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I'm lucky to be surrounded by so many amazing people.
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Witch Weekly
Profile Series
Andrew Kirke, quake drummer
I am privileged to meet Andrew Kirke in his own home - Quake's fabled Panquake House - where he takes me to the rehearsal space to snap some pictures of him behind his drums. As we talk, he fidgets with two sets of drum sticks, one plain wood and one patterned in black. "A present," he explains when I ask about them. "I don't like to use them in case they break." His accent is distinctly Scottish, and it's easy to fall into conversation with him before we start the interview proper.
It's been some months since your last individual interview. Are things going well? Very well. It's been a great year. Busy, and I've travelled a lot, but really good. I'm looking forward to having a rest over Christmas, but until then we've lots of gigs and recording to keep us occupied.
Witch Weekly readers will remember you were first spotted with Evan Potter in February this year. Can we assume that's part of what's made it so positive? Definitely. Evan is amazing. I wasn't expecting to meet someone like him - or anyone, really - but I'm glad I did. It's been ten months, and I can't decide if it feels like it's been no time at all or forever. I've changed a lot, and it's all down to him.
Really? Changed how? {Andrew pauses.) Without getting into details, I think I communicate a lot better. I talk about things I would've kept to myself, because I know that his perspective on them will be interesting and helpful. I'm not scared of what he'll think. (Andrew takes a breath.) It's been really helpful with my sister, too.
I'm sorry, I wasn't aware you had a sister. Is she non-magical, like your parents? Actually no. Elise is magical, like my dad. She's his daughter, from after my parents separated. We only recently got in touch. We're still getting to know each other.
And you say that Evan has helped with that? He has - directly and indirectly. He's always there for me to talk to, and that's great because he wants what will make me happy, but he can see things more objectively than I can. And indirectly, it's hard to explain. I just know that if this happened before I met Evan, it would have turned out very differently.
We can move on, if you'd like. (Andrew nods.) Like I said, it's new. I don't want to keep it a secret, but I'd ask our fans to show Elise the same respect they've shown everyone else's family.
Today's feature:
Andrew is the drummer for for popular rock band Quake. Here, he shares with us his feelings on his relationship with Evan Potter, plus some surprising family news! Layout:Tessisamess
O f course. I'm sure they will. You've said in interviews before that you feel as if Quake is as important as family to you. Is that still true? Of course it is. Quake have been incredibly helpful and supportive, making sure Elise felt welcomed as well as helping me figure the situation out. We all know each other's families to some degree, so this only makes the Quake extended family a little bigger. My friends, too. I'm lucky to be surrounded by so many amazing people, I know that.
Friends like Ginny Weasley? You two have been close since school. Exactly. We've known each other since we were eleven, before either of us had any idea we were going to be famous. She knows all my most embarrassing secrets, and I know hers.
What about in the music industry? Do you have friends outside Quake? Sure. I'm good friends with Toby, from Unspoken Enlightenment. We've got a lot of shared interests. It's usually him I go to when I'm excited about some new instrument or I need someone to tell me not to start learning the bagpipes.
Sounds like you've got quite a lot of Christmas shopping to do. Have you started yet? No, not at all! (Andrew laughs.) Maybe I shouldn't admit that where people can read it. What I meant to say was, 'yes, absolutely, it's all done'.
Do Quake buy each other gifts? Absolutely. Sometimes, we buy each other things just because we saw them. Xavier got me this amazing tartan chair, it's in my bedroom. I'll show you on the way out. We're not usually together on Christmas day itself, so we open presents before we all go off to see family.
Who's easiest to buy for? Probably Axel. He'll love anything as long as it's funny. Or maybe it's just that we both have similar senses of humour.
And who's hardest? Anyone you struggle with? I don't know if I should answer that. (Andrew smiles.) No, I'm sure she wouldn't mind. Our manager Nina. I don't want to just get her chocolates or wine, but I'm never sure what else she'd like. And Aisling, she gives the most amazing presents so it's hard to feel like I'm anywhere near her level.
And Evan? Will this be your first time exchanging presents? No. My birthday was last month, and Evan's is in April. So far, we've been giving experiences rather than gifts. We went to see a cave city in Georgia for his birthday, and did swimming with manatees for mine.
Those sound like unusual holidays. Did you enjoy them? Pretty unusual, yeah. My holidays before were always somewhere with a beach, a nightclub or both. These have definitely been more memorable. I really enjoyed Georgia - Evan's studying architecture, so he made the cave city and Tbilisi really interesting. And you can't go wrong with swimming with any kind of sea creature, can you? We had a great time, and I'm still showing people the pictures.
Have you got exciting plans for the new year? More travelling, perhaps? Nothing concrete yet. I went to New York with Aisling for a family wedding, and I really want to go back. We were only there for a couple of days and there was so much I wanted to do that we couldn't fit in. I understand it'll be pretty cold there at this time of year, so I might wait for the weather to warm up a bit.
I'd have thought you'd be used to the cold. Have you ever lived outside of Scotland? Oh, you did your research. (Andrew laughs.) No, I've lived in Scotland all my life. Lerwick, Hogwarts, Edinburgh, and now Hogsmeade. So I get enough cold at home, I might as well go somewhere more exotic -
Are you alright, Andrew? Sorry! I was going to say I might as well go somewhere more exotic for my holidays. I got distracted.
Maybe it's time to wrap this interview up with the rapid fire questions. Is there anything else you'd like to say to all the Quake fans reading this? Just - thanks. It doesn't seem like enough, but there's no way I'd have the life I do if it weren't for our fans. All I've ever wanted to do was make music, and make people happy with that music. It means a lot to me that I get to do that now, and that I get to do it in the company of people who love me and support me. I can't reply to every owl I get sent, but I read them and I'll never get tired of hearing how people feel about our music. So, yeah. Thanks and have a great Christmas! I hope 2003 brings you all as many good things as 2002 brought me.
Happy Christmas to you too, Andrew!
Rapid Fire
Favourite every flavour bean? Irn-bru.
How many instruments do you play? Two well, two badly, and I sing.
Favourite subject at school? Music.
Pizza or burger? Pizza.
Favourite season? Summer.
What quidditch team do you support? Pride of Portree.
Jazz or country? Country.
Favourite holiday? Bonfire night.
Lakeside or seaside? Seaside.
Favourite animal? Jim.
I'm sorry, favourite type of animal? Griffin.
Favourite Christmas song? Fairytale of New York and In the Bleak Midwinter.
Do you watch the Queen's speech? No.
Thank you, Andrew, that's all we've got time for!