Who is Andy Brown?

When we caught up with Andy Brown, the man behind the music on our BrandAlley ‘Killer Shoes’ TV ad, it became so obvious why this devilishly good-looking and charismatic frontman has set pulses racing around the world.

With seven top ten singles under his Belstaff belt and the hit single ‘Roads’ that features on our TV ad (taken from the band’s fantastic new EP ‘Lawson’ and is out now!), we wanted to know everything there is to know about this dark horse.

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It’s the day before he embarks on a tour of Asia followed by a tour of Australia with Robbie Williams, so it only seems appropriate to reflect on the musician’s past before we find out what else is in store for Lawson’s future. Having cheated death twice after suffering a brain tumour and liver failure, it’s not difficult to see how his deep lyrics and perspective on life pull on our heart strings. Using personal experiences to inspire his songs, it’s hard not to feel like you have been on his emotional journey with him.

He arrives at 10.30am on the dot. His style is effortlessly cool matching the surroundings of Shoreditch House. He has an air of mystery about him, yet he’s still so engaging. How does he do it? He makes you feel at ease and is genuinely interested in what “scran” you had for “tea“ last night. His Scouse accent making us melt as we got to know him more.

Born in the suburbs of Liverpool, he grew up playing the guitar his dad gave him as a boy. Taking inspiration from rock’n’roll legends like Paul McCartney has helped shape him into the musician he is today.

Here is our exclusive interview with Andy Brown from Lawson…

BA: “So, Andy, tell us, your deepest, darkest secret…Just kidding, we’ll ease you in with some light-hearted questions first.”

“Who is Andy Brown and how did Lawson come about?”

Andy: “I started the band six years ago with my best friends from the ACM Music College. We started out travelling up and down the country in this beat-up old van doing any gig we could get, sometimes to only a handful of people. Gradually we built up an incredibly loyal fan base and embarked on the Lawson journey, taking them with us. We began posting videos of covers on YouTube, which had a great response and led to us being signed by our record label.

It was great for us to grow in this way, because it’s the music that kept us hungry and driven. We had to work hard to get where we are today. We’re four musicians who all play more than one instrument. We play live, living and breathing the music we make.”

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From left to right: Ryan Fletcher (bassist), Joel Peat (guitarist), Andy Brown (frontman), Adam Pitts (drummer)

BA: “You must have some awesome Tour stories to share?”

He laughs, presumably recalling some of the stories. Will he share these?

Andy: “Yeah, yeah, yeah! Once, we put Ryan (the bassist) on the roof of our van and drove around the town with him; we wouldn’t stop to let him down. Ryan is always the brunt of our jokes! But we’re like brothers – we’ve been through everything together! You know, there’s highs and lows, but we’re always honest with each other and make light of every situation.”

BA: “Would you say you’re the ring leader?”

Andy: “Probably, yes, when it comes to practical jokes, but all the lads love it. We can be quite relentless when it comes to playing pranks, but it’s always important to have fun. It’s all in good humour.”

BA: “What was your first spine-tingling moment as a band?”

Andy: “The first time we played V festival in 2012, I remember we were all standing on stage and looked at each other. We knew all the hard work had paid off and we were making a name for ourselves. It was great!”

BA: “What’s next for Lawson?”

Andy: “Tomorrow we fly to Hong Kong to release our EP ‘Lawson’ and play some gigs, then we head on to Manila and Singapore to do the same, before joining Robbie Williams in Australia for his stadium tour. In Australia we have just released our single ‘Under the Sun’ so it will be great to see the song build whilst we’re out there. And not forgetting the UK, we are releasing our EP ‘Lawson’. Then, in November, we will be back in the UK for a tour of intimate gigs around the country. As you can tell, we love touring!”

BA: “So, you’re known for your effortlessly cool style. What or who inspires your look?”

Andy: “It’s a tough one really, I just get up and go, but I do take styling advice from my girlfriend. I’d say my everyday look is a black or white T-shirt, some black  jeans and a pair of leather boots. It’s a laid-back look, but I’m a pretty laid- back guy.”

BA: “Who are your style icons?”

Andy: “I’d say Jared Leto and David Beckham are cool.”

BA: “In the spirit of the BrandAlley/Lawson collaboration on our ‘Killer Shoes’ TV ad, do you have any ‘Designer Dream’ lust-haves?”

Andy: “I have three; watches, leather boots and sunglasses.“

BA: What is your go-to fashion brand?

Andy: “I really like Bolongaro Trevor, the Kooples, and anyone that sells a great longline T-Shirt. Being a tall guy, it’s so hard to find clothes that fit!”

BA: “Now for a quick fire round…”

BA: “Are you ready?”

Andy: “Ready”

Musician of the moment? “Ed Sheeran”

Colour? “Red”

Food? “Roast”

Book? “Rock’n’Roll Diaries by Jamie Scallion”

City? “Liverpool”

Drink? “Water”

Essential comfort? “A Pillow”

We think it’s safe to say we know Andy Brown a little more now, but if you want to get up close and personal be sure to enter our #allroadsleadto competition below.

Enter now on Twitter. Here’s how:

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November Tour Dates: Get your tickets here!

Lawson Tour dates