now?
Andrew Christopher:Now, you know, over the last few years it's definitely developed more connecting with people to help them through something they might be going through whether that's trauma they've been through as a kid or things they're going through as an adult, any tough times they might be experiencing and to really connect with people on a deeper level, which I think is really important and I think is getting more and more lost in some ways in some aspects of society.
Aaron Pete:Can you talk about your early music career? Parliament of Owls, those early days.
Andrew Christopher:Yeah. So, as I said, the first band was called Okay good, well done. Okay good, well done. And then, you know, I joined a band called Pardon my Striptease. It was a group of local Chilliwack.
Aaron Pete:Somebody knew that.
Andrew Christopher:Yeah, yeah, somebody just band. That was my first kind of serious project. I would say, um, and that was, uh, you know, fresh out of high school. I was, I was going to college and joined this band and decided to drop out of drop out of college to take this band more seriously, and um, and that was, uh, you know we, we did quite well locally, you know, around the province, and and a few accolades, uh, were built. You know we did quite well locally, you know, around the province, and a few accolades were built up, you know, in a bit more than just local here. So that was a good experience.
Andrew Christopher:That was ultimately kind of what ended that, because we had to take a break while I was helping taking care of my daughter, lily, who had brain cancer when she was only 10 months old. She was diagnosed and so we were in the hospital for a couple of years or going through treatment. She eventually passed away, and during those couple of years, you know, the band obviously was slowing down. We couldn't do much, and then one of the other members said that was kind of it for him, he was moving on to other things and and so so that's when, pardon, my striptease ended, um, and I started doing more solo stuff, just, uh, busking a lot on Granville Island I did to make some money. Um, that's where I got a lot of my logged, a lot of hours just performing and perfecting all my cover songs that I did.
Andrew Christopher:And then the next original project that came up was Parliament of Owls, with a family friend you know. We both had young kids and connected out in White Rock with Jamie Rowe. Jamie Rowe is the friend that we wrote all these tunes for Parliament of Owls together and performed a few shows and it kind of ended up being a bit more of a one-off project but it was awesome while we did it and it was more so a friendship, you know, and connecting over other things. But he was a great guitar player and he would write a lot of just guitar lines and strumming chords and then I would write lyrics and sing over top of them, and so it worked really well that way.
Andrew Christopher:Way and he moved to the island, I moved out this way and we still write together, um, whenever we can get together, we still like to get the kids together. They're still good friends and, um, yeah, so I guess you know that kind of brought us Parliament of Owls. That album came out in 2019. And that was the last kind of original project I had and now going back towards a bit more solo stuff.
Aaron Pete:So that's my goal for everybody here tonight. My hope is that perhaps you can play some music from those early days and then, at the end of the night, you can play music that you're doing right now. And my dream, if I had a dream, and then, at the end of the night, you can play music that you're doing right now? And my dream, if I had a dream, is that people would be able to see that journey and the differences and perhaps your growth over those years. So could you take us back?
Andrew Christopher:Sure, do the first couple here. Now let's do it, okay Is everybody ready for live music?
Aaron Pete:Yeah, let's do it. Yeah, they're done with me, man.
Andrew Christopher:Yeah, let I get this. So the first one I'll do here is uh, I wrote it. I was probably about 20 years old. I wrote a few songs in high school, um, and then, uh, this one, about 20 years old, I was traveling around New Zealand, australia at the time, and it's a very innocent, you know. Love is the answer. Love everybody, love everything. It says love a lot in it, which you know is a value I definitely still hold today. It's, you know, about helping each other and just caring for each other. And this another part of trivia here for you guys, this is the only song of mine that I know of that has its lyrics tattooed on somebody. It's called Cookie Jar. I didn't plug in, tim, should I plug in? It's called Cookie Jar. It's called Cookie Jar.
Andrew Christopher:It's something that should be said every day. A four-letter word, that's okay, but sometimes we get so caught up in it all, get stuck with the backs against the wall, so don't forget. Tie that bow around your finger. Say it right now, don't let it linger. This song is just to say I love you and I think the whole world loves you. In case I don't get the chance tomorrow, I'll say it right now, just so you know that I, I, I, I love you. This isn't just for my girl, this isn't just for my girl or my brothers or my sisters, or my mom or my dad, but for every race and every nation of this world, cause we're all gonna need it bad sometimes. We all should give it, we all should show it, we all should give it, we all should show it, we all should receive it. So, everybody, everywhere, throw your hands in the air, sing with me, and I know that you'll be there. This song is just to say I love you and thank the whole world of you. In case I don't get the chance tomorrow, I'll say it right now, just so you know that I, I, I, I love you.
Andrew Christopher:Well, life should be easy. There should be no cuts, no scars, just people helping people reach those cookie jars. So be someone's bridge over troubled water. Love a perfect stranger, like a mother loves her daughter. It's going to happen soon, with some help from above. It's not that hard. All you need is love. This song is just to say I love you and thank the whole world for you. In case I don't get the chance tomorrow, I'll say it right now, just so you know I, I, I, I love you, I, I, I, I love you.
Andrew Christopher:Thank you, thank you. So that one's on a record I did called Gone this was kind of during the Pardon, my Striptease days towards the end of it and an acoustic album, just my guitar and I, I a couple features of other instruments on there and, yeah, there was, I think you know, 10 songs or so in that variety that that I had written in my younger days, um and uh, and then I'm gonna do one more. So this, this one then kind of jumps right ahead to parliament of vowelsls and a song, one of the first songs I wrote with Jamie Jamie Rowe, my friend from the island there, and he kind of came to me just with the strumming pattern that he had been working on and, as I said, it was a friendship thing, family. We had a couple of young kids, you know, in our relationships and, um, and watching the girls play and and grow up and uh, we would take awesome trips together, you know, to the sunshine coast or something and rent a place out and um, that's where this song really got solidified.
Andrew Christopher:It was on one of those trips and um, it's talks about the emotion of, you know, going on vacation and when vacation's done, you, you gotta go home but you don't want to leave and Kind of morphs into a bit of any situation you're in where you don't think you really want to leave it, because it's such a nice feeling, it's a good situation, but you know that eventually, you know all good things end someday and you got to move forward. So this one's called Vacation Song.
Andrew Christopher:The sun knocks at my doorstep, but I'm not ready to leave. No, I don't. No, if I'll ever Be ready to go back home. The waves crash at my doorstep. How could I ever leave? I don't know when I'll be back, but I'll be back, you best believe. And I don't know if I'll ever Be ready to go back home.
Andrew Christopher:You can't stop a train on a railroad track. You can't turn around if you don't look back. Life's not about where you've been, my dear, it's where you go from here. The clouds are taking over and it's starting to rain. Too young to care, with curly hair. They just kept on playing and I don't know if I'll ever be ready to go back home. So you can't stop a train on a railroad track. You can't turn around if you don't look back. But life's not about where you go from here, it's where you go from here. Hey, guitar solo A late night at the driveway. She put her hand in mine. I could take it slow, but I know, I know she wouldn't mind. No, I'm not ready To go back home. No, I'm not ready to go back home. Oh, no, no, no, no.
Andrew Christopher:Thank you very much.
Aaron Pete:One of my favorite lessons of that song is that, like that really is how life is. Like I proposed to Rebecca and I spent two months, three months planning how that was gonna go, and then it's over in moments like it's it's gone out of your hands in such a short period of time. With these events, like when we start planning them what did we start planning this five weeks ago? And then we get here and I spend all this time worrying about what are we gonna serve, what are we gonna do, how are we gonna do it? And then it's over. And then we get here and I spend all this time worrying about what are we going to serve, what are we going to do, how are we going to do it? And then it's over, and then it's a memory already and it just gives you a deeper appreciation for time.
Andrew Christopher:Yeah, for for the moment and making sure you really enjoy it. But then also, I think one of the one of the things in life that'll help you the most is knowing that you know there's always the next thing you know or there's something to look forward to coming afterwards too, right, and and uh. So you know, don't, don't hesitate to move into something new, or to, or to to move on and enjoy the moment while it's here, but then make sure you're you're not stuck looking back at that moment and you're you're into the next moment fully, you know there's another piece here that I think I think a lot about.
Aaron Pete:I feel like so often we give the wrong people our time, like somebody wrongs you, somebody cuts you off in traffic, or maybe a loved one is pushing your buttons in the wrong way and they're not appreciating you. You're doing your best way and they're not appreciating you, you're doing your best and then you give all your mental time to them.
Aaron Pete:when the good people, the people who are on your side, advocating for you, supporting you, showing up for you, it's like thank you. But you know who really pisses me off, it's these, these other people, and like, I think a lot about that because I hear so much of like this person bothers me, that person's frustrating me, and it's like, but like, how do you make sure that you don't give all of your time to the people who aren't like, really on your team? And how do you make sure that in these moments, in these vacation song moments, how do you make sure you appreciate the people who make that moment possible?
Andrew Christopher:Yeah, you know, and I think you'll probably hear this theme a lot but I think it starts with you know, making sure you know who you are and aligning yourself, surrounding yourself, to people that aren't jiving with you or that are pissing you off all the time or getting on your nerves. You know you might start by looking in at yourself and what maybe you're unhappy with in there that sometimes you can be projecting onto people as well, or it could be that they are just a shitty person that you know you should cut out of your life. But but you know that's one thing I learned is sometimes you know the.
Andrew Christopher:The thing you dislike about someone is often reminding you of something you dislike about yourself. Um, and so I mean it just comes to you know, yeah, don't be too judgmental. You know every time you point a finger, how many are, how many are back at you, and, and, and and. Then, if it is a negative interaction or a negative person, try and let it roll off your shoulder, brush it off and and find that person that is making you feel, feel good, or take some time to yourself and and find happiness there.
Aaron Pete:I think you you mentioned this earlier and I it's an incredibly heavy topic that you've raised and it was the loss of your daughter and I can't even imagine how that impacts you. But I want to understand what are those next steps? It's not comparable, but everybody goes through something and how. Like it's not comparable, but like everybody goes through something and like I'm just I'm curious what are those next steps when you're, when you're going in a direction of trying to grow.
Andrew Christopher:I'll start with the comparable thing. You know, and a friend of mine said to me you know, well, everybody's gone through something terrible and the worst thing to happen to you is the worst thing that's happened to you. You don't, you don't know any worse than that, right? So, you know, everybody can relate in some way to the worst thing that's happened to them in their life. You know, and um, in terms of how do you kind of start growing and moving on?
Andrew Christopher:Um, again, I would turn it, turn it inwards, you know, and and really thinking about what you believe and what you value, um, and uh, you know, it took me quite a while and and there was a big speed bump in the way after, after Lily passed away, when I was, you know, starting to grieve and and trying to figure all this stuff out, um, and then a lot of really terrible stuff came out about my dad and things that he was doing and brought up a bunch of stuff from my childhood and so that really interrupted this whole grieving process that I was in and threw a wrench in there that you know, I've only recently really started getting a handle on and starting to figure out, really started getting a handle on and starting to figure out.
Andrew Christopher:You know, in terms of Lily specifically, it was, yeah, it was tough for quite a while, you know, and I'm not proud of some of the things I did or who I was really following that, but that's something I've had to accept and forgive myself for, you know, and people that maybe I hurt in relationships where I wasn't my at my best, and um, and friendships too, and um, it's, uh, yeah, it's, it's definitely a healing process.
Andrew Christopher:That's, that's ongoing and um, and then, like I said, when this stuff with my dad got thrown in there and now it's been working out, stuff from when I was a kid and got thrown in there and now it's been working out stuff from when I was a kid and and then seeing you know how that affected me as I was trying to deal with what Lily was going through, and then the aftermath of that and how I was grieving and and these uh, you know things about myself that had to look inward and and try, try fixing and, um, know, and yesterday was Lily's birthday Uh, it would have been her 14th birthday Um, and uh, yeah, it's still still hurts, that's for sure, you know, it was still shed a lot of tears about it and and um, yeah, it's, it's tough.
Andrew Christopher:You know, the biggest thing that I come back to is I just feel like it's so unfair that she didn't get to experience life like, like we do, and you know that's, that's one of those questions that you know will always, will always kind of haunt me. You know, no matter what I find out or learn or believe you know about life and spirituality, it's, uh, it's still something that'll always, always bug me. You know, and um, and dealing with that it's just taking the time again, some quiet time with yourself and letting the emotions out writing them down, playing some music something.
Aaron Pete:Yeah, the piece that I find really important is like people have ways of expressing themselves, whether it's writing in a journal, going for a run, like there's different ways. Do you find that music is your way of kind of processing this information, or it is.
Andrew Christopher:It definitely has been a big part of it. Um, I think, uh, over the last few years I've developed some other practices that are maybe even more powerful for me personally. Um, but in terms of the music, there's been, uh, you know, revelations happening on stage where I'm playing a song and I finally really feel the lyrics or really know what they're about, kind of read them differently this time or sing them differently, and I'm like Whoa, that it really hits me hard and then, yes, I, you know it completely changes that song for me when I'm even as I'm performing it, and so there's been a few very healing moments in that way and uh, then, otherwise, you know, I think, writing, writing in general. So I have started journaling every day, you know, and writing more kind of essay style or blog form.
Andrew Christopher:Um, writings that, uh, that have really helped, you know, just getting those emotions and thoughts into the world, you know, physically, right like on paper, writing them down. It's that's really helped me. And then the other, the other part of it is just stillness, quiet. Um, you know, I've taken up a meditation practice over the past four years and that's where a lot of help has come from there, just creating the space to allow some of these thoughts to figure themselves out and ideas and feelings to come to me that I can wrestle with a bit and then put to rest.
Aaron Pete:With that knowledge that this is a one of the ways you process your emotions and your experience, can you share some of those songs now?
Andrew Christopher:Yeah, yeah, let's, let's do that. I think I'll start with with the one about Lily. Jean is also also on the Parliament of Owls album. And yeah, this one I wrote I couldn't quite tell you when probably around 2015,. No, probably earlier than that, 2013 or something, let's say 2014. And yeah, it's called Sweetheart. It was just written to her after she passed away. Yeah, let's get that mic. It was just written to her after she passed away. Yeah, let's get that mic. Hey, thanks Tim, thanks Eric. Did I move that much? Here we go, here we go.
Andrew Christopher:I'll always remember the start of September and the rainy day when it ended.
Andrew Christopher:I hope this reminds you Of Oahu, chilling under the palm tree, ohana, just me and my family. The way that you'd sing along to all of our favorite songs Help keep the peace between me and your mom. We'd eat everything for you. We'd do anything for you, sweetheart, sweetheart. Nothing's ours for you. If I drink, I'll drink to you, sweetheart, sweetheart. When I sing, I sing to you. If I sleep, I'll dream of you, sweetheart, sweetheart. You can't count the sands of time, but I wish I could give you mine. You're slipped away and we froze inside. I scream out at night now, trying to reach you somehow. I hope you're somewhere out there Up above the clouds.
Andrew Christopher:When I dance, I dance for you. When I drink, I drink to you, sweetheart, sweetheart. When I sing, I sing to you. If I sleep, I dream of you, sweetheart, sweetheart. I'll always remember the start of September and the rainy day that it ended. When I dance, I'll dance for you. When I drink, I'll drink to you, sweetheart, sweetheart. When I sing, I'll sing to you. If I sleep, I sing to you. If I sleep, I drink to you, sweetheart, sweetheart. When I dance, I dance for you. If I drink, I drink to you, sweetheart, sweetheart. When I sing, I sing to you. If I sleep, I dream of you, sweetheart.
Andrew Christopher:Thank you guys very much. That one's for Lily Jean.
Aaron Pete:If you have to go to the bathroom, please go. The last time I hosted one of these, we're leaving and people are like you did not let me go to the bathroom and they were not happy, so please go.
Andrew Christopher:Take them up on it. Take them up on it, yeah, happy. So please go say no, but it take him up on it. Yeah, should I move on to the next song? Still, or do you? Would you like me to wait? Yeah, no problem either way. No problem either way. This next one I've only performed once before, and this one again was the. The guitar part was written by Jamie Rowe and he was out here once a few months ago and he joined me for a few songs at Major League Pub there and we actually did this one, but no one was listening. So, thank you guys very much.
Andrew Christopher:And a somewhat fitting holiday song, just because it says Happy Christmas in it, although the sentiment is not of a joyous celebration or anything, you know, it's kind of tongue in cheek, happy Christmas that we always had, although, having said that, you know I should be completely honest that.
Andrew Christopher:You know, I do have a lot of good memories of my childhood and good Christmases, you know. But you know things you kind of figure out and learn about later in life that that make you look back on things a bit differently, um, and so this one is very personal, uh, you know, and kind of written um as a letter to to my sisters and my family and, um, you know, kind of almost some, some things, I think maybe they've. They've dealt with, uh in, in regards to our dad and our relationship with our dad. They've dealt with in regards to our dad and our relationship with our dad. And you know, the kind of the guy that the guy that I thought he was anyway is kind of getting turned upside down and not quite, not quite being who who I thought he was, and so it's called Happy Christmas, I guess. Yeah, and I'll just try it here for you guys and see how she goes.
Andrew Christopher:She took ten years. On Tuesday, she started when she was young. Her dad gave her her first bottle. You should have known what she'd become. Well, half her life was wasted and the other half was dry. The only way of coping Was out there getting high, but we always had a happy Christmas. You could have swore he was religious. You could have swore he was religious. He always drove us there to practice, but he never passed the test. We all thought she was the good one, but she struggled all the same. She never could let herself be happy. She pushed them all away. So before you close your Bible, can I make one last request? Learn to read between the lines and go forth and repent. We always had a happy Christmas. You could have swore he was religious. He always drove us there to practice, but he'd never pass the test. My sisters, I'm still sorry. I was too confused to help. I tried once and it backfired. That's the scar I've always felt and I still feel. It Could never heal it.
Andrew Christopher:Thank you very much.
Aaron Pete:I'm curious as to how you process your career to date, because that's a lot to go through. How do you reflect on that period?
Andrew Christopher:As far as my career goes, you know I think I was preaching a lot to myself and even to some people that I wasn't quite practicing myself or not comfortable practicing yet.
Andrew Christopher:And, um, you know I'm I'm at a place now where I'm very comfortable, um, talking openly about, you know, anything that's you know that I've, that I've been through that I think could be relatable or could help somebody and, and you know that started with, you know, conversations with my family and and letting them know that you know I'm pretty comfortable with this stuff. You know, and it's something I want to start putting out there and um again, in hopes of of helping and healing and, um, yeah, it's, uh, it's been a been a journey. You know there's been a journey. You know there's some pivotal, you know, moments I can remember that really kind of cracked open this new piece that I want to start working on and, you know, living a life more aligned with the values that I know I have, more aligned with the values that I know I have, and I'm really putting myself out there and putting the work into it. That should get me to where I want to be.
Aaron Pete:Before you came on, I talked about this journey of being an artist. You talked a little bit about performing in Granville Island, the work that goes on there, performing at bars. Can you reflect on that? Like you're choosing to walk away from a lot of that right now, like this month, you're choosing a new path. Can you talk about why you're pivoting away from that?
Andrew Christopher:You know, and I think that kind of that time of my performing career in music was, you know, getting those 10,000 hours that everybody talks about before you can master something.
Andrew Christopher:And so that was that. I spent time busking around Australia when I was there, and in England just performing on the street, more so, singing these songs for myself and practicing as people are walking by, practicing as people are walking by. And then that turned into the bar scene and the and the pubs where I've held down a few long-term residencies that, uh, you know, one has come to an end already um, at the Jolly Miller. There it was just time to move on and, um, part of that is is again surrounding yourself with people you want to be, want to be around, you know, every week or in places where you want to be, and, um and uh, it was time for something new there. And so that kind of that part of the career was, yeah, really building up towards this. I'm, I, I think, and, um, in terms of now I've, I've written a lot of songs, tons of songs, more, more songs in the last six months probably than I have in my entire life Um and uh, learning from all these other songs that I was playing so many times, you know, and learning so much music of other artists and bands that I really loved, and now being able to kind of let that fester in my musical mind and and up with something, you know, that that I would like to think is original. You know, we're all building off the shoulders of people before us, or what is it? You know, standing on the shoulders of giants and, um, yeah, so it's, it's all got got, it's it's start from. From all this music I learned to play of other people's and kind of developing my own style or my own taste for what I think I like. And now that's really where I want to put the focus on my own music and my own ideas and writing, as well, as I said, and bringing back the podcasts, you know.
Andrew Christopher:And yeah, that's kind of where I'm at today is trying to just make it more personal and a bit more purposeful to me. You know, I I found in the last few years that all these cover gigs I was doing that I wasn't able to put my best foot forward because I knew I had more to give than than what I was doing there. Um, and and I think I was, you know my purpose lately, over the past decade, let's say, even um was my family. You know my kids, that I that I have, you know I've got a beautiful daughter who's 11 years old and my son who's five um, and my stepdaughter who's 16.
Andrew Christopher:And uh, that was my focus and that was my purpose and and I think that's a very good value to have to make that your number one. But then I started to learn that there's something else that the people need a drive and a purpose outside of that, you know, to to kind of spread to the community and and and help others and and that's where these bar gigs and stuff it wasn't really lining up with a purpose that I, that I could find Um, and so I think I've. I've found that now more um with my original music and and and these other things I'm really enjoying getting into.
Aaron Pete:Can we hone in on that a little bit more? Because, again, before you came out, I was just talking about the challenges of being an artist that, like so many of us, see somebody doing something great and we go like congratulations. But like you're giving up a residency spot at a bar guaranteed income, reliable, you know that it's coming. Like you're giving up these positions where you know what next week is gonna look. Like yeah, for sharing your purpose. And like it's the same with the podcast. Like nobody's paying me to do this I don't have a big sponsor, I don't have any. Like this is because I love it and I believe in what I'm doing, but nobody's guaranteeing next week. I'm chasing something because I love it and you're doing the same and that's like I just think that risk that you're willing to take on to share your gift and what you have to say sometimes goes unnoticed or like under recognized, perhaps in terms of like your commitment to this pivot.
Andrew Christopher:I think that risk and taking those chances, doing something scary or uncomfortable, is very important in everybody's life. To put yourself out there like that and I think that's where the biggest rewards lie, you know, and those rewards you know not not financially always, but but you know things that you value other than that that can lie in places that you only get to if you take those risks and take those chances. And yeah, you know I've had a lot of nervous, excitement, scared feelings over the past few months as this is all approaching and now it's kind of happening and it is a little scary. It's, like you said, giving up some comfort and a regular paycheck for something that, honestly, I don't know if it's going to work out the way I want it to. I'm really hoping it does because I do think there's a lot of value that I can give if I can, if I can focus a bit more on on this, uh, original original work and and speaking like this and writing and um, I think, uh, it's it's good to take those risks if you're going to put the time in and the effort.
Andrew Christopher:And, um, one thing you you said I heard you talking about was, yeah, putting yourself out there and hearing people you know that want to support you and that love you and that say, yeah, we'll, we'll always be there, you know, supporting you, and and it's a tough conversation when you call them to the table, kind of right, and say, well, now, here it is, this is what I'm doing, you know you've you've said you'll always support me and and you know it's it's weird because there is the money side of it, right, when, yeah, you still got to pay the bills.
Andrew Christopher:You want to do something purposeful that you really feel passionate about, but not everybody can do that, and I don't even know if I can do that. You know if I can really double down on this and make a living at it, or if I go back to the Jolly Miller with my tail between my legs, which I don't think I'm going to do. I was thinking about landscaping, if this all doesn't work out, you know. So any good landscaping companies out there? I love being outside on this stuff.
Aaron Pete:It's an important conversation because, like to be completely transparent, like this was a risk when I started it. Like I remember having the conversation with rebecca. Like I was traveling back and forth between law school, ubc, driving all the way out here, and and I was listening to a ton of podcasts like eight hours a day of podcasts and going like maybe I could do this. And like the thing I always said was like I can't quit until I know that I've I've done what I wanted to do in the space. And it was a huge risk at the time. Like I was a broke university student who invested $2,000 in podcasting equipment, betting on this and just continuing to chase it and there isn't a clear end point and you're asking people to commit to an undetermined amount of time to your goal. And my vision was always like there are voices we're not hearing from, there's conversations we're not having that. I know we're not having that. I want to have and I want be a part of that. And take that two thousand dollar initial investment.
Aaron Pete:Now I'm personally spending twenty thousand dollars probably a year to do this because it's all love for what the voices I get to hear from. Like I wouldn't trade this for anything, like when other opportunities come up. Like this is what I love to do, like speaking with individuals like yourself, highlighting you like there's. I wouldn't trade this opportunity for any other business job, any other opportunity, because it's a privilege to hear from people who have something to say, who have a gift that they need to share, and any opportunity you can highlight other people who are doing something beautiful. It's like that's a gift to me to be able to do that and, like with all of you here, like you make this possible. Like this is. I'm not being sponsored by some big company that pays me to do this. This is all because of people like yourself supporting the vision of individuals like yourself, and I'd like you to all quickly give yourself a round of applause for supporting individuals like yourself quickly give yourself a round of applause for supporting individuals like yourself.
Andrew Christopher:and I want to speak a bit to to you as well, and because we did an interview a couple years ago now and and that was kind of towards the the end of the podcast I was, I was doing, and you know, as I kind of wrapped that up and that was mainly just uh, kind of me figuring out where I, how much time I have to put in in different areas of my life and and the time wasn't quite there. But then as I wrapped it up and and I started seeing a lot of of your podcasts and the way you were running yours and and I looked at that and I said, wow, that's, that's a guy who's doing it right, you know. And and it really solidified for me that. For me I was like I need to take some time, you know, and and I didn't do that Right. No, no, no, no, no.
Andrew Christopher:This was the after effect but then it was just reassuring to me to know that you know, if I'm going to do something like this, like the podcast for me, I just flipped a switch and started to talk to people Like I I didn't really have much of a vision it was.
Andrew Christopher:It was more of a hobby, a fun thing for me, um. But then looking at how you ran your show and how you built it and where you are now, it's incredible and and and I, you know, intentionally thought you know there's, there's a guy who's doing it right, putting the hours in, putting the work in, and and so that kind of it was always in the back of my mind that this podcast might come back for me. But I always said, you know, never until I'm ready, until I have the energy and the time to do it right, you know, to really know what I'm talking about and to really know what I want to put out there. And that's something that I feel like you had right away and you just built on it and made it better and better and it's been awesome and I I really appreciate the opportunity to be here. So round of applause for yourself.
Aaron Pete:I was not expecting that. I'm not great at taking compliments, so I'm just gonna laugh it off and get used to my best. Can you tell us about this next chapter? What? What does it look like? What are some of your goals? How do people support such an endeavor? Because you have this right here. I believe they're right over there for people to purchase. Can you tell us about this next chapter?
Andrew Christopher:So you know, I knew I needed to put a new album out and I knew I had the songs and I tried getting in the studio with a full band and trying to figure that out and really piecing it together.
Andrew Christopher:But man, people are busy and studios are busy and I was still pretty busy and, um, so a couple of the players I wanted I really wanted to play on they were on tour with other acts and it wasn't going to line up. But I knew I needed to get something done and get something out there. So that's specifically where this album came from. It's a live acoustic album. I had finished a home studio at my place that I knew could fit a decent-sized audience. You know about half of this and so that kind of morphed into the idea of, yeah, I'm going to do this live recording at home of these songs, just my guitar and I, because that's kind of what it's been for the last, however long. You know, most of the time I'm out there on my own just with my guitar and you know, sometimes Dylan, my drummer, is still with me, but he's also getting very busy and very successful doing what he's doing with Drumeo. You know the Drumeo website and the videos and, um, so so I thought I just got to do it. You know, I've I've put the work in, I'm, I'm ready, um, whether I have the band around me or not, um, I'm ready for this. And and then the writing pieces uh, I was, I was doing it for fun, in my journal, you know, writing quite long form stories and thoughts and ideas that I had, and I thought, you know, I think some of this could be helpful to some people if I can explain this well enough in a very informal way.
Andrew Christopher:You know, I say that I'm a feel a feel guy. You know, I'm not an expert and it was actually my, my golf coach in university who said that to me. Actually, you know him, mr dr chris bertram. There you go because and it was more so a joke, because I never spent enough time practicing, because I was just a feel player. That's what they call. Someone just goes out and hits the ball and he feels his way around the golf course. He's not worried about the technicalities of it, you know. And so I've felt a lot and I've practiced a lot, and it's what I'm hoping is that I can be that kind of middleman between the experts and between the common person, who might not understand all the expert advice they get, and where I can and I'm just talking from my lived experience in things that have helped me and things that I've been through and what I've felt and what I've helped or what's helped me.
Andrew Christopher:So that's what a lot of the writing is and that's where a lot of the podcast will come in. We'll come into that podcast will come in, will come into that, and and I just decided that you know, between you know the music, all this original music I have that I want to release, um, and, and all the people that have always said, you know, they would support me and and and then, with this new studio space I had, I thought I had an opportunity to try something a bit unconventional, and so you know, the music isn't going to be for free on Spotify and Apple Music. It'll be on well, so the main website is called Patreon. It's an app on your phone as well or a website that'll host content for creators, and a lot of podcasters use it, a lot of bands use it for extras, for merchandise or special edition cds or vinyl and that, and so I looked at that and I said, well, hey, you know, if I can supplement the income that I, that I used to make at the miller and the lakeside, these kind of things, that these pub gigs that, uh, just weren't quite doing it for me anymore, and I can start putting my original work and myself and my purpose into this a bit more and online for people to access and view, and if I can start changing those gigs, the free public cover gigs, into a few more ticketed events.
Andrew Christopher:You know, at spaces like this or spaces like the cultural center, you know, a few bigger events where it's just my music, um, for people that really want to hear me, um, instead of doing smaller gigs a couple of times a week where it's easy people can come see me anytime they want. So it's creating a bit of exclusivity around my work and and uh, um, and my performances and um, so it's all kind of behind this paywall. You know of patreoncom slash, andrew, christopher, um if you're taking notes this is the time to do so.
Andrew Christopher:And and it is. It's a subscription, you know, just like you would for Netflix and and some podcasts have. You know, just like you would for Netflix and some podcasts have. You know, strictly subscription based content, and you know there's different tiers, different levels of it, where you'll get this content, or the next year you'll get this content. The next year, you know, you get a show at your house, and so there's lots of different perks for each tier is kind of what it comes down to and you kind of sign up for what tier you're comfortable with.
Andrew Christopher:Um and and that's kind of where, where the music will be, where the podcast will be, where my writings will be, and and one of the main goals that I'm trying to explain to people that I feel very passionately about and and I'm trying to word in the right way on the website is is taking these small monthly subscriptions from from people in the right way on the website.
Andrew Christopher:Is is taking these small monthly subscriptions from from people in the community, um and using that money to be able to to help youth around chilliwack and and um to help involve them and show them the power of music.
Andrew Christopher:Have them come work with me at the studio. Just try out any instrument they want and hang out and jam, you know, and just introduce kids to to music. That and then see, you know, hey, yeah, I do really like this. Maybe I do want to go and take lessons and but keeping the cost away from their families so that there's no, no cost to their families and it's kind of sponsored by my subscribers. Um, that's kind of sponsored by my subscribers. That's kind of the humanitarian pitch in there, you know, and I also think that there's value on that page that a lot of people or a friend of a friend could really relate to and grow that community where we can talk about things and help each other out. That's kind of the main goal is introducing music to kids and helping people and conversing and connecting with people on a deeper level.
Aaron Pete:I think we need to hear some of this new music. I think we're incredibly excited. I'm going to open the door because I can hear people's legs starting to move and I think they need to go to the bathroom.
Andrew Christopher:Yeah, yeah, no problem.
Aaron Pete:So I'm going to open this, this door.
Andrew Christopher:Please give it a beat, and then we can get started so this one is actually where the, the title of the album, came from, and because at one of these live shows so I had two groups I recorded the album over two nights with a group of about 25 people who came to the studio and again it was just my guitar and I and played these songs and I did a lot of talking in between as well, which is kind of on the on the recordings. You can skip that part and just go to the songs, or you can. You can listen to the stories about the songs and and this one. I kind of talked a little bit about how I think this could be a great song with, with drums and with the guitar and, and, and I said so, you know, picture the imaginary band behind me, and so if you hear a guitar solo, just play it in your head, and if you can hear the drum beat, then, yeah, move along to that. And so that's where the name the andrew christopher and the imaginary band is is what the album's called, because it's just my guitar and I've been.
Andrew Christopher:So this song is, uh, that's kind of got a weird name called Polka Bands and Poker Hands. We had just gone to a 40th birthday party where there was a polka band, and the first verse talks about a band. The second verse is my favorite. It's about my son Ledger being at the pump track. He loves going there, and so a little message about just do it. If it feels good, go for it. Don't overcomplicate things and, yeah, take some chances once in a while.
Andrew Christopher:The cover charges. Past the cold check, a call girl's business card. A wooden bar stool sings a creaky tune and the band can't quite find the groove. But you swear this is the place she walked into. You finally find her face in a crowd, making eyes up at the bass guitar player. She catches you creeping as she turns around.
Andrew Christopher:If there's a shot in the dark to take, take it. You'll never hit if you never play. You can't complicate something complicated, baby, and I really think it's better that way. Chalk on the pavement and popsicles the biggest friggin' drop of your life. You're so close. Now, boy, don't look down, just close your eyes and go for a ride. If there's a shot in the doctor, take it, take it. You never hit if you never play. You can't complicate something complicated, baby. But I really think it's better that way. I'm out. The river card makes you want to scream. If there's a shot in the doctor, take, take it. You never hit if you never play. You can't complicate something complicated, baby. I really think it's better that way. If there's a shot in the doctor, take, take it. You never hit if you never play. You can't complicate something complicated, baby, and I really think it's better that way. Yeah, I really think it's better that way. You know, I really think it's better, really think it's better. I really think it's better that way.
Andrew Christopher:Thank you very much. Are we still on track if I do two more? Yeah, is that cool, yeah.
Aaron Pete:Is everybody just comfortable sitting? Stretch your legs, do what you gotta do. Stretch your legs, stand up. Stretch your legs, take a. You got to do.
Andrew Christopher:Stretch your legs. Stand up, stretch your legs. Yeah, take a look at the CDs if you want Both. There's two albums there. There's the Parliament of Owls, one which I've done a couple songs from, and then there's the Imaginary Band live acoustic album that these last three songs are from. This next one's another pretty personal one, and then I'll finish it on a on a happy note. This one is a bit of the story of of me changing my name, and so now I'm Andrew Christopher. I I decided to to drop the family name a few years back, and and again, things just not lining up with my dad and who I thought he was, and something I just wanted to do for myself. And I kind of make a joke about it when I meet people and say my name's Andrew Christopher, two first names, and so this is a bit of a juxtaposition of that, where it's a bit more of a serious side of that story and why I might have changed my name. Yeah, so it's called the man with Two First Names.
Andrew Christopher:The band keeps pace. Trying to outrun the darkness Is a never ending race. He's got some skeletons in his closet. Some are his and some are his father's. He is the man With two first names. He is the man. He is the man. He is the man. The two first names.
Andrew Christopher:Is it the living or the dead we should envy, you said. Even though they're gone, they rest In a better place than this. So it's the darkness of death that we should embrace instead Of living a lie, instead of living a lie, instead of living a lie. He is the man. He is the man. He is the man With two first names. And if you tell her, I know everything will change. And if you tell her, I'm afraid that she'll run away. And if I tell her, I know everything will change. For the man With two first names, for all the good he's done, the bad keeps pace. He is the man With two first names. He's got some skeletons in his closet. Some are his and some are his father's. He is the man With two first names. Two first names, two first names. So if you hear this, it's goodbye, just go on with your life and I'll be fine with two first names.
Andrew Christopher:Thank you very much. Okay, I promised I'll end it on a fun note here, so this is a tune that I wrote, one of my favorite things to do. I spoke about creating space to allow things to happen healing or thoughts or ideas and so I go walking my dogs up the hill from my place and nice and quiet area where I live, so walk the dogs up there. Usually the first 20 minutes I'm listening to music or a podcast, as it's uphill, getting my workout in, and then the next 20 minutes I kind of do a lot of thinking, kind of deep thinking, I like to call it. I'd like to think it's deep, and then the last 20 minutes it's trying not to think too much and letting those thoughts kind of sink in. That's where a lot of learning happens. It's kind of like when you go to sleep you learn a lot in your sleep right of things that you've been working on or studying, and then you go to sleep, you wake up. Oh, that's figure it out. Sometimes that's how you learn songs or memorize things, and it's the same thing. If you can take that time, break up your day with some meditation and seated stillness, and a lot of things can work themselves out in your brain or you can learn things and remember things you've been thinking about. So I write a lot of songs on these walks, and this one in particular.
Andrew Christopher:I was picking up garbage, as I like to do once a month or so. I bring a garbage bag with me and pick up everybody's old Milwaukee beer cans or weed wrappers. There's always a lot of like gummies, weed, gummy wrappers or those tubes that the joints come in and listen. I anyway, I drink old Milwaukee. I smoke weed but, as you'll learn in this song, I don't litter and the last thing I found was a bunch of McDonald's garbage. There's always fast food garbage out there too, right? So I picked all these things up and I set it down on the porch, because during my thinking and then my meditating I came up with this song and I got home and put these things on the porch and my wife said why are those things on the porch?
Andrew Christopher:and I said come here and I'll show you I wrote this song while walking my dogs, picking up trash along the way. It's kind of short but important. Like a psa Smoke weed, drink booze and eat your fast food, but please, please, don't litter. Smoke your weed and drink your booze. Go ahead, get yourself back Eating all that fast food, but please, please, don't litter.
Andrew Christopher:When I got home from walking my dogs and I heard my big gas powered generator on cause the power at my house had gone out and I thought how environmentally friendly could that be? Well, I don't know, but at least I don't litter litter. So, smoke weed and drink booze and eat your fast food, but please, please, don't litter. Smoke your weed and drink your booze. Go ahead and have some fun eating all that fast food, but please, please, don't litter. Well, yes, I was 19 once and I thought that it was fun to drive around in my friend's pickup truck chucking beer cans out the window window. I'm really sorry about that. Yes, this is me confessing I was young and dumb, but that's what life's all about and I didn't know a song like this one to tell me not. To tell me not to Smoke weed, drink booze and eat your fast food, but please, please, don't litter. I smoke weed and I drink booze. Even sometimes I will eat fast food, but I do not litter.
Andrew Christopher:Thank you very much, thank you.
Aaron Pete:My apologies. I just feel like you deserve the stage all to yourself sometimes. You earned it. You earned it.
Andrew Christopher:I like the talking too. You killed it, man, Thank you.
Aaron Pete:Tonight has been a blast. How's everybody feeling? Was this live up to what everybody expected? I, for one, I'm so proud of the direction you're choosing to take. All of this. Like that's exciting. It's a big risk. Hopefully people subscribe on Patreon. Thank you, yes, but it's such an exciting risk because it's your voice and I think, like freedom of expression gets talked about a lot in today's culture, polarization, I I think, is increasing, but the idea that, like you're, you're, you have a responsibility to share your voice, I I don't think that can be understated and I think that's that's what you're choosing to do with this is is truly share your voice and and put out what you're experiencing yeah, you know, I think a problem today is, I think a lot of people are scared to talk and share their voice for many different reasons, but part of it being that, like you said, everything is so polarized right now that people don't feel comfortable talking about certain topics and in fear of getting in trouble, you know, or saying something wrong or stupid.
Andrew Christopher:But I say stupid things all the time and then I correct myself or I look for better information, and you know, I do see that that's a problem and that's something I want to try and correct too is say, yeah, let's have these conversations, you know, and don't worry if you don't know something.
Andrew Christopher:Ask or say what you think and then maybe you get corrected and then you decide what you believe or not. But you got to be able to talk about it, that's for sure. And and yeah, you know, and especially on the mental health side of things you know, and for men especially, is something I'm very passionate about, about diving into is is being an ear for people and and again, just from my lived experience you know, giving my advice on on what's helped you know and what can help people and and I think that does often just start with. Just from my lived experience, you know giving my advice on on what's helped. You know um and what can help people, and I think that does often just start with talking, you know, in a safe place with someone you love or um someone you trust.
Aaron Pete:You've talked briefly about the podcast. What is the podcast called? What are you talking about? You've just brought it back, I think a week or two weeks ago.
Andrew Christopher:Yeah, so it's. It's still under the title the ac show. You know it's on patreon and the podcast can get linked to your spotify page and your apple podcasts. Um, but it's a locked page, so once you subscribe then you unlock that content. You know the first one's discussing a lot about what we talked where I'm heading with all this, and actually it was a story about this ten dollar bill I found on my walk taking the dogs and found this $10 bill on the side of the road and then lost it by the time I got home and then two days later went on the same walk and somehow, through the rain and storm, that $10 bill was somewhere else on the road and I found it again and I thought, wow, how fortunate that is.
Aaron Pete:Did you lose it?
Andrew Christopher:again, I, kept it.
Aaron Pete:It's in my bar.
Andrew Christopher:So there's a whole other story behind it this nice young man I met on the walk who I want to give him this $10 bill, if I find it, because I thought, oh, maybe it's his, but didn't see him again, anyway, and then it's a lot about things we do in life to maybe deserve good fortune or not, and what we think is fortunate and and um, that's kind of the deeper, deeper side of it is is, uh, is that? And? And some of the podcasts are going to be very music, specific music I grew up with or loved, and talking about some of my favorite bands and playing those songs, and, uh, as well as explaining the stories in more, more in depth about my original music, um, and then a lot of of healing. You know healthy practices, self-improvement, you know growth, um, that's kind of the the main topics that I'll be covering on there so your album is sitting right over there.
Aaron Pete:If anybody wanted to pick that up, how would they go about doing such a thing?
Andrew Christopher:so I'll selling them here for 20 bucks a piece. Um, I do have a square uh tap thing that would work. Um, or, if you feel so inclined, to jump on the Patreon right now and sign up and then you can grab one. If you're at that tier, you'll see the options there. Otherwise, grab one from me just for cash or whatever, and then check out the Patreon page later and see what you feel you want to do or not. Grab one here. That would be a great way to start. But again, yeah, if you subscribe now, I'll flip you one for free. There's a deal. This is the thing I'm going to have a hard time with. Is this salesman kind?
Aaron Pete:of strategy. Right, I don't want to do that.
Andrew Christopher:So what I think I'll have to for the first few months is try and sell people.
Aaron Pete:We'll keep you over here. If you want to buy them, they're over there. Okay, the thing I want to end off with is an opportunity for the audience to be able to ask you any questions that they have. I don't have any notes, I don't have anything. We just sit down and I kind of gave you a rundown of kind of my vision of how this would flow.
Andrew Christopher:but I got nothing.
Aaron Pete:So if anybody else has better questions, more than welcome. I think rebecca has has the microphone. Does anybody have any questions for mr christopher, front row, right here, now that you started up your podcast again, how are you running? Are you just flicking the switch and uh?
Andrew Christopher:talking. So now I've again a lot of the ideas have come on these walks that I take and and so I'll get those ideas in my head and sometimes jot it down on my phone. But I like to, I like to kind of pressure myself to remember them, and again, that's when the meditation, I think, really helps, and and then I've gone home and I'll scribble out those notes and and then, uh, you know, maybe look at it the next day and start piecing it together and so, a bit more writing. So a lot of it will kind of come out in the blog form as well, and then the podcast would be even more expansive than than the blog is, and um, it's, uh, and I'm playing with the idea again of of having guests might.
Andrew Christopher:In the first 84 episodes I did of the AC show it was, it was mostly with with guests and and I would like to incorporate that again um, I think the first few I'll be I'll be doing on my own, and then, uh, yeah, so I would like to think, a bit more preparation than just flicking the switch this time and again, coming from a place of really wanting to be able to speak passionately about what I'm feeling and and and uh, connect with people that way, so does that answer it a bit, yeah any other questions.
Aaron Pete:So I've heard you play the piano. I didn't know, you played it when you were young. But do you solely write with the guitar or do you do stuff on the piano?
Andrew Christopher:What's the difference? There's been a couple, a couple songs recently-ish that I that I did write on the piano, um and uh, yeah, the difference being I think it it for me with the piano I play it less rhythmically. If I'm playing the guitar and strumming some chords, there's always a rhythm to it. With the piano it leaves a lot more room for the melodies, rhythm for what I'm singing, because I'm just playing chords, kind of open chords, and then the next one, because I'm not that great at piano, but it does help. It definitely helps create different sounds and different melodies and rhythms that I probably wouldn't get on the guitar.
Andrew Christopher:So that's one difference there and I should play it more and write that way, and I probably will, the good news being that I haven't struggled to write more music yet with my guitar, so it's just been coming pretty nice and nice and easily, which, knock on wood, it keeps going, um, but then, yeah, I've, I've definitely sat down at the piano sometimes and just hit a couple of chords and and, uh, different melodies seem to come and, and I think maybe that's a bit of space, and and just the voicings of the chords are a bit different on piano as well. I guess the way I'm playing them. There's less notes than there is on the guitar. If I'm strumming a chord, I'm usually just hitting three notes on the piano at a time, and so that leaves a bit more space again to something different to be created.
Aaron Pete:Thank you, andrew, for being willing to do this and share your gift with everybody. I will again recommend people go check out your albums. We also have calendars with Alex. Would you mind standing up? We have calendars with Mr Alex Hart. He took all of the photos for the calendars and we've got a 2025 version available for everybody. Thank you all so much for being willing to attend tonight and to celebrate this gifted artist. I appreciate you so much for being willing to come out tonight and share your gift with everybody.
Andrew Christopher:I'm very thankful to be here and for the opportunity. Thanks, man, give me a hug. Love you, buddy, thanks.
Aaron Pete:All right, I'm going gonna open the doors now. Thank you so much for watching. If you enjoyed this, please consider liking, commenting and subscribing and telling a friend about it. One of our goals right now is to reach 10,000 subscribers, so please consider hitting that subscribe button.
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