A Fireside Chat With Andy Shea

There are a lot of talented musicians out there. When it comes to performers, however, there are a select few who can blow us all away. Over the past two years, Providence College has been blessed with the opportunity to facilitate the performances of one man in particular: Andy Shea. I’ve had the privilege of knowing Andy for two years. He has been an inspiration both through his music and as a friend. I had a chance to chat with him before his graduation from PC come May 16th. Here is what we discussed:

NAF: Andy thanks for joining me today. I have a few questions for you. First, who would you say are your musical influences?

AS: I would say, musically, my influences have been Elliot Smith, David Bazan, and Kevin Devine, who are basically a bunch of solo singer-songwriters who can make a song sound full enough with just an acoustic guitar and their voices. Performance-wise, however, I would definitely have to say Jason Anderson, who I’ve been lucky enough to play with twice here at Providence College. He has the ability to get everyone participating in the music with him.

NAF: What kind of message are you trying to send with your music?

AS: I think it’s always a mixed bag, kind of song for song. The ultimate goal, however, is to have people relate to and enjoy what I’m doing.  I feel like a lot of the songs I write root themselves in experiences that an audience can relate to, just so that people know that there is someone else out there who feels the same way they do.

NAF: Do you have any specific direction that you’d like to see your music go in the near future?

AS: I think, if the opportunity arises with music, I would definitely take it. But I’m very happy with just keeping it small and doing it for myself and whoever really wants to listen. I’d love to start writing songs with more messages to them and using music as a vessel for sharing my faith with people someday down the line. It’s tough to do that in a genuine way, but I’m really excited to put more effort into that style of song.

NAF: Do you have a favorite song that you wrote, or a song that means a lot to you?

AS: Not especially, because every song has its own place. Every song I write shows some growth in me. Each one reflects who I was at the time I wrote it. They’re all little snapshots of myself, and I’ve grown up with the music.

NAF: Where do you find all the energy to perform like you do?

AS: I think the energy and the emotion that I put into my music is what drives each song. They’re all pretty simple, musically speaking, but it’s my hope that the energy that I put into it gets the crowd involved. A lot of my energy comes from the crowd, so if they’re into it, I’m into it, and it makes the whole performance more fun for all of us.

NAF: You’ve made Dean’s List, you play on the Club Ultimate team, and you do a capella. Where do you find time to do all this stuff with your own music, and more importantly, where do you find time for Andy Shea?

AS: That’s a beautiful question and I’m not really sure what the answer is. I feel dedicated to all the groups I am a part of, and I do my best to give my all for each one, but unfortunately fall short sometimes. If there was more time in the day, I would definitely try to be better with all my commitments, but it’s a real juggling act to try to prioritize everything. Each club, band, or group is a little family to me and I hope they know that. When I do find free time, though, it’s mostly spent playing Super Smash Brothers on Nintendo 64 with my roommates.

NAF: Any news on the Cub album? What about upcoming shows for you guys the next few weeks?

AS: Yes! We’re really excited. The mixing will be finished this week, and then we have to figure out how to get it out there for everyone to hear it. All of Cub will be in Providence this summer, so we’re really excited to play shows around here and in Boston. Check it out on MySpace [www.myspace.com/cubtheband] or Facebook [Search “Cub”].
NAF: With Commencement just a few weeks ahead, what does the future hold for Andy Shea?

AS: Starting this summer, I’ll be doing the Providence Alliance for Catholic Teaching program. I’ll be taking summer graduate courses at PC and then teaching in Massachusetts for two years after that. I’m really excited and a little bit nervous to be on the other side of the desk teaching British Literature and grammar in five months.

NAF: Anything you want to say to the Providence College community before you leave?

AS: Thanks for the two wonderful years that I’ve spent here. Keep supporting local musicians because there are so many great bands still at PC. Providence College is one of the greatest communities I’ve ever been a part of, I can’t wait to come back to keep seeing all of these great people.