He may be best known for being the singer in Ireland’s hardest-working semi-fictional soul band, but Andrew Strong has a voice that can belt out the blues with the best of them.
Thrust into the spotlight at the tender age of 16 when 'The Commitments' movie made him an international star, Dubliner Strong has enjoyed a long and varied career in music. His upcoming headlining slot at Blues On Broadbeach in May will see the 41-year-old return to his roots and the songs that made him famous, but with a healthy dollop of blues ladled on top.
“It’s predominantly a Commitments' show,” he says. “Probably 70 percent Commitments. I do some Jimi Hendrix, some Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland, some Spencer Davis songs. I went out to Australia about two years ago with this kind of show and it was very popular, so we’ll go out, put on the suits and sing all the Commitments' stuff.”
After distancing himself from the Commitments’ music in the years following the 1991 release of the movie, Strong was reunited with the band for their 20-year anniversary.“To be honest with you, I haven’t done this kind of show in 20 years,” he says. “Prior to this I’d been doing my own stuff. Basically what happened was when [the Commitments] got together to do the reunion a couple of years back, there was a strong void there for me to go out and do this kind of show. I enjoyed it, but I thought it’s not the sort of thing I’m going to keep doing, but there are people out there who really wanted to see this kind of show and me sing these songs. So, this will be effectively my last of this kind of show in Australia. This will be my third tour in Australia; I’ve played probably 40 shows doing this ‘Andrew Strong – The Commitments’ show, so when I come back it’ll be more kind of Andrew Strong-themed.”
Strong’s powerful voice and electric live performances have earned him tour slots with Elton John and Lenny Kravitz, as well as an invitation to perform at the Princess of Norway’s wedding.
“There are a lot of things [in my career] I’m very proud of... Touring with the Rolling Stones was one of the highlights. It was great to go out on the road for eight shows with them, then come back home and get a call a week later to go out and do a couple more shows; that was a great buzz and a great experience. After I did the movie, for some reason I got a lot of respect from singers across the board. I look at the movie; I did it when I was 16. To be a part of something that, 20 years later, is still kind of relevant is an achievement.”
Strong’s soul and blues credentials were cemented even further when he was asked to perform with the Blues Brothers Band in the '90s; something which came about in a less-than-direct fashion.
“I know Ringo Starr’s kids... I met them through the guy who wrote the screenplay for 'The Commitments'. Their mother was married to the guy who owned all the Hard Rock Cafés; he sold those and bought all these Houses Of Blues. The Blues Brothers Band were opening all these venues and they asked me would I come over and sing at it, and I thought it would be great. I got the opportunity to sing with Duck Dunn and Steve Cropper and all those guys; we played in L.A. and Boston. It was great, man. It was great to play with those guys. I remember Steve Cropper came up to me in Boston and said ‘hey man, I was so happy you recorded my songs, because I needed the money.’”
With two Commitments albums, four solo albums and a greatest hits collection under his belt, Strong is looking towards his next release.
“A lot has gone on in my life over the last year or so; I had a son and moved into a new home. This year, I really want to focus on new material for a new album. Hopefully by the end of the year or the beginning of next year I’ll have a new record out. When I come back from Australia, I’ll have been doing some shows around Europe; some festivals and stuff like that. I also have a side project band, The Bone Yard Boys; we’ve been working together for about eight years, and I’d like to put an album out. I’d be a happy camper if I could come back Down Under and do an Andrew Strong tour next year.”
Andrew Strong 'The Commitments' tour plays Blues On Broadbeach, May 24.
Andrew Strong and The Commitments Tour Dates
Thurs 7 May – The Gov (Adelaide)Fri 8 May – Anitas Theatre (Woolongong)
Sat 9 May – Burwood Bowlo (Newcastle)
Sun 10 May – Manning Bar (Sydney)
Fri 15 May – Brothers Leagues Club (Cairns)
Sat 16 May – The Venue (Townsville)
Sun 17 May – Mackay Entertainment & Convention Centre
Wed 20 May – Gladstone Entertainment & Convention Centre
Fri 22 May – Brothers Sports Club (Bundaberg)
Sat 23 May – Kedron Wavell Services Club
Sun 24 May – Blues On Broadbeach (Gold Coast)
Fri 29 May – Astor Theatre (Perth)
Sat 30 May – Prince Bandroom (St Kilda)
