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Andy - Lead Guitar

Andy was 15 when he first started playing guitar. Like Rob, (and Al and Pipe for that matter…) he is self-taught. One of Andy's gifts is the ability to mimic a guitar solo note for note and bend for bend, and he feels that this has helped him to develop his own individual style. The DOGHOUSE sound is very much twin lead orientated, and Andy's ear for harmony has contributed enormously to this.

" I find that taking a solo to pieces and putting it back together again has given me a better understanding of the art of composing and playing a lead break. I try to combine fluency and melody and have found that if you do that first the speed comes automatically, where it's necessary. My main influences are Andy Powell (Wishbone Ash) and Bernie Marsden (ex Whitesnake, Moody Marsden Band). I'm also a great Deep Purple/Ritchie Blackmore fan and generally find the music I relate to is at least 30 years old! That's why it's great to be part of a band like DOGHOUSE because, although our music is new, it's got its roots in 70s and 80s blues/rock and people tell us that there are very few bands around at the moment who have that style and sound."

In 1993 Andy became involved with the Leasowe Production Group.

"I found that playing the same old venues and the same old songs was getting a bit boring and wanted to broaden my horizons, so when the Leasowe Production Group offered me the chance to play lead guitar on their production of Pink Floyd's 'The Wall' I jumped at it!"

The Wall was a huge success, and the show went on the road culminating in a final sold out performance at Liverpool's Royal Court Theatre in 1995. This was followed by a one-off performance of The Who's 'Tommy' - also in 1995. At the same time Andy was also playing the occasional gig with the blues/rock band 2 Tyred, with Pipe on bass.

In 1997 Andy got a call from Rob, asking if he'd be interested in playing in a new band he was putting together to support Engine at The Limelight in Crewe for their final gig. He was interested, and DOGHOUSE was born! The rest, as they say, is history…