An Itinerant Mind

March Musical Monkey Madness 2022.

Prompt 1 (March 2nd)

What instrument does Andre play, why and with whom has he performed?.

A true musical polymath Andre can, and has, played many instruments, memorably ghosting as the entire Count Basie Orchestra on The Bonzo Do Dah Dog Band's "The Intro and The Outro." Andre of course having actually played with the Orchestra live in Birdland NY, back in 1961.

His real passion though has always been for drums. It was Andre who created the simian snare sound so popular in the Sixties and Seventies. During this fruitful period he jammed with some of the greats including Strawberry Jackson, Joe Blackberry, Marmalade, and the inimitable Miss Apricot Jones, Andre indeed provided the drum backing for her breakout album "Spread Thin."

Andre has often contradicted himself in interviews about his music, giving the impression that he enjoys being both mysterious and mischievous. Perhaps his most honest answer was given to fellow musician and part time politician Wiliam Clinton asked "Why drums Andre?" to which, with typical laconic aplomb, Andre replied " The rhythm."

He was a little more forthcoming in his autobiographical "Swing Low, Swing High." Whilst describing his early years he recounted what happened when he attended a voodoo ritual in Burbank CA presided over by Walt Disney.

"Suddenly I knew, I was the king, you know, the jungle VIP. I had to reach the top and never stop."

Andre later voiced the character of King Andre in Disney's "Jungle Book", and co-wrote "King of the Swingers" with Robert and Richard Sherman. Sadly the song was retitled "I want to be like you" and re-recorded with Louis Prima after Walt and Andre fell out of a balloon together.

Forming his own band "Aliquet Skin", Andre embarked on a series of unlikely, yet enormously successful collaborations, knocking out hit after hit with the likes of Kraftwerk, The Wombles, Boney M, and Dolly Parton, amongst many others.

His biggest hit was undoubtedly the concept album "Petre", a heavy metal/thrash re-imagining of Prokofiev's "Peter and the Wolf." The album was light years ahead of it's time. Andre's 37 minute drum solo was released as a single and immediately topped the charts everywhere but Finland where Terrific Mythic Frog's "He Dun Croaked" still held sway.


Word Count: 358.