ANDREW KING'S initial creative work was in the visual arts, studying at Caerleon and Lampeter, he subsequently exhibited both nationally and internationally. After many years of experimentation, he began his mature work with the first of his Emblematic paintings in 1991. In 1994 he started making documentary recordings of vernacular and traditional songs, music, and customs. He moved to London in 1995 to further this work and the illustrative compositions that he was doing for a number of the Post-Industrial/Neofolk bands of the time (L'Orchestra Noir, Current 93, Ernte, Sol Invictus, etc), and to complement this made his first attempts at his own mangled versions of traditional song the following year.
Since then he has created a number of sporadically issued albums and carefully chosen compilation appearances, the main ones being -
MAIN RELEASES
1998: The Bitter Harvest (Epiphany: CD)
2002: The Raven Banner (on Sol Lucet Omnibus, Cynfeirdd: CD)
2003: The Amfortas Wound (Athanor: CD)
2004: The Harbinger of the Decaying Mind (Old Europa Cafe: 10")
2005: Changes / Andrew King [untitled] (Terra Fria: split
CD)
2006: Les Sentiers Conflictuels & Andrew King: 1888 (Album based on the Ripper murders with spoken word by King: Athanor: CD)
2006: Sol Invictus /Rose Rovine e Amanti / Andrew King: A Mythological Prospect of the Citie of Londinium (Cold Spring: split CD)
As well as his work with KnifeLadder, he has also had the privilege of working with Les Sentiers Conflictuels, Andrew Liles, Leisur::hive, Brown Sierra, and Tony Wakeford. He is currently a member of both Sol Invictus and The Triple Tree.
With regards to his work within the traditional music context, he is a resident singer at Londons Musical Traditions Club and was employed by the British Library between 2001-2005, for most of that time as an archivist and cataloguer of British traditional culture.
FORTHCOMING RELEASES
Deus Ignotus (traditional and medieval pieces)
Night and Hell and I (settings of A. E. Housman)
Thalassocracy (collaborative album with Brown Sierra)
Like receiving an e-mail straight from Albion
Claus Laufenburg, from the introduction to Andrew King -
How to Placate Spirits: Emblems and Alchemical Paintings, 2005
Could this be the first Folk-Concrete LP?
The Sound Projector no.5, Jan 1999, of The Bitter
Harvest
And while it may not be to everyones taste it is produced with
considerable love and in its own way represents an important point in
capturing these songs and ballads for subsequent generations
Compulsion online re: The Amfortas Wound
It is an uncompromising and fearless album but one that demands
your full attention. Many people may find it barren or too minimalistic
however it does exert a strong power and is a singular experience
Mark Coyle of The Unbroken Circle re: The Amfortas Wound
This is a genuinely brilliant set of songs by Andrew and in this
song [The Farmers Toast], he has made a masterpiece that spans eras and
communities. For anyone with even a passing interest in folk song, this is
an important performance and a song without hyperbole to carry with you
always
Mark Coyle re: Changes / Andrew King