On this episode I’m joined by Andy White for a deep dive into Rave On Andy White, his debut album which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year.

It’s a long Episode. We chat about Rave On and a whole lot more including: living in Dún Laoghaire in the mid-90s, Destination Beautiful (Andy’s 1994 album which has been released on vinyl for the first time by Last Night In Glasgow); The Lobby bar in Cork; Andy’s The Ghost of Electricity project from the early-80s; Belfast in the late-70s and early-80s; 1984’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival; Terri Hooley and Good Vibrations; The Clash in Belfast; John Cooper Clarke; John Peel; The Waterboys; Billy Bragg; manager Peter Jenner; Dave Robinson and Stiff Records; Tom Verlaine and Television; Janice Long; Homestead Studio in Randalstown; Peace Together; Sinéad O’Connor; WOMAD; producer John Leckie; recording in Abbey Road and living in Melbourne.

In mid-December 1986 Stiff Records, the legendary London indie label, ran a full page advert in Music Week publicising their latest releases.

Among reissues by Elvis Costello and The Damned was The Pogues’ second album Rum Sodomy and the Lash and 7” singles by LA ska band The Untouchables, the psychobilly band King Kurt, and the debut release from a then unknown singer-songwriter from Belfast. The sleeve looks incongruous alongside the other Stiff records. A childlike line drawing of a tall man with bushy hair holding a guitar. Above this drawing are the words, “A Stiff Record, Andy White, ‘Religious Persuasion’.”

A few weeks earlier a review in Music Week declared: “Guitar thrashing one man band from Belfast issues this interesting EP containing four of his John Cooper Clarke-style songs given an appropriately sparse arrangement and worthy attention.”

This interesting EP’s title track was an almost spoken word polemic about the Troubles which climaxed with the rallying cry: “I said someone’s gotta stand up or nothing’s gonna change, Till religion is rearranged”

White was off. The Stiff 12” led to a record deal with London/Decca in Europe and MCA in the US.

Rave On Andy White, the debut album, followed in 1986.

Reviewing the album, Music Week wrote: “The only problem here is the very great temptation to be totally hysterical about this extraordinary achievement. Belfast’s White drawing on influences as obvious as Dylan and Morrison and welding them into screaming urgency and lyrical precision. It’s as an assured debut as can be possible, it’s a 100% success.”

In December 1986, the paper compiled a list of the records of the year and alongside albums by The Triffids, Husker Du, Talk Talk, Martin Stephenson and the Daintees was Rave On.

A few years later Melody Maker wrote that: “When Andy White first emerged four years ago with his ‘Religious Persuasion’ single, he sounded coldly furious, mirroring the irrational hatreds of his homeland’s warring tribes.”

The article continued: “The critical acclaim that reigned down on the subsequent Rave On Andy White offered him a gratefully accepted chance to see the world and be heard by audiences in Europe and the USA.”

Other albums followed, there were books of poetry, an acclaimed collaboration with Tim Finn and Liam Ó Maonlaí as ALT, further albums and constant touring.

In 2015 my good friend Pádraig Collins wrote in The Guardian that: “The fact that Andy White has been making music for almost 30 years, has a way of making you feel old. And that he is still making great music leaves you in awe. Born and raised in Belfast, White spent much of the 90s in Dublin and has called Australia home since the turn of the century. He has recorded more than a dozen albums, including one with the illustrious Tim Finn.”

Ever prolific, Andy has released several further albums since Pádraig wrote those words, and there’s also been another collaboration with Tim Finn (2023’s AT).

Andy discusses all this and much, much more in our long conversation, as well reflecting on his debut album which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year.

One early review of Rave On ended with the line: “A literate observer breathing new spirit into a chaotic world, and he’s a nice bloke as well.”

Now that’s a line I can 100% agree with.

For Further Listening/Reading:

Rave on Andy White is available on Bandcamp.

Andy’s most recent album The Night Is Approaching Though Some Would Say It Was Morning is also available on Bandcamp.

Andy White’s podcast, This Podcast is Only Temporary, is available on all listening platforms.

Below, a blog post from March 2025 about the Peace Together album…

And finally,