New album from Andy Welsh

The music of Andy Welsh has always been closely tied to identity, place and the people encountered along the way. Originally hailing from Hull, the songwriter first made his name as the frontman of East London mod band The Scene, whose initial run between 1984 and 1986 placed him within the energy of the mod revival. Playing alongside the likes of Secret Affair, The Chords and The Jam, the band became part of a scene whose influence would continue long after its initial moment had passed.

Following a reunion performance at London’s 100 Club in 2010, The Scene returned for a further twelve years, with a particular focus on supporting Teenage Cancer Trust through the March for the Mods gigs. Their farewell show, also held at the 100 Club, arrived in June 2022, bringing that chapter to a close. The band’s music has continued to find an audience beyond those original performances, with tracks appearing on Cherry Red’s Millions Like Us (The Story of the Mod Revival 1977-1989) and Universal Records’ Our Generation (75 Mod Classics), the latter reaching number three in the charts in 2016.

Their singles also remain familiar to collectors, occasionally resurfacing through Detour Records and on compilations of mod classics. Not allowing his musical past to become the whole story however, Andy has taken a different route, returning to the city where his own history began and finding new creative connections. After the final Scene performance, a change in personal circumstances brought Andy back to Hull, where he bought a property opposite the former home of poet Philip Larkin. The move placed him close to The Adelphi, the city’s celebrated grassroots music venue, as well as its bars and the football ground of his beloved Hull City, where he remains a season-ticket holder.

More importantly, reconnecting with friends in the city helped set another musical journey in motion and through those renewed connections, Andy was introduced to Pat D, the BBC 6 Music favourite associated with The Broken Orchestra. Recording began at the group’s Element Studio, situated in an old industrial part of Hull with a personal significance for Andy, his father had once worked there as a shipyard welder.

The sessions also expanded to include a group of musicians whose different backgrounds helped shape the emerging sound; acid jazz singer Lyn Acton, known for Pearls Cab Ride, joined percussionist Gary Hammond of The Beautiful South and Nina Simone’s touring projects. Andy also reconnected with former Hull bandmate Pat Missin, now based in Ohio and recognised for his blues harmonica playing, published books and work with Lee Oskar of War. With recordings exchanged across the Atlantic, Pat’s harmonica contributions brought another dimension to the arrangements.

Now, with his debut solo album, The Last Man (To Know Everything), Andy brings these strands together in a collection that’s personal and political while keeping sight of the simple pleasure of a well-made song. Recorded at Element Studio and produced by Pat D, the album combines old friendships with new performers, allowing its blues elements to arise through a collaborative process that stretches from Hull to Ohio. Ambitious without becoming overcomplicated, it reflects a songwriter keen to move forward as opposed to just revisiting former glories.

Recent single “European Soul” opens the album with a bright pop rock jam brimming with lively rhythm, expressive vocal lines and warm instrumentation. Title track “The Last Man (To Know Everything)” follows with moody vocals and rustling percussion before shifting with wailing harmonica and smokey guitar textures, forming a brooding outing that’s memorable and timeless from start to finish. Tracks like “When The Curtain Falls” deliver grooving rock energy with swaggering vocals and gritty guitar riffs peppered with colourful organ flashes and capped by compelling vocal performance.

Other highlights include songs like “All About You” with its bouncy rhythmic energy and infectious vocal hooks while “Big Love” flows with mellow drums, twanging guitars and smooth vocal layers, putting Andy’s songwriting flair and his band’s performance panache on full display. For someone whose musical story began in the mod revival, The Last Man (To Know Everything) represents an exciting perspective on what that history can become. Andy Welsh has carried the spirit of those earlier years into a new setting, finding room for reflection, experimentation and a different kind of musical conversation.

Commenting on the release, he shares, “It’s been a pilgrimage choosing the songs and making all the decisions as a solo artist – a great journey with great support from the producer and musicians around me.” Adding, “I never know how I write songs – it just comes from left-field – and even Left politics now given the state of the divisive scene nationally and internationally – Trump and Brexit cock-ups basically. I normally write songs about typical personal angst!”

Listen to The Last Man (To Know Everything) below

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