Name: Andy Kim
Founded: 1968
# of Albums: 1968 How’d We Ever Get This Way
1969 Rainbow Ride
Baby I Love You
1973 Andy Kim
1974 Andy Kim
1980 Baron Longfellow (as Baron Longfellow)
1984 Prisoner By Design (as Baron Longfellow)
2004 I Forgot to Mention
2011 Happen Again
2015 It’s Decided
Latest Release: It’s Decided
Latest Video
Me with Kevin Drew in NYC before appearing on David Letterman
Bio
Andy Kim’s It’s Decided transcends the years of history within it. Renowned for 30 million records sold worldwide, with eternal #1 hits like “Rock Me Gently”, “Baby, I Love You So”, and The Archies’ “Sugar, Sugar”, the legendary songwriter and recording artist has captured a vibrant new sound, timeless in its opposing auras of permanence and ephemera. Co-written and produced by Broken Social Scene’s Kevin Drew, Ohad Benchetrit (Do Make Say Think), and Dave Hamelin (The Stills), It’s Decided is the crystallization of a music community around a living, thriving legend. Lead by Andy Kim’s wisdom, through his stunningly youthful vocals, the album’s ten songs are accented by contributions by luminaries Ron Sexsmith, Jeff Barry, John McIntyre (Tortoise), Kevin Hearn (Barenaked Ladies), and Derek Downham. Surrendering to what Kim calls “the Magic & the Brilliance of Kevin Drew”, songs with the impeccable intuition of a Hall of Fame songwriter shimmer with Drew’s studio flourishes. A song like “Sail On” coasts on handclaps and a perfect chorus. The wistful “Shoot ‘Em Up Baby”, originally released by Kim in ’68 with “Sugar, Sugar” co-writer Barry, shows glimpses of the original’s ethereal doo-wop through bright new chiming piano. The album closing “Who Came First”, rewritten from the Social Scene archives, shuffles upward with that familiar Broken sound of low, syncopated saxophone – another example of the wide-eyed reinvention that is It’s Decided. As Drew says, this is “Andy’s heartfelt want to still make it even though many would say his history is enough.” Gentle and enigmatic, ageless and ecstatic. “Andy Kim always looks to transcend and find the honesty in what he does and does with others.”
Latest Single
In the studio working on it
Favourite Restaurant?
Moishes in Montreal
Favourite band as a teenager?
Beatles/Zombies
Favourite band now?
Broken Social Scene
Guilty Pleasure Song?
Sugar, Sugar (Bob Marley’s great and inspired version)
Live Show Ritual?
Wake up late, lots of black coffee, write set-list, go to sound check, back to hotel, arrive hour before show, hang with my band, 1 minute before show I go to my dressing room & say my usual prayer to quiet my nerves. Hear my name announced & say WOW I’m still living my Dream
Favourite local artist?
Ron Sexsmith
Sneaky Dees nachos, pasta from Terroni or a superfood salad from Fresh?
Pasta
Queen or College St?
Queen Street is filled with it’s own version of the Coolest Mall. I’m a people watcher so it’s a great place to find something to eat & sitting near a window I can watch the unique Tapestry of Toronto
Trinity Bellwoods or Highpark, Riverdale or Kew Gardens?
Trinity Bellwoods
EP or LP?
LP
Early bird or night owl?
Depends, Night Owl on the road, Early Bird when home
Road or studio?
Studio when I was younger, now it’s The Road
Swiss Chalet or Roti?
Roti
To follow Andy Kim, please visit his website.
