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Interview with Andy Jordan - Made in Chelsea
Indie | Thursday 14th November 2013 | annalisemarguerita
Guestlist speaks to Andy Jordan from Made in Chelsea. The reality star rocks up at the Chelsea Harbour offices on his leopard print skateboard, wearing some leopard print shoes and a leopard print sleeved jumper to match (probably one of the only people cool enough to pull off this attire). Without the support of his Chelsea chums and some champagne to sip on, we discuss his venture into music and everything else in between.
We know you from Made in Chelsea but today we wanted to talk to you a bit about music. We hear you have a single out – could you tell us a bit about that?
Yeah so I've recently released a single called “A whole lot of water” and it's just kind of a bopping along, get you up in the morning, track - that I hope is quite a reflection of my personality!
What's it about?
I don't really know what it's about haha, that's the whole point. It's about not really knowing what to do in life, and sort of staying relaxed about that. So it's like “A whole lot of water” is a metaphor for all of the different things that go on in life. I wrote it, ironically, when I was at university and you're going through that stage of, like, what am I going to do when I leave? Am I going get a job, or am I going do a serious career like reality tv? Haha. Bizarrely I got really pissed one night and wrote it, and woke up the next morning and I had it recorded on my phone. That's how it came about.
So when did you first pick up a guitar?
I first picked up a guitar on my gap year and my best friend, a guy called chris who I travelled with, is awesome at the guitar. We were in mexico and we found this guitar for a tenner and so we bought it and decided to take it on the rest of the trip. I was so unnatural and so bad at it that I didn't play it for the rest of that year! I think I strummed like four chords. Then when we got back to the UK he said “right you keep the guitar, and go and learn it”, so I took it to university with me - and that's when I really started playing.
Is that when you started song-writing as well?
Yeah they kind of came in quick succession actually, partly because I am so bad at guitar that I cant play other peoples' tracks - so I was like I better just make my own! I think the first song I wrote was just the worst thing that's ever happened actually, and hopefully no-one will ever hear it! I can't remember what it was called but there's probably about five people that have heard it, and they still take the piss out of me for it.
Who are your favourite artists, who do you go and see when you watch some gigs?
I have such an eclectic mix. I would like to go and see the backstreet boys and I loved watching Justin Timberlake - I saw him at Wireless this year and I was absolutely blown away. At the same time I have a real love of old school music, old school soul and Motown, and even Tracy Chapman, Joan Armatrading. I love soul and blues music so that sort of inspires what I do with music as well. Last night I actually went to see a guy called Jose James who is over from the US and it was probably one of the sexiest gigs I've ever been to - just really relaxed on stage and I love that soulful vibe.
So what was the last album you bought?
Erm, Drake.
Good choice.
I've forgotten what it's called! (sings) I've got my eyes on you! - literally love that song.
That was an Andy Jordan exclusive, thank you very much.
Maybe I should cover that - why don't I cover that?
I think you should! Mention Guestlist when you do.
Yeah I will say "this is a cover from Guestlist", and I will dedicate it to you guys.
Oh that would be brilliant. Now you're making a career in music, do you feel that you are able to do it because you're in Made in Chelsea? Do you feel it is easier to transition from that, or would you do it anyway without Made in Chelsea?
I think I would have done it anyway. With music I don't know whether I would have necessarily put my eggs in that basket, if you know what I mean, so I don't know if I would have pursued it in the same way that I am. If someone had said “do you want to do a gig?” I would have said "absolutely not!" like terrified. Then through doing Made in Chelsea I have developed a better confidence in front of a crowd. We do all these PA things where you go and stand up in front of a crowd and wave, and I always feel completely awkward about that. I think - shite, well we should probably give them some sort of talent - if people are here to see us. I much prefer the idea of going and picking up my guitar and strumming a song. I would never have had that confidence before but I would definitely have continued to make music in my bedroom. The Made in Chelsea thing is definitely something that has brought it (the music) into the public eye, whether or not it would have ever got that far without it, I don't know. I guess once you step into the world of entertainment you can kind of back yourself to go any way. Long term my ideal world would be gigging every night.
Music is what you want to do then. Is that your dream career?
Yeah, I never really isolate things as like a career, but if you said to me what's going to be your dream year from now until next year? I would say - doing 280 shows, every night in different cities.
Is that what you want to do, you want to be a gigging musician? Would you ever want to record an album or an EP?
I would record an album purely on the basis of promoting a tour. I think my favourite thing about music is live music. I don't think these days that you can get enough out of recorded music that you can from a live show. For me it is much more important, the live show, and there's so much interaction between the artist and the crowd - that I absolutely love. I think that's where the magic in music happens, and I think you know you can't call yourself a musician unless you can do it live.
Where do you think would be the best venue to play live?
Well that's a tricky question. I don't know, the O2? (laughs)
That would be pretty big.
That's quite ambitious! I was talking about this yesterday - you see artists going from 100 people venues, 200 people venues, and then the next thing you know, like a summer later - you could be playing on the main stage at Glastonbury. That would just be unbelievable. I don't know if I would freak out too much though! I've only done two gigs now and the first one I did was in such a small venue - for about twenty five or thirty people - and I loved it. I could pretty much do it without a microphone. Then the second one I did was much better, and suddenly there's so many more variables that effect the sound and speakers - you can't hear the musicians every now and then, and suddenly the sound technician becomes so important. Often you see the guys with the ear pieces in at the big gigs – I would love to have a crack at seeing what happens with the sound on one of those stages - it must be terrifying!
You seem to prefer more intimate venues. Is that what you would like to pursue?
Yeah I definitely think an intimate venue is a much better way of interacting with your audience. Not to put a number on it, but I wouldn't want to ever play something bigger than 500 people - I think that's quite a lot of people. I think you lose some of the magic if you put it on the stage in front of 10,000 people.
So we have to talk a little bit about Made in Chelsea. It's obviously a very exciting show to be a part of, what would you say your biggest moments have been, what's really stood out for you?
For me the stand out moment was my first ever episode. You know you never really know what's going to happen with Made in Chelsea you know? We don't get told anything. I got told about twelve hours before that I was getting a flight to Saint Tropez so I was like - “okay great, I will go pack my swimmers!” So I jumped on a plane and then the next thing you know they are miking me up and they said to walk down this board-walk, meet a girl and just chat to her. If you fancy her - and obviously they knew I fancied her because it was Louise - and they just said to have a stab at it, and I was like “is that it?” I was terrified and just walked straight in and I was like “oh my god this is on camera!”and then I watched it back and I was like “oh my god I really blew it!” haha so that was a really big moment for me. Then seeing yourself and remembering how it was when I got off the plane, filming it to then seeing it on TV.
Is it really weird watching yourself back?
Yeah I hate it! I hate watching myself in the episode - I really enjoy filming it though. I love filming, it's really fun, but I hate watching it back because you don't think about what you're filming when you film. You're like “hey this is fun with your friends, and then you watch it back and you're like- oh god what have I done!”
Do you think it's harder because you don't know what you're about to do, would you prefer to rehearse things? Do you think you'd be more at ease?
Well you'd be more at ease but I don't think it would be as good a show. The best thing about the show is the surprise element. I actually love it - sometimes someone will walk into a scene and you're not expecting and I will be like “oh well done haha”. I actually love the realness of it because it makes it more fun. I always say it's one of those things that when it's good - it's really good, and when it's bad - it's really bad.
You have a lot of different friends on set, who would you say are your best friends that you hang out with offset?
So my best friends offset are Lucy and Stevie. But we all hang out a lot actually, off-camera. I spend an awful lot of time with Proudlock - I think we are similar in terms of our interests. Jamie is probably one of the best people to have on a night out. Day to day I see Stevie and Lucy, almost every day.
Have they been supportive of your music, are they very interested in what you're doing?
Yeah they have actually - Stevie loves it and I'm hoping to get him on a track because Stevie can rap. It will blow you away. I am hoping that it will make it into the series at some point but you never know. No-one knew that he could do it but we were on our way somewhere on the train, we had a bottle of wine and were joking around and we started having a rap battle. Stevie started spitting lyrics for like five minutes straight, and we all were just staring at him like “oh my god this is incredible! Where has this come from?” and he was like “yeah I rap, and what?”
That is quite the hidden talent really.
Yeah it's an unbelievably hidden talent so hopefully I will coax that out of him and get him on-stage at some point.
That would be great.
Okay don't take my word for it because he's a busy guy, but I will try! Lucy is awesome because she's so blunt. If I pick up my guitar and am like “hey guys I started writing a new song what do you think of this?” then she's like “yeah it's shit”. Or she will be like “actually that's quite good” and you know if Lucy says it's good then it's okay and I can go and record that! If she says it's bad then just give up.
So what would you say that you were most scared of?
Definitely ghosts, poltergeists. I've got this friend who has a haunted house and there's a room where the ghost is and you say “hello ghost” and the ghost flicks the lights on and off! It is terrifying - you have to say nice things to the ghost otherwise the ghost will unplug the TV from the wall and stuff like that.
Why haven't they moved?!
Well because they're tight with the ghost! They kick back, they've been friends for years. I have a recurring nightmare about a poltergeist where it just pulls me out of my bed. I sleep with the corridor light on with the door open because if anything happens - you dive for the light. The thing that's scary about ghosts is that they are real. I believe fully in ghosts, so when you see stuff in the movies - it could happen.
So we were hoping to get to know you a little bit better outside music and your Made in Chelsea world. Could you tell us - if you had to go to a desert island, what would be the one thing that you would take with you?
My surfboard. First of all you can take the fins off and use them to cut stuff up for food and building fires and then, at the same time, you can use it to paddle your way off the island if need be.
You're really into surfing and water-sports, is that your biggest passion apart from your music?
Yeah 100%, I actually really struggle living in London, I cant bear to be in London for a month, I have to get out to the beach. Anything in the water is happy days for me really - as long as I can escape to the sea I'm a happy bunny.
Where do you usually escape to?
I go down to Cornwall quite a lot and then my dad lives in Spain so I go over there quite a lot. My mum spends a lot of time there as well so I pop out whenever I can, in fact I'm spending Christmas in Spain this year.
So what would you say your most embarrassing moment has been ever?
I actually know this straight up. When I was 10 I used to swim a lot competitively, I was living in Sweden at the time, and there was my age group and then the older age group would train after us. There were a few hot girls that I really fancied but they were in the older age group with my older brother. I finished my session and I went to the changing rooms. In Sweden everybody has a sauna naked so I went in and took my trunks off, had my sauna and then I realised I had left my kit by the pool! Yeah - it happened. I walked straight back out to get it, forgetting that I was butt naked. They all laughed – and I've never really got over that!
Sorry to bring it up - it's now a bit like a counselling session!
Yeah I didn't realise this was going to turn into therapy today!
How did it make you feel?
Small! (laughs) You're blushing!
Well, the mention of that is a bit rude Andy! This is going to go online!
That's okay - they've seen it online before!
Have they?
No! I hope not!
So what was the last book you read?
It's by Malcolm Gladwell and it's about loads of different things, different ways of looking at the world. You know the one that has the ten thousand hour rule, and you can become an expert at anything if you commit ten thousand hours? There's all these amazing little insights into the world which I love. I don't read many fiction books.
What would you – if you did have ten thousand hours – what would you want to be an expert in?
The piano.
Not the guitar?
I like the guitar but the piano is cooler. I've got this friend, Nigel, who I went to school with and he is the most incredible piano player. We went to a drinks reception one night and it was really smart - everyone was in black tie and then the music failed. There was a grand piano and so Nigel just started playing some jazz piano - and I was thinking that that's the coolest thing on earth. I would love to be able to do that. I tell you what, I have a cover here with me which you guys can listen to if you want.
(Plays song whilst miming and dancing – then gets the words wrong)
I forgot the words! That's the end of that anyway! I had it right up to that last point.
It was a great performance.
I will be singing that live.
Will it be real singing and not miming live?
It will. As you can see I'm not a great mimer.
It wasn't bad, I couldn't really tell where it was coming from, it could have been anywhere.
It could have been coming straight from my mouth.
Exactly. Well on that lovely note we would like to thank you for coming to talk with us today - I hope you've had a nice time.
I've had a great time.
We've had a great time. A great time.
Watch the edited interview here:
