Party rocker and Ann Arbor, Michigan-native Andrew W.K., AKA Andrew Wilkes-Krier, has shared a 1996 video of him drumming for death metal band Kathode on his Twitter page when he was 17 years old. Drumming for a group with such a hardcore, thrashing metal sound is a departure for the legendary musician and pop culture icon, who is largely known for his philosophy of positivity, joyous partying and catalogue of power-pop music and multi-instrumental songwriting.
Nonetheless, the video certainly fits the storied history of the musician, who has been performing in bands since the mid-1990s. In the video, a 17-year-old Wilkes-Krier is seen blasting pulsating metal drum beats while Kathode screams and thrashes through their heavy metal sound.
Andrew W.K. initially rose to prominence with the release of his debut EP Girls Own Juice in 2000. He then received much praise and attention with his first full-length studio album I Get Wet in 2001, which included the hit singles “Party Hard” and “We Want Fun.” Over the years, W.K. has established himself as a successful musician while also building an extraordinary career in other non-musical ventures that include motivational speaking, writing and radio and television projects.
Most recently, W.K. announced to his fans that he a new album in the works and that he had been making slight adjustments to it for some time. While he did not specify a release date, the record will follow his latest studio effort You’re Not Alone, which was released in 2018. The LP was his first released with Sony Music and reached number 36 on the Top Rock Album Billboard chart.
The multi-talented artist has released five studio albums to date, including I Get Wet (2001), The Wolf (2003), Close Calls with Brick Walls (2006), 55 Cadillac (2009) and You’re Not Alone.
Leave a Comment