Andy Galea

Andy Galea is no stranger to the house scene. He’s been spinning and producing for the best clubs and labels for over 20 years recently finding success under his Sol Brothers moniker with the chart-topping Kathy Brown collaboration ‘Turn Me Out’ on Armada. His glossy new single ‘Love Direction’ sees Andy go back to his house music roots. Penny F (Power Dress/Penny Foster) provides the vocal licks and together with an old-school looped piano they hook you in to offer the perfect nighttime soundtrack. A killer record with a classic feel, full of smiles and energy to keep the most discerning dance floors full! We have a wee chat with the house veteran in a week that sees his new single drop into a store or streaming service near you now!

Hi Andy, firstly a little background for our new readers. Where are you from?

Hi DMCWORLD! Well I was born in Essex, England but my parents are from Gibraltar and Spain, and I spent my younger years growing up between London and Marbella.

Were you always musical growing up?

Yeah, I was into underground music from a young age getting involved in breakdancing when I was a kid and even dancing at Wembley with Imagination and Hot Gossip (with the dance group that was on the Kenny Everet’s TV show – which was a big TV program back in the day!!!).

What inspired you to start making house music?

It just evolved into this sound from loving the old Balearic, Acid House, Warehouse and Rave sounds back in the day and being involved in the whole music scene from the very start, very early indeed, when the entire rave thing happened, and it all went crazy.

What artists would you say are your main influences?

I think they came from the Drum and Bass scene; Fabio & Grooverider, LTJ Bukem, DJ Hype, Roni Size, Shy FX, Mickey Finn, the whole Moving Shadow label, along with my old pal Goldie. Then it was the early rave acts, loads of them are still my old friends like NJoi, Shades Of Rhythm, Slipmatt and SL2’s the list goes on!!! Then the mighty Prodigy, Liam from the Prodigy was a massive influence. I always had to sit down and listen to everything he did; it was always groundbreaking sounds they where making, it was all fantastic, just hearing the new music back then and going to be even more incredible to be playing alongside them. That’s how I got my whole Sol Brothers name vibe going, with drum and bass basslines, moving onto breakbeats which we started making music under the Freestylers name.

Can you tell us about your new single ‘Love Direction’?

The new single was just me expressing my old school rave style music and piano’s bringing them back up to date with new vibes on the drums and a great vocal from my friend I’ve used a few times before Penny Foster who wrote the song with my old mate Jon Pearn on the vocal front.

What other places are you looking to take your music? Where do you aspire to travel and play?

To be honest, I have been very lucky. I’ve played nearly all over the world but just love travelling and enjoying the crowds I spin for. I still want to keep travelling and spreading the House music gospel worldwide. I enjoy every gig, especially when the crowd is up for it. I always get that warm, lovely feeling towards dance music every time I hear a great tune or play to a great crowd.

What’s the favourite club you’ve performed in anywhere in the world?

In London, it has to be the Cross and the Gallery at Turnmills along with Ministry Of Sound back in the day. Abroad, it was always Oh Marbella!!. I love Pacha and have great memories from the White Isle. Now with all the festivals there is a new kind of summer madness, and I’ve been doing a few smaller festivals which have all been great: Colour Festival, Lockdown Festivals and also many Full Moon Parties which I can’t wait for in 2018 when we are bringing them over to Europe.

What three records never leave your record box and why?

Artist: Sol Brothers feat Kathy Brown

Track: Turn Me Out

Made this back in the day and re-released again last year under my Sol Brothers name with Kathy Brown always in my box or USB stick nowadays 🙂

YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgkkeTyP_iU

Artist: CamelPhat

Track: Hanging out with Charlie

Just a great fun tune fun words listen to all the talking just funny and by some fantastic producers !!

YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zvF1JDXWHQ

Artist: Andy Galea feat Penny F

Track: Love Direction

Always got to plug your music as well as others !!!

YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyYgPryHRo0

What does the future hold for Andy Galea?

Well, next Summer 2018 I’ll be playing for the full Moon parties which will be coming to Spain for the first time!!! Along with a whole heap more on the festival front and Club front can’t wait plus got my night Rekk’d going from strength. Then there are a whole heap more releases coming your way very soon some being finished now and in the pipeline are with amazing vocalist like Errol Reid of the Axwell fame hits and with Damon C Scott of the Storm Queen fame Look right Through. Watch this space.

Andy Galea feat. Penny F ‘Love Direction’ is OUT NOW on Somn’thing Records.