Andy Anderson left his mark on the world of rock, particularly the world of progressive rock, funk, and gothic rock. An accomplished drummer, Anderson might be best known for his extensive work with The Cure and Steve Hillage, as well as a long career as a session musician. And, tragically, on this day, February 26, 2019, Anderson passed away at the age of 69. Let’s honor his legacy by looking back at a career that spanned the late 1970s through his passing in 2019.
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Remembering Andy Anderson
Clifford Leon “Andy” Anderson was born on January 30, 1951, in West Ham, Essex, England. Raised in London and quite involved in music, Anderson’s first professional stint as a musician can be heard on the album Xitintoday by Nik Turner’s Sphynx, in which he played percussion. He would go on to work with producer and musician Steve Hillage before entering the new wave and alternative rock world as a session drummer.
In the early 1980s, after working with acts like Techno Twins and M, Anderson was recruited by Steve Severin and Robert Smith to play on their album Blue Sunshine, under their side project, The Glove. At the time, The Cure was in the middle of a shuffle of sorts, as the band was revamping their lineup after Lol Tolhurst switched from drums to keyboards. After building that rapport, Anderson was invited to play on The Cure song “The Love Cats”. After that, he was a fully-fledged member of the band.
Sadly, in 1984, while on tour with The Cure, Anderson’s behavior became erratic. Though, to a degree, it was understandable. He was accosted by a security guard in France in 1984 in a racially motivated manner. Anderson dealt with it by destroying his hotel room. However, his erratic behavior didn’t subside, and it culminated in a physical altercation with his bandmates in Japan in 1984. After that, Anderson was fired from the band.
Anderson returned to working as a session musician and enjoyed quite a colorful career. He worked with a wide range of musicians in different genres, from Iggy Pop to Isaac Hayes to Peter Gabriel.
Andy Anderson passed away on February 26, 2019, at the age of 68, from cancer. Lol Tolhurst paid tribute to the fellow drummer on Twitter: “Andy Anderson was a true gentleman and a great musician with a wicked sense of humour, which he kept until the end, a testament to his beautiful spirit on the last journey. We are blessed to have known him.”
May Andy Anderson’s legacy in gothic rock live on forever.
Photo by Brian Rasic/Getty Images
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