Steev Mike & Andrew WK's Dark Secrets
This really, really isn't that complicated. Sure, no-one knows the entire truth. Sure AWK says some confusing things, but it ain't rocket science. Firstly I think that you'd have to be stupid, paranoid or nuts not to be pretty damn sure that - Andrew WK is the same person as ever. He's a nice guy. But that is just my opinion, as I know there are plenty of people out there just as convinced that there have been several different actors who auditioned and played the role of Andrew WK since it started in 1999.
Some claim he used to call himself Steev Mike. This is the name we've seen in credits going all the way back to the first "I Get Wet" album. But others say this was not Andrew but the the name of managers and creative directors hired by his father, James E. Krier, and the record label executives. In that way, the name Steev Mike could have been used to represent himself as a real person (or actor), the Andew WK "brand", or more likely someone else or a group of people, as 'executive producer'. The idea that Steev Mike is an Andrew WK alias, no longer in use, is possible except that it would point to a huge amount of premeditated concepts that many have found hard to believe. Steev Mike could also have been used to represent the record company people behind him.
Legal issues prevent Andrew from talking completely openly, and these legal issues have had a seriously negative effect on his career (or rather his mainstream music career). It's possible that he likes playing on the confusion a little, but I highly doubt he would intentionally have planted this sort of evidence 10 years in advance.
The music industry, from TV shows like X-Factor down to local punk bands, tends to involve more deception, acting and management influence than most music fans would like. For what it's worth, I am only a very recent convert to AWK - saw him for the first time at KCLSU in London in September, and was only there for the support. I was blown away by him and have read lots and watched lots since. My take on the full story, with possible explaination of the 'audition' comment, is not that complicated. In fact, I think my theory is the correct one specifically BECAUSE it is simple (Occhim's Razor):
THE "REAL" STORY (as I see it):
1990-1999: Andrew WK makes noise music and plays locally in the suburbs of Michigan. He is a nice, positive guy that likes lots of music including metal. He has ambition and knows that you have to play the system and walk with the devil (major labels) to acheive mainstream success. Here is where we just cannot know the full truth, but it has to be somewhere between (1) and (2) below -
(1) He starts playing with ideas and comes up with the idea of a super-positive pop-metal party act that will appeal to the dumb / pop side of metallers and the metal side of the mainstream. He ends up in contact with a major label and 'auditions' with them to get a deal.
(2) He starts playing with ideas and wants to make it big. He ends up in contact with a major label who have come up with the idea of a super-positive pop-metal party act that will appeal to the dumb / pop side of metallers and the metal side of the mainstream. He auditions and gets the job because he is the best man for the job, and indeed was moving in a similar direction himself.
[No-one can be sure to what extent (1) or (2) is closer to the truth, but i'd be confident that it is somewhere in the middle. I am certain that AWK loves all the music he has done and is the positive and nice guy he comes across as].
After 2 or 3 years AWK became dissatisfied with the label, or had gotten into fights with his manager and creative team over credit and direction - probably due to a combination of them taking too much of a cut, and them wanting him to just bang on and on and on doing the same thing until the public stops buying it. He wants more freedom and a bigger share of the cash and credit, whereas they want him to not get credit unless he plays by their rules. As a result, he has had his hands tied for years (both in terms of what he can do as Andrew WK, where he can release records, and what he can say). These legal issues seem to be coming to an end (hopefully), as of 2010.
People's problems with this theory of Andrew WK seem to be twofold -
(1) They think he's secretly a corporate puppet and does not mean it.
I say rubbish - he may have been a corporate puppet but he isn't now and I truly believe that he has always meant it. I believe him, I have absolute faith in his integrity. And if he doesn't mean it then just pretend he does, go along with it, and allow him to make your life better. I am certain that most people on this board would be disappointed by many if not most of their favourite bands if they really knew the fulll story behind how they developed their sound and image to reach a certain audience. AWK may be at the extreme end of this (but he may not) but I'd be fucking surprised if there are many artists out there who believe more in what they do than he does. Not least because it's damn hard not to believe in the idea of making music to bring people together to dance, smile and party.
(2) He comes out with all sorts of weird comments, both contradicitory about the past, and philosophical / motivational. I forgive him all this. He has every right to maintain an air of mystery, especially when his hands are tied legally. I am someone who in many ways detest the whole american / super-positive / motivational thing, but the way AWK draws ito together with party music and a fantastically broad range of aspects of his career I just love. If his words do your head in, and confuse you, then ignore it. Just go with the music!!
One of my favourite theories is this:
I feel that point needs to be driven home that Andrew W.K. is more of a transcendent ideology and mentality than it is a physical entity. So, whether or not he 'lied' is irrelevant, because what he's 'lying' about is entirely disconnected from and cannot have any impact on the integrity of the concept. This is what AWK is attempting to convey, both in the interview and through the 'revelation' that the initial Andrew W.K. image was fabricated by a group of Island corporate executives (and himself). I don't think this should come as a surprise to anybody, it's a major record label and a corporation--it's simply how business is conducted in the industry.
And to touch on this issue of him 'lying' for a moment--had he openly stated when the project began that "this whole thing right here is a construction of music industry big-wigs, let's party!" it would have crippled its effectiveness. How many of you would have saddled up with the A.W.K. train if that had been the case? Furthermore, he has since then distanced himself from the industry, and the project has still retained all the power, authenticity, and positivity that made it so appealing in the first place. This alone should be a testament to the purity of concept, so can we put this issue of whether or not he's a 'liar' to rest? I hope so.
Some claim he used to call himself Steev Mike. This is the name we've seen in credits going all the way back to the first "I Get Wet" album. But others say this was not Andrew but the the name of managers and creative directors hired by his father, James E. Krier, and the record label executives. In that way, the name Steev Mike could have been used to represent himself as a real person (or actor), the Andew WK "brand", or more likely someone else or a group of people, as 'executive producer'. The idea that Steev Mike is an Andrew WK alias, no longer in use, is possible except that it would point to a huge amount of premeditated concepts that many have found hard to believe. Steev Mike could also have been used to represent the record company people behind him.
Legal issues prevent Andrew from talking completely openly, and these legal issues have had a seriously negative effect on his career (or rather his mainstream music career). It's possible that he likes playing on the confusion a little, but I highly doubt he would intentionally have planted this sort of evidence 10 years in advance.
The music industry, from TV shows like X-Factor down to local punk bands, tends to involve more deception, acting and management influence than most music fans would like. For what it's worth, I am only a very recent convert to AWK - saw him for the first time at KCLSU in London in September, and was only there for the support. I was blown away by him and have read lots and watched lots since. My take on the full story, with possible explaination of the 'audition' comment, is not that complicated. In fact, I think my theory is the correct one specifically BECAUSE it is simple (Occhim's Razor):
THE "REAL" STORY (as I see it):
1990-1999: Andrew WK makes noise music and plays locally in the suburbs of Michigan. He is a nice, positive guy that likes lots of music including metal. He has ambition and knows that you have to play the system and walk with the devil (major labels) to acheive mainstream success. Here is where we just cannot know the full truth, but it has to be somewhere between (1) and (2) below -
(1) He starts playing with ideas and comes up with the idea of a super-positive pop-metal party act that will appeal to the dumb / pop side of metallers and the metal side of the mainstream. He ends up in contact with a major label and 'auditions' with them to get a deal.
(2) He starts playing with ideas and wants to make it big. He ends up in contact with a major label who have come up with the idea of a super-positive pop-metal party act that will appeal to the dumb / pop side of metallers and the metal side of the mainstream. He auditions and gets the job because he is the best man for the job, and indeed was moving in a similar direction himself.
[No-one can be sure to what extent (1) or (2) is closer to the truth, but i'd be confident that it is somewhere in the middle. I am certain that AWK loves all the music he has done and is the positive and nice guy he comes across as].
After 2 or 3 years AWK became dissatisfied with the label, or had gotten into fights with his manager and creative team over credit and direction - probably due to a combination of them taking too much of a cut, and them wanting him to just bang on and on and on doing the same thing until the public stops buying it. He wants more freedom and a bigger share of the cash and credit, whereas they want him to not get credit unless he plays by their rules. As a result, he has had his hands tied for years (both in terms of what he can do as Andrew WK, where he can release records, and what he can say). These legal issues seem to be coming to an end (hopefully), as of 2010.
People's problems with this theory of Andrew WK seem to be twofold -
(1) They think he's secretly a corporate puppet and does not mean it.
I say rubbish - he may have been a corporate puppet but he isn't now and I truly believe that he has always meant it. I believe him, I have absolute faith in his integrity. And if he doesn't mean it then just pretend he does, go along with it, and allow him to make your life better. I am certain that most people on this board would be disappointed by many if not most of their favourite bands if they really knew the fulll story behind how they developed their sound and image to reach a certain audience. AWK may be at the extreme end of this (but he may not) but I'd be fucking surprised if there are many artists out there who believe more in what they do than he does. Not least because it's damn hard not to believe in the idea of making music to bring people together to dance, smile and party.
(2) He comes out with all sorts of weird comments, both contradicitory about the past, and philosophical / motivational. I forgive him all this. He has every right to maintain an air of mystery, especially when his hands are tied legally. I am someone who in many ways detest the whole american / super-positive / motivational thing, but the way AWK draws ito together with party music and a fantastically broad range of aspects of his career I just love. If his words do your head in, and confuse you, then ignore it. Just go with the music!!
One of my favourite theories is this:
I feel that point needs to be driven home that Andrew W.K. is more of a transcendent ideology and mentality than it is a physical entity. So, whether or not he 'lied' is irrelevant, because what he's 'lying' about is entirely disconnected from and cannot have any impact on the integrity of the concept. This is what AWK is attempting to convey, both in the interview and through the 'revelation' that the initial Andrew W.K. image was fabricated by a group of Island corporate executives (and himself). I don't think this should come as a surprise to anybody, it's a major record label and a corporation--it's simply how business is conducted in the industry.
And to touch on this issue of him 'lying' for a moment--had he openly stated when the project began that "this whole thing right here is a construction of music industry big-wigs, let's party!" it would have crippled its effectiveness. How many of you would have saddled up with the A.W.K. train if that had been the case? Furthermore, he has since then distanced himself from the industry, and the project has still retained all the power, authenticity, and positivity that made it so appealing in the first place. This alone should be a testament to the purity of concept, so can we put this issue of whether or not he's a 'liar' to rest? I hope so.
Andrew WK and Occult Connections
In the infamous 2008 Madame Jojo's lecture in London videos, where Andrew supposedly admitted to being a hired actor, he also says:
Quote: ...this is is our opportunity to make each other feel good, to encourage each other to follow our impulses, to remove the fears, remove the barricades that say, “no no that's crazy! No no, you shouldn't do that, what will people think? What will your parents think, what will your friends think, what will your girlfriend think, what will your wife think? To remove those obstacles that keep us from following our TRUE WILL!
Now that sounds like a fairly straightforward self-actualization platitude. Nothing remarkable about it really, just some good advice on grabbing hold of your own bootstraps & following your bliss. But i think it's interesting that AWK doesn't say "dreams" or "hearts" or "bliss" there at the end. Instead he says "True Will", and he places a great deal of serious emphasis on the phrase.
Watching it, I was immediately reminded of THELEMA. Thelema is an occult religious philosophy/practice that arises from of Aleister Crowley's dictum:
Quote: Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.
Love is the law, love under will.
The essence of Thelema is that the magickal adept should strive to identify and follow his "True Will" (this specific phrasing is crucial to the faith), and that the shackles of morality and conventional thinking should never interfere with this pursuit. Thelema identifies conventional morality, essentially, as a set of chains that enslaves the will. The Thelemic adept must transcend such limitations in his attainment of True Will, and should only be constrained by his own willingness to undertake actions and deal with their consequences. it's a profoundly amoral philosophy.
Not surprisingly, this steadfast refusal of ultimate morality & absolute values makes Thelema & Crowley's other magickal philosophies rather troubling to some, and they have often been confused with Satanism. (then again, in some of its forms, Thelema properly and simply IS Satanism. moo-hoo ha-ha...)
Anyway, I thought this suggested some interesting connections re: the AWK mythology. most obviously in regard to Andrew's connections with the band Current 93. according to Crowley's numerology & magickal science, the number 93 = Thelema, and that is precisely why David Tibet chose the name for his band.
In Crowley's philosophy, a significant component of magick is the ability to extend one's will into the world by getting others to listen, follow & believe as one directs them. And isn't this what pop stars do? Isn't the fascination they exert "magickal" in that sense?
Finally, we might view some of the darker themes and "occult" overtontes of Andrew's recent work in light of their relation to mystical, magickal or even Satanic philosophy.
I've been saying this all along, of course people have poo-poo'ed it from the start. Obviously because if there really is a tie to the beast - Aleister Corwley would open into its fold a maximum amount of insanity and an overload of paranoia. I have no doubt about it - AWK is deep into this stuff. He's using it to blur the lines of fantasy and reality much more... and if it is his true spiritual path, may God save his soul.
We might view Andrew's work in terms of occultism, but it doesn't seem like he's ever advocated abandoning morality entirely (or at all). In fact, he articulated it in your first quote. It's simply about removing self-imposed emotional barriers so that we can interact at a more pure, elemental level in the interest of making each other "feel good."
Infusing Andrew W.K. with more conspiracy is the last thing this board needs, especially in light of Fifty_5 necro'ing a bunch of old threads and posting CRAAAAAZY pictures. It's a perversion of the A.W.K. ethos, which is rather explicit:
HAVE COMPASSION AND UNDERSTANDING.
REMEMBER WHAT OTHERS DON’T HAVE.
BE THANKFUL.
DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU’D HAVE THEM DO UNTO YOU.
NEVER LET DOWN.
WHAT IS THE RIGHT THING DO?
ABOVE ALL,
TOTAL LOVE.
Just to name a few relevant examples. There is a distinct integration of traditional concepts of morality, which is at odds with Crowley's anti-moralism.
And as far as pop stars being manipulators--Andrew is both a master entertainer and a rejection of the typical pitfalls of the pop star (evidenced by his severing from the record industry, the themes of CCWBW). To say that Andrew W.K. "directs" people to follow his will attributes him too much agency. People willfully buy into it because the freedom and positivity afforded by his philosophy is attractive in light of a culture dedicated to imposing standards and restrictions (in regard to beauty, social acceptance, etc.). Furthermore...
MAKE PEACE WITH WHAT YOU CANNOT CHANGE.
doesn't sound like the philisophical tenet of someone attempting to foist their will upon a population. He's advocating the discovery of individual wills.
Finally, you articulated it in your own post, but the concept of pursuing 'true will' as a avenue for moral purity is not unique to Thelema, and is probably derived from Teleology, an aspect of Aristotelian philosophy. It's influence is far more vast than Thelema's, as "it is central to nearly all philosophical theories of history, such as those of Hegel and Marx". What does Andrew want us to see as "the themes" of his work? Does it have an overall message? If so, what is it? I see it as a dark, conflicted and disturbing one.
Quote: ...this is is our opportunity to make each other feel good, to encourage each other to follow our impulses, to remove the fears, remove the barricades that say, “no no that's crazy! No no, you shouldn't do that, what will people think? What will your parents think, what will your friends think, what will your girlfriend think, what will your wife think? To remove those obstacles that keep us from following our TRUE WILL!
Now that sounds like a fairly straightforward self-actualization platitude. Nothing remarkable about it really, just some good advice on grabbing hold of your own bootstraps & following your bliss. But i think it's interesting that AWK doesn't say "dreams" or "hearts" or "bliss" there at the end. Instead he says "True Will", and he places a great deal of serious emphasis on the phrase.
Watching it, I was immediately reminded of THELEMA. Thelema is an occult religious philosophy/practice that arises from of Aleister Crowley's dictum:
Quote: Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.
Love is the law, love under will.
The essence of Thelema is that the magickal adept should strive to identify and follow his "True Will" (this specific phrasing is crucial to the faith), and that the shackles of morality and conventional thinking should never interfere with this pursuit. Thelema identifies conventional morality, essentially, as a set of chains that enslaves the will. The Thelemic adept must transcend such limitations in his attainment of True Will, and should only be constrained by his own willingness to undertake actions and deal with their consequences. it's a profoundly amoral philosophy.
Not surprisingly, this steadfast refusal of ultimate morality & absolute values makes Thelema & Crowley's other magickal philosophies rather troubling to some, and they have often been confused with Satanism. (then again, in some of its forms, Thelema properly and simply IS Satanism. moo-hoo ha-ha...)
Anyway, I thought this suggested some interesting connections re: the AWK mythology. most obviously in regard to Andrew's connections with the band Current 93. according to Crowley's numerology & magickal science, the number 93 = Thelema, and that is precisely why David Tibet chose the name for his band.
In Crowley's philosophy, a significant component of magick is the ability to extend one's will into the world by getting others to listen, follow & believe as one directs them. And isn't this what pop stars do? Isn't the fascination they exert "magickal" in that sense?
Finally, we might view some of the darker themes and "occult" overtontes of Andrew's recent work in light of their relation to mystical, magickal or even Satanic philosophy.
I've been saying this all along, of course people have poo-poo'ed it from the start. Obviously because if there really is a tie to the beast - Aleister Corwley would open into its fold a maximum amount of insanity and an overload of paranoia. I have no doubt about it - AWK is deep into this stuff. He's using it to blur the lines of fantasy and reality much more... and if it is his true spiritual path, may God save his soul.
We might view Andrew's work in terms of occultism, but it doesn't seem like he's ever advocated abandoning morality entirely (or at all). In fact, he articulated it in your first quote. It's simply about removing self-imposed emotional barriers so that we can interact at a more pure, elemental level in the interest of making each other "feel good."
Infusing Andrew W.K. with more conspiracy is the last thing this board needs, especially in light of Fifty_5 necro'ing a bunch of old threads and posting CRAAAAAZY pictures. It's a perversion of the A.W.K. ethos, which is rather explicit:
HAVE COMPASSION AND UNDERSTANDING.
REMEMBER WHAT OTHERS DON’T HAVE.
BE THANKFUL.
DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU’D HAVE THEM DO UNTO YOU.
NEVER LET DOWN.
WHAT IS THE RIGHT THING DO?
ABOVE ALL,
TOTAL LOVE.
Just to name a few relevant examples. There is a distinct integration of traditional concepts of morality, which is at odds with Crowley's anti-moralism.
And as far as pop stars being manipulators--Andrew is both a master entertainer and a rejection of the typical pitfalls of the pop star (evidenced by his severing from the record industry, the themes of CCWBW). To say that Andrew W.K. "directs" people to follow his will attributes him too much agency. People willfully buy into it because the freedom and positivity afforded by his philosophy is attractive in light of a culture dedicated to imposing standards and restrictions (in regard to beauty, social acceptance, etc.). Furthermore...
MAKE PEACE WITH WHAT YOU CANNOT CHANGE.
doesn't sound like the philisophical tenet of someone attempting to foist their will upon a population. He's advocating the discovery of individual wills.
Finally, you articulated it in your own post, but the concept of pursuing 'true will' as a avenue for moral purity is not unique to Thelema, and is probably derived from Teleology, an aspect of Aristotelian philosophy. It's influence is far more vast than Thelema's, as "it is central to nearly all philosophical theories of history, such as those of Hegel and Marx". What does Andrew want us to see as "the themes" of his work? Does it have an overall message? If so, what is it? I see it as a dark, conflicted and disturbing one.
What's Really Going On With AWK
First of all, I'm not trying to suggest that AWK is himself amoral, or that he's a follower of Aleister Crowley or a bride-butchering Satanist or what have you. I'm merely trying to pick my way through the thicket of mystery and misdirection that he so carefully cultivates.
Your mention of telos/teleology is a reasonable response to the Thelemic intimations I discussed, but I think you're minimizing the uniqueness of Crowley's argument. While Crowley's "True Will" is clearly equivalent to the ancient concept of Telos, the specific language he used in defining it and his anti-clerical emphasis on the individual self as the sole arbiter of meaning, value & truth in the universe remains unique.
The point I'm making here is that AWK's invocation is phrased in Crowley's specific language (perhaps coincidentally), and that this is not the only connection we might draw. Current 93 and "Aleister X" are of course quite literal. On a more subtle level, we might consider AWK's recent emphasis of the horror implicit in the strangely solopsistic view of the universe he articulates (a view which therefore can be understood as both a statement and a critique of Thelemic self-deification).
I don't think you're wrong to define Andrew's message and morality in such positive terms, but for me, the surface positivism is only half the story. The occult is self-perpetuating, as are mystery and conspiracy. As soon as you suggest that the story you're telling might not be the REAL story, the "real story" escapes your grasp. All that survives in a field of doubt is doubt, and the further one gets from the moment of initial confusion, the more doubt becomes magnified by the echo-chamber effect of endless questioning and re-questioning.
AWK has sown doubt about his identity and intentions from the beginning, clouding positive inspiration with occult games, with withering irony and with ghoulish horror. I don't think there's anything wrong with any of this, but from where I stand, the subversion of the positive inspiration that some see in his work is almost total. I say this not to attack or to discredit AWK, but because I find the resulting puzzle so artistically fascinating.
Your mention of telos/teleology is a reasonable response to the Thelemic intimations I discussed, but I think you're minimizing the uniqueness of Crowley's argument. While Crowley's "True Will" is clearly equivalent to the ancient concept of Telos, the specific language he used in defining it and his anti-clerical emphasis on the individual self as the sole arbiter of meaning, value & truth in the universe remains unique.
The point I'm making here is that AWK's invocation is phrased in Crowley's specific language (perhaps coincidentally), and that this is not the only connection we might draw. Current 93 and "Aleister X" are of course quite literal. On a more subtle level, we might consider AWK's recent emphasis of the horror implicit in the strangely solopsistic view of the universe he articulates (a view which therefore can be understood as both a statement and a critique of Thelemic self-deification).
I don't think you're wrong to define Andrew's message and morality in such positive terms, but for me, the surface positivism is only half the story. The occult is self-perpetuating, as are mystery and conspiracy. As soon as you suggest that the story you're telling might not be the REAL story, the "real story" escapes your grasp. All that survives in a field of doubt is doubt, and the further one gets from the moment of initial confusion, the more doubt becomes magnified by the echo-chamber effect of endless questioning and re-questioning.
AWK has sown doubt about his identity and intentions from the beginning, clouding positive inspiration with occult games, with withering irony and with ghoulish horror. I don't think there's anything wrong with any of this, but from where I stand, the subversion of the positive inspiration that some see in his work is almost total. I say this not to attack or to discredit AWK, but because I find the resulting puzzle so artistically fascinating.
Continue on to year-by-year ANDREW WK COMPARISON PHOTOS...