"i'm not profound, i'm just writing it down"
words and music
Andrew Lawrence Jackson is an American independent musician, composer, writer, songwriter, singer, guitar player, multi-instrumentalist, producer, poet, illustrator, artist, dadaist sympathizer, and love believer.
His music is available for download from Amazon.com, iTunes, last.fm, eMusic, and many other online music sites (as well as right here on this website). Jackson's CDs may be purchased online from CD Baby.
alternative singer-songwriter
A prolific writer and recording artist, Jackson has independently released nine solo albums, plus seven albums of his songs with Zru Vogue, and one EP with Science Patrol. Along with Rick Cuevas, the other half of the duo Zru Vogue, he has composed and contributed music for several independent film soundtracks. Jackson continues to perform and record both as a solo artist and with Zru Vogue.
past imperfect
Early on, Jackson developed an intuitive writing style in both his words and music that he continues to cultivate to this day. Borrowing from the "automatic writing" of the surrealists, the intent was to write with as little self-editing as possible. This style led to songs that were sometimes absurd (Sound Proof Taco Stand, Vole Country), sometimes parodic (Luxury Cruiser, Whip Me Or Something), and often introspective and self-revealing (Fade Out, She Sleeps).
In 1974, Jackson met Tad Williams when they were both attending Palo Alto High School. He played Mr. Williams some of his songs, and Williams was intrigued enough that he gave a stack of lyrics that he'd been writing. Within a few weeks nearly a dozen collaborative songs were written, including the fantasy-inspired 5-song cycle "Apocalypso."
By 1981, Jackson's musical compositions were growing more experimental and increasingly collaborative. Zru Vogue and Science Patrol were both democratically-organized (or disorganized) bands where members regularly traded instruments and everyone contributed ideas. Jackson continued to contribute words, and the music to these songs was very often generated by "happy accident." Both the classics songs "Nakweda Dream" and "Bandit Ducks From Outer Space" came out of this experimental approach to songwriting.
Throughout the 1990s and into the new century, Jackson has continued to write prolifically and record in his home studio, publishing self-released cassettes and CDs of his original songs.
cd discography
andrew lawrence jackson - solo albums
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Disintegrated Hits(CD 2008 - unpublished) Ten unexpected cover songs. Includes: It's Not (Aimee Mann), The Go in the Go-for-it (Grandaddy), Feeling Yourself Disintegrate (The Flaming Lips), Everybody's Gotta Learn Sometime (Beck from the "Eternal Sunshine..." soundtrack), Where Do The Children Play (Cat Stevens), Golden Hours (Brian Eno), The Angels (Sparks), Either Way (Wilco), God's Song (That's Why I Love Mankind) (Randy Newman), The Painter (I'm From Barcelona). Not for sale, but can be streamed online here on this page or at last.fm. |
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After One AM(CD 2008) 14 well crafted, thought-provoking songs: I Don't Know How, The Tide Has Turned, I Hope We'll Be All Right, Relax and Go Easy, Didn't Hurt To Try, Time Is Running Out, Well Maybe Not, Simple Short and Sweet, All Gone Away, (That's) What We Do, What Matters, Don't Leave Me Behind, After One A.M., Time Is Running Out Again. | buy cd | download from iTunes |
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Songs For Unknown Superstars(CD 2007) -- Includes: Mike I Want To Tell You, From A To B And Back Again, Resigned To Your Fate, Sweet Thing, E.R.I.K.A., Coffee With The Queen, Someone Else's Name, Tendrils, Memory Blank, Unknown Superstar, Stories She Holds. | buy cd | download from iTunes |
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Memories of Things That Never Happened(CD 2005) -- Includes: Love Believer, Profound, Unwind, 1985, You Didn't Have To Break My Heart, 3 Words or Less, Rainbow Brown, Hijacker, The Composer, Happy Being Normal. | buy cd | download from iTunes |
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Songs From The Silicon Underground(CD 1999) Eighteen songs recorded in one day. Includes: Communication Breakdown, Lift, Dreaming in Color, Nothing New Under the Sun, So Long Ago, Knowcked Down Dragged Out, No Turning Back, Miracle man, Anything You Want, Song For Lou, Reflection, This is My Time, Cult of One, Primordial Ooze, Parchment Head (Don't Ask), We Fall Apart, Waiting in the Wings, Gospel (Believe in Me). |
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Sanity Is A Thing of the Past(CD 1998) Includes: Unnatural, I'll Never Forget Whats-His-Name, So Unsure, Twisted, Pain Suffering Sorrow Humiliation and Eventually Death, Sanity Is A Thing Of The Past, Everlasting Punishment, Miserable (As Morrissey), I Don't Belong, I Can't Go On (But I Will). |
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Prison Without WallsDebut 1990 solo album re-mastered to CD in 2001. Includes: Prison Without Walls (versions 1 & 2), This Song Is A Painting, Lovely Moonlit Night, Killer On The Rampage, Black Nights, Invisible Hands (acoustic), Why I Hate The News, Waking Up Strange. |
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Choking On Mochi2002 CD compilation of Andrew Jackson's home studio recordings from 1987 to 1998 (unreleased) "Every New Year's in Japan about a dozen people die from choking on mochi, the sticky rice cakes that are a part of the traditional New Year cuisine." Inculdes: Invisible Hands, Power to the People (Lennon, I Go To Church, Knowing What A Man Wants, Alone, Gone to Heaven, What Would You Say If I Asked You, Leap of Faith, Until Today, Is There A Light Where This Tunnel Ends, Radio Andy, Fresh Cut Flowers. |
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Inside the Porcelain Skull2003 compilation CD of Andrew Jackson instrumentals recorded between 1987 and 1998 (unreleased) Tracks included: All Time, Now and Then, La Selva Beach, The Empty Bowl, The Death of Poetry, You Have A Home, The Beautiful People/Birth of an Imitation, Simulated Days, Full Moon/High Tide, The Mystery Becomes Real, Inside the Porcelain Skull (a) Open (b) Smash (c) Scatter, Biography of a Meaningless Life. |
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Riddles With No Solutions2003 compilation CD of Andrew Jackson songs recorded in Jackson's home studio between 1987 and 1998 (unreleased) Tracks included: The Jellyfish, All the Love in the World, Find My Way, Sealed and Ready, The Man in the Garden, Sleep Little Genie, I Don't Belong (Mix 1), Found Dead/Eulogy, Pain Suffering Sorrow Humiliation and Eventually Death (alternate bedroom mix), Darkness Descend, Be Still My Beating Heart, Tiny Red Fire Engine, Searching Wishing Dreaming. |
In addition to his solo albums, Jackson records and performs as one half of the duo Zru Vogue, for whom he is also the principle singer and songwriter. Listen to Zru Vogue and discover many of Andrew Jackson's best songs.