STAND-UP TUESDAYS: Andy Sandford

Stand-Up Tuesdays is a weekly comedy spotlight written by the wonderfully talented Angie Frissore. Covering both known and unknown comics, Stand-up Tuesdays is your new source for all things funny.

This week, Angie puts a spotlight on Andy Sandford’s comedy career. If you or your comedy troupe would like to be featured on Stand-Up Tuesdays, please email utgjames@gmail.com.

Comedian Andy Sandford, known for his work with The Beards of Comedy, is unleashing his brand of up close and personal comedy with the release of his new CD, >Me the Whole Time through New Wave Dynamics on February 25. Sandford delights his audience at the Star Bar in Atlanta, Georgia, as he tells tales of being broke, lessons learned from drinking, and high school nostalgia in a hilarious hour of stand-up that further proves that the Beards, disbanded, stand quite strongly on their own.

An eloquent and clever storyteller, Sandford recently took the time to chat with Angie about the release of his new album and living life on the dollar’s edge.

UTG: Hey Andy, how are you?

AS: I’m doing pretty good.

UTG: Congratulations on the new CD. It’s awesome!

AS: Oh, thanks.

UTG: It’s really, really good. Tell me again where you recorded it?

AS: I recorded it at Star Bar in Atlanta; there’s a weekly show there, every Monday, and it’s been going for eleven years now.

UTG: Very cool. Now, is that where you’re from originally?

AS: Yeah, actually, Star Bar is the first place I ever did comedy as well.

UTG: Always good to be able to record a CD at your home club.

AS: Yeah. It was cool.

UTG: Is it self-released or are you using a label?

AS: It’s under New Wave Dynamics.

AS: What made you decide to go with New Wave?

AS: When we did the last Beards of Comedy CD, it was on Comedy Central Records, which was Jack Vaughn, who now runs New Wave. He had asked me if I was interested in an album and I was, but I was going to wait until I had a label that was interested. So that’s how that happened, pretty much.

UTG: Are the Beards still touring?

AS: No, not really. All of us got busy individually. It’s like a real hassle because we did it for almost five years; it’s a lot of us booking our own shows at indie venues and stuff. It was a lot of fun, but three of us are in New York and one’s in Los Angeles, so we just decided it was a lot of time.

UTG: Onward and upward.

AS: Yeah, it wasn’t like a breakup or anything. If you stick with the one thing that went well, that’s not really progressing.

UTG: Right. I think it’s great, though, that you get to establish yourselves individually now. I know a lot of people really loved the Beards, but now they can get a whole album of each one of you. Well, half of you.

AS: Yeah, me and Joe so far. I don’t know if Dave or T.J. are planning on doing anything album wise.

UTG: Well, it’ll be hard to top you and Joe, because you both did really well.

AS: Thanks.

UTG: Will you tour as part of the release of the CD?

AS: Well, I don’t have anything planned immediately – I mean, I’m doing a few things, but not a tour, per se, because of the album. Nothing right when it comes out, but this summer I’m planning on getting on the road a lot more.

UTG: Awesome. Now, I have to ask, as someone with a day job, does it ever terrify you that you’re pursuing a livelihood in an industry that’s so risky?

AS: Yeah, but I got used to just not knowing what you’re gonna be doing in three months and somehow making it work. It’s pretty low overhead.

UTG: Kudos to you guys. If I don’t have the next week planned out I start to get the shakes.

AS: Oh, that happens to me all the time where I don’t even know – I’m like, “oh, shit, I have to buy some groceries right now.” Stuff like that.

UTG: Bisquick is your best friend when you’re broke.

AS: (laughs) Yeah. It’s always funny to me when people say, “Oh you switched to full-time,” assuming that means you waited until you’re super comfortable with comedy and then quit all other income. There’s never any smooth transition. I just opted for trying to live on the smallest budget possible and then make sure I get the rent paid and stuff – worry about the rest later.

UTG: I think that’s something a lot of people don’t consider outside of comedy; that’s a pretty big commitment that you make to the art, which is admirable.

AS: It just makes it real hard; even when I first starting doing comedy a lot, I had a job that I liked and made decent money at. I cared too much about the job; I didn’t want to mess stuff up for my boss. So I told him, “Man, I have to go deliver pizzas and do something that I don’t give a shit about.” He was like, “Oh, that’s cool.” So I got a more menial job that you don’t have to think about. Once you don’t do anything other than comedy, it sucks financially, but it frees you up creatively.

UTG: Definitely. What are your immediate plans now that the CD is coming out?

AS: Basically, start writing more material for hopefully the next CD. Also maybe start getting out more – I was on the road a good bit last year, but so far this year I’ve kind of been in New York mostly. I’m going to try to get on the road more.

UTG: Well if you ever find yourself heading to Boston, definitely let me know.

AS: Oh, for sure. I haven’t been to Boston since 2009 or something. I really want to go up there again.

UTG: See? You’re long overdue. Well, thanks so much for chatting with me, Andy. Congratulations again and take care.

AS: No problem, thanks for calling.

Andy Sandford’s Me the Whole Time will be available on February 25 via New Wave Dynamics and makes an excellent addition to anyone’s comedy collection.

Grade: A

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