Biography

HIGHLIGHTS BEYOND THE LOUNGEROOM 1960s - Andy and brother, Tony, complete 10 years classical training on piano and violin. Meanwhile, they teach themselves to play guitar, drums, bass, and harmonica, inspired by the bands of the time - including Cliff Richard and The Shadows, The Who and, of course - Jimi Hendrix. Later influences included Genesis, Yes, Manfred Mann’s Earth Band, Todd Rundgren’s Utopia, and Queen. 1970s - formed bands Factory and Head On, based in Hastings, England, with Tony Qunta, and Steve Kinch. Played all over UK, Germany and Holland. The Who's Roger Daltrey, who lived nearby, produced several demos for Factory in his home studio, engineered by John Jansen (Jimi Hendrix, Cutting Crew). Daltrey also came to some of the band's local gigs, once accompanied by Hendrix's drummer, Mitch Mitchell! 1979-1980 - Andy moonlights with Jim Jim & The Jims, a funtime "covers" band formed by guitarist Ray Fenwick (Spencer Davis Group, Ian Gillan Band), also featuring singer Pete Prescott (later in Forcefield, with Ray and drummer Cozy Powell). Andy also does keyboard sessions on several Ray Fenwick projects, including Jo Jo Laine (wife of Wings' Denny), and a band called Sundance, featuring Mary Hopkin, Mike Hurst (Springfields, Cat Stevens) and Mike d'Albuquerque (ELO). 1980-81 - An occasional guest with the Jims was sax player Wesley Magoogan, who had just played on the soundtrack for "Breaking Glass", starring singer/ actress Hazel O'Connor. Through Wesley, Andy ends up joining the Hazel O'Connor Band. On Andy’s recommendation, bassist Steve Kinch also joins the band. UK Top Ten hits "Eighth Day", "Will You" and "D-Days". Toured UK, Europe and USA (with XTC). Albums "Sons & Lovers", produced by Nigel Gray (Police), and Cover Plus, produced by Tony Visconti (David Bowie, T Rex). Late ‘81 - toured with Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel, and recorded a single, "I Can’t Even Touch You", produced by Midge Ure of Ultravox. 1982 - Toured and recorded with The Members, Pauline Black (Selecter), and the Black Theatre Group (with drummer Chris Blackwell, later with Plant/Page, and bassist Leo Williams, later with Big Audio Dynamite). Jammed with Fleetwood Mac founder, Peter Green, and on another occasion, with Alvin Lee (Ten Years After). Manfred Mann’s Earth Band record Andy’s song "Tribal Statistics" for their album "Somewhere in Africa", and it is released as a single at the same time. September ‘82 - Following several industry recommendations, Andy joins Australian band Icehouse, along with bassist Guy Pratt (later with Pink Floyd). Toured Australia and New Zealand. Album, "Primitive Man", has multi-platinum success. While in Auckland, New Zealand, Andy is introduced to Manfred Mann’s Earth Band singer, Chris Thompson, for the first time. Andy resists the temptation to faint in the presence of one of his heroes. Chris tells Andy "Somewhere in Africa" is already #8 in the German album charts, and suggests they get together and write songs. (2 years later that happens!) 1983 - Icehouse single "Hey Little Girl", already huge down under, hits Top Ten in UK and Europe. Tours and TV to promote it. Following Icehouse’s festival tour in Europe, on a bill with Crosby, Stills and Nash, and Robert Palmer, David Bowie requests Icehouse to support him in Europe on the Serious Moonlight tour. Audiences in cities like Rotterdam, Edinburgh and Milton Keynes in England average 50-75,000 a night. Thompson Twins also on the bill. 1984 - Andy again joins up with Cockney Rebel guitarist, Rick Driscoll, on a tour of Poland, (then a Communist country), with band Classix Nouveaux. Icehouse release album "Sidewalk", featuring hits including "Don’t Believe Anymore". and tour Australia, New Zealand, UK and Europe, twice each, to promote it. The year ends with gigs in Japan. 1985 - Andy signs a worldwide publishing contract as a songwriter, with Rondor Music. Andy tours Poland again with Classix Nouveaux, one of the most popular bands in Poland at the time - superstars! Andy takes Manfred’s place on keyboards at the Earth Band auditions for a new bass player. Andy’s friend Steve Kinch again gets the gig, and is still doing it to this day! Icehouse record album "Measure For Measure" in London, half of it produced by Rhett Davies (Roxy Music, Brian Ferry), and half by David Lord (Peter Gabriel). Eno does a guest spot a couple of tracks. December ‘85 - Andy and Chris Thompson, along with singer Maggie Ryder (Eurythmics) and lyricist Keith Reid (Procul Harum/Whiter Shade of Pale) write "You’re the Voice", inspired by the Christmas vibe of harmony among people. 1986 - Icehouse release "Measure For Measure" album. Singles "Baby, You’re So Strange", and "Mr Big" hit the charts in Australia and New Zealand. "No Promises" and "Cross The Border" create enough of a stir in the US that the band do a coast to coast tour there in the summer. "Cross The Border" is used in an episode of Miami Vice. John Waite ("Missing You") records Andy and Chris’s song "Take Me Home". October ‘86 - John Farnham (Little River Band), releases his version of You’re The Voice. It goes straight to #1 in Australia and stays there 7 weeks. Icehouse leader Iva Davies invites Andy to write with him, and "Crazy" is born. 1987 - Icehouse record the album "Man of Colours" in Sydney, with producer David Lord. "Crazy" is chosen as the first single, and reaches #4 in Australia. Follow up single "Electric Blue", co-written by long-time Icehouse fan John Oates (Hall & Oates), goes all the way to #1. John Oates joins Andy on background vocals. "Man of Colours" straight to #1 in Australia and stays there four months. (It is still the highest selling album by an Australian band in Australia - John Farnham’s "Whispering Jack", featuring "You’re The Voice", is the only Australian album to sell more!) "You’re The Voice" wins APRA (Australian Grammy) for Single of the Year. October ‘87 - Icehouse tour the US, supporting The Cars. "Crazy" reaches #14 on the Billboard chart, followed by "Electric Blue" which peaks at #7. Icehouse appear on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. Andy and Icehouse sax player Simon Lloyd guest on Lovelines radio show on KROQ in Los Angeles, giving advice to the lovelorn (they must be desperate!). Mr T (The "A-Team" TV show) is also on the show (of course!). He refers to Andy as the "Brother From Down Under"! 1988 - Icehouse play at the Australian Royal Bicentennial Concert at the request of Prince Charles and Princess Diana, who are apparently fans of the band. Icehouse win 2 APRA awards, for best album and highest selling album. Awards presented by Cliff Richard and Brian Ferry. Icehouse play live concert in Melbourne, simulcast nationwide on TV. More touring in New Zealand, USA and Europe. Final show of 13-month "Man Of Colours" World Tour in Brisbane, Australia, in front of 50,000 at the World Expo. Oct-Dec ‘88 - Andy records solo album in Los Angeles. "Legend In A Loungeroom" features Tony Qunta, Jeff Skunk Baxter (Doobie Bros, Steely Dan), Guy Pratt (Icehouse, Pink Floyd), Scott Page (Pink Floyd, Supertramp), Paulinho da Costa (Madonna, Sting), Tim Pierce (Meatloaf, Crowded House), & Denny Fongheiser (Tracy Chapman, Heart). 1989 - "Legend In A Loungeroom" completed. Video for first single, "Thing About You" shot in Sydney and Melbourne. "Thing About You" getting massive airplay in Australia before legal wrangles cause project to be shelved. Andy relocates to Los Angeles. 1990 - "Legend In A Loungeroom" released in Europe on German Intercord label, without the artist’s knowledge! 1991 - Andy concentrates on songwriting with partner, Jane Wareing, while legal problems being resolved. Heart release two versions of "You’re The Voice", one live and one studio. 1992 - Andy switches from Rondor Music, London, and signs with Polygram Music in L.A. - writing songs for other artists. 1993 - Andy spends time with baby daughter, Alex, and does not pass Go for quite some time! 2000 - After a period of relative inactivity, Andy writes the score for the movie "Last Chance"’ starring Todd Bridges (Different Strokes). It features a song co-written and sung by Chris Thompson, who had by now relocated to California. At the Troubadour in L.A., Andy does a guest spot on backing vocals with the SAS Band, which includes Queen musicians, Spike Edney and Jamie Moses, and also features singers Paul Young, Fish (Marillion), and Chris Thompson, plus legendary guitarist Steve Lukather (Toto). 2001 - Now single again, Andy joins Deep Purple tribute band, Made In Japan, led by guitarist Hiro Sasaki. In October, Chris asks Andy to help him put a band together for a charity show in San Diego for the Red Cross, in the wake of 9/11. They find drummer Jerry Blaze, and at the last minute the promoter suggests bassist Ken Dow. The gig is a big success. 2002 - The Chris Thompson Band gets together on a more permanent basis, with Ken’s brother, Kevin, taking over on drums. Andy gets the opportunity to write with Grammy-nominated songwriter Harriet Schock (Helen Reddy’s "Ain’t No Way To Treat A Lady"). Like Andy, Harriet had previously written a song for Manfred Mann’s Earth Band ("Hollywood Town"). After doing a number of international radio interviews in connection with the release of the newly remastered Icehouse catalogue, Andy has his own show on Radio Darmstadt in Germany, in which host Mark Stehle interviews Andy about his career, and plays songs he has written or performed on. October - The Chris Thompson Band are the support act for Brian May and Roger Taylor from Queen, at the Hollywood Walk of Fame gig, and, as usual, Chris sings some lead vocals for them also. By the end of the year, Andy is gigging and recording with a third band - the Smog Bros, led by guitarist Matt Mitchell (Gene Loves Jezebel). 2003 - Feb 10th, Andy’s brother Tony, visiting from England, guests with the Chris Thompson Band, the first time the brothers Qunta had played together since the recording of Legend in a Loungeroom, 14 years before! The same night, sax player, Eric Marienthal (star of the Wave jazz radio station and Chick Corea band) jams with the band. Andy moonlights with another Deep Purple band - Fireball, and next day fills in at short notice with Queen tribute band Sheer Heart Attack, (with guest vocalist CT - again!). Later in the year, Andy makes a guest appearance with Zep tribute - Led Zepagain. Andy collaborates with Chris on songs for Chris’s upcoming concept album, which he is working on with Norwegian guitarist, Mads Eriksen (another guest musician at a CT Band gig earlier in the year).