Andrew Mark Brough (pronounced /brʌf/;[1] 7 May 1963 – 2 February 2020) was a singer, songwriter and guitarist from Dunedin, New Zealand.
Andrew joined him around 1974, with his siblings (two boys and a girl) staying in Christchurch, and would attend Logan Park High School.
"[5] Following the demise of The Blue Meanies, Brough formed the Dunedin sound three-piece The Orange with Jonathan Moore (bass, formerly of Bored Games) and Peter Bragan (drums) in 1984.
[7] They played gigs in Dunedin at venues including the Oriental Tavern, where a live recording of the song 'Number One' was made in 1985.
[5] Writing under the pseudonym 'Buffy O'Reilly', Shayne Carter said that "Brough's airy vocals and melodic, unabrasive guitar lends the five track EP a floating, almost Chilly quality.
Brough became better known as guitarist and vocalist alongside Shayne Carter in Straitjacket Fits, a role he held from 1986 (prior to that band's first release) until 1991, when he left the group following the tour to support their second album, Melt.
[9] In his book, Dead People I Have Known, Carter writes that Straitjacket Fits began as a three-piece, with a mutual friend recommending Brough as a fourth member.
The first time Andrew stepped on the mic and played his round, Revolver guitar, we knew we'd hit on a sound.
However, it did work and created interesting tension in the music.Shayne Carter and Andrew Brough were often likened to Lennon and McCartney – a pair of songwriting, guitar-playing bandmates with different styles (one tending towards pop and the other more aggressive), which made for a successful musical collaboration but a difficult personal dynamic.
'Down in Splendour' was released as a single (Audioculture calls it "the most radio and record company friendly track on the album"[11]) and became Brough's most successful Straitjacket Fits song.
It was just this underlying sort of factor, tension almost, that no more was required.Carter believed that Brough had stopped committing to the band: "Andrew went off on a really weird trip, and completely dark-manned out.
"[18] In a 2008 interview, bassist David Wood said that Shayne Carter and Andrew Brough had "no relationship" and "the two did not work closely together".
I always found it ironic that his public image was that of the gentle altar boy set upon by the bully Carter.Brough was invited but did not take part in a Straitjacket Fits reunion in 2005.
[19] Brough described Bike's sound as "powerful pop songs", while others used descriptions like "soothing, cheerful and sunny".
I'm trying to write songs that people will enjoy.Bike first toured New Zealand in 1994, having already been offered an album deal by Flying Nun but not yet released any music.
[31] Through the previous years of writing, rehearsing and touring, Brough had a clear template for the album before recording began.
[26] The American version of the album, part of the March Records catalogue, had a slightly altered cover with different typography.
[33] The band toured New Zealand and overseas to support the release, while Brough was featured on the covers of magazines including Pavement and Real Groove.
Increased media attention, including a large photo in a Sunday newspaper, led Brough to worry about being "recognised in the street".
[4] The video for Welcome to My World featured Shayne Carter, Brough's old Straitjacket Fits bandmate, as a policeman.
As long-time broadcaster Jonathan Alley of RRR recounts, "After a Bike song was licensed for use on television, it created [for] Andrew a bit of windfall and with that money he brought a house.
"[35] The last Andrew Brough song to be released was a version of James K. Baxter's poem Andy Dandy.
[37] Music critic Graham Reid said that "Andrew Brough has taken one of Baxter's children's poems and turned it into an archetypical dreamscape of layered guitars.