Andy Fairweather Low speaks about playing with Roger Waters, George Harrison and Eric Clapton. His new album Flang Dang, his first solo album in 17 years is released shortly and Andy whole career will be covered in a forthcoming Strange Brew Podcast. Full interview with Andy Fairweather Low here: Andy Fairweather Low Interview
Andy on Roger Waters: Well, the last solo album, literally that was me, and not me and the Low Riders, was [around] 2007. I finished the Dark Side of the Moon tour with Roger and I released the album and I got a phone call from Roger saying, “We’re going to do The Wall. I’d like you to be on it.” And I said, “But there’s not much for me to do.” There wasn’t much for me to do on Dark Side of the Moon. For half the set I was sitting out at the back in big stadiums watching other people play and there was going to be even less for me to do and I went, “Rog. It’s not enough for me to do.” I’m not the guitar player in that setup. I’m sort of a utility player − a bit of this and a bit of that and I went, “I know my album’s coming out. If I’m going to want to be known as a guitar player I better get out there and do it.” And he said, “Well, we’ll find something for you to do.” And it was a fabulous offer but I just couldn’t do it. We’re still very, very good friends with Roger. Spoke to him the other day. That relationship is really strong − as my friendship with Eric [Clapton] and 99.5 of the people that I ever worked with.
Andy on George Harrison: We knew each other because we’re both Ry Cooder fans. I’d seen him at a few Ry Cooder concerts, stuff like that, and it was in the 90s. I went to Japan. It basically was Eric Clapton’s band and I got sort of brought into that band at that time and we did a couple of months in Japan playing live with George. That was pretty special. Then he did a concert at the Albert Hall for the Natural Law party and I got called for that. Then he was guesting with Gary Moore at the Albert Hall for two nights and he just phoned me up and he said, “You fancy coming up and playing with me?” and I went, “Yeah. Why not?” And then, halfway through the conversation he said, “It’s a long way isn’t it?” and I said, “I’m coming.” So I went to Friar Park and we stayed the night, then we went and played for two nights. Oh man, I loved him. He was good. My pal, I think is what we say. My pal. He was my pal. Yeah he’s a lovely man. Very funny. A fabulous slide player too and what a song writer. Talk about in a category all of his own. Nobody wrote songs like George and that’s a fact.
Andy on Eric Clapton: It’s fabulous. He’s a lovely gracious, giving man. It’s not like a competition. I’m a rhythm guitar player. There aren’t many rhythm guitar players out there. And, in a setup like that, you need a rhythm guitar player like you need a goalkeeper in a football team. And I fitted in. I was the round peg in the round hole. Plus I worked for him like I’d like someone to work for me. I mean, I’ve been out front. I’ve found being a guitar player with other people was a fairly easy ride, relatively, as opposed to being the turn, being the one who’s worried about selling tickets or whether his voice is intact. All I had to do was do my job properly and focus on it and not take it for granted and be grateful. I’ve got to tell you, I was very grateful. He gave us the opening slot just recently at the Albert Hall and I was meant to do Europe with him as well but he got Covid and then I couldn’t go back out again. We’d played on his I Still Do album which was in 2016. So I’m back and forth every now and again and it was great to be back in his company and then at the Albert Hall [May 2022] we did like a reprise of the unplugged thing where I’d go up and play in the acoustic set too − and that was magical. You’ve got Nathan [East (bass guitar)], you’ve got Doyle [Bramhall II (guitar)], you’ve got Katie [Kissoon (vocals)]. We opened that door and there we were again and it was so easy. It’s so beautiful, so effortless.
Full interview with Andy Fairweather Low here: Andy Fairweather Low Interview
Strange Brew Podcast with Andy coming soon.
