We spoke to Andy Ruddy just over a year ago about his debut EP, ‘On This Great Day’. Since then Andy has released a new album, ‘Everything is in Order’, which is available to buy on CD from Andy’s website, and in digital download format from iTunes. We’ve caught up with Andy:
EP: It’s been a while since we talked to you last – what have you been up to!
AR: I finished up the album, did the EP release and tour, parted with my previous management and went back to college to study for my LPC. It’s boring and Law-related. After passing that, I set aside time to release the album and that’s just happened last week.
EP: Tell us about your new album, ‘Everything is in Order’. Does it pick up where ‘On This Great Day’ left off?
AR: ‘On This Great Day’ is on the album and forms part of the first third of it which is the youthful, wide-eyed and exuberant bit. The album develops into something else a bit darker or at least a little more complex and I think/hope it makes for an interesting listen. The change in perspective over the album is documented in quite a chronological way which is partly the reason for the title ‘Everything Is In Order’.
EP: What’s the songwriting process like with you? Do you start out with an idea for the entire album and write songs accordingly, or do you select from a pool of songs those which fit best together?
AR: The idea for ‘Everything Is In Order’ came after I’d written the majority of the songs. I realised the collection I had was pretty much a diary for the last 3 or 4 years and so I ordered the album that way. I wrote ‘Overgrown’ (track 10) partially with the concept of the rest of the album in mind. It is a song about things going full circle which is why it is near the end of the album.
I write everyday – it is normally nonsense in its original form. I mess with ideas for months in many different incarnations. I would say I try most of my musical ideas with most of my lyric ideas, sometimes bits stick together well and I use them as the foundations for songs.
EP: How can fans get your album? Where and when can they see you perform live next?
AR: iTunes or www.andyruddy.com for physical copies. I am planning on touring in the new year when (hopefully) the album affords me that option.
EP: You’ve been making music for a while now. What’s your thoughts on the current state of the music industry these days? Â
AR: What I do takes place outside of the music industry so it is not something I think about very often. There’s always cynical stuff going on in music but also always great music being made somewhere so it’s nothing to over think.
EP: If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently, if anything, and why?
AR: I sometimes think maybe I should have spent more time becoming a virtuoso musician technically. But I don’t know whether the creative side I love, with both words and music, would exist for me if I was that way.
I’m often surprised at the lack of creativity with the most technical musicians or your typical music college kids. Not being like that has helped me to enjoy it as much as I do so no regrets with music. As for life in general: no regrets either- there’s no point in having them.
EP: Top three songs/artists you can’t get out of your head right now?
AR: 1. ‘Trouble’ by TV on the Radio
- ‘Answers’ by Tusks- and the whole of her ‘Ink’ EP.
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‘The World You Want’ by Switchfoot
EP: What question do you wish someone would ask you in an interview, but nobody ever does?
AR: Questions indicating a familiarity with the album would be welcomed as I’m interested to hear what people get from it – whether they hear the album’s concept. But it has only just come out so I’ll wait and see.
