Andy Szikla

Andy Szikla is a Musician and Electronics Designer who lives in Melbourne Australia.
==Early Musical Career==
-1985 Szikla played guitar in Melbourne synth pop band Ides Of March, which featured Andy McLean on drums (who later fronted cult band Horsehead and did a stint as a presenter on Countdown Revolution).
In 1986 Szikla and McLean toured as members of abstract rhythm band 87 Fat Girls, with Szikla (as Mr Fish) on guitar and McLean (as Salli Mclean) as front man. They released one studio album, Jump From The Top (1987), and one single "Shine Your Light" bw "Basically" on Cleopatra Records. John Rees from Men At Work produced the album and played bass but did not accompany them live. On tour they were joined by Cameron McKenzie, also later of Horsehead, who became the permanent bass player. At the end of that year Szikla left to perform solo as Mr Fish, and the band changed its name to 21 Guns. 
During this period Szikla also served as guitarist side-man in The Kerri Simpson Trio. 
As Mr Fish, Szikla progressed through various incarnations from soloist to guitar/drums duo, and for about a year as a power trio. Eventually the name Mr Fish referred to a five piece band of permanent members, featuring Szikla as front man and main singer/songwriter. Described by The Independent as a "90's Outcry", influences included Tom Petty and Husker Du. In 1994 Mr Fish Featuring Andy Szikla released their first and only album Allow Me To Introduce Ourselves.
==Late Musical Career==
After a long time away from music and feeling lost after his mothers death and a marriage breakup, Szikla started writing new songs, and eventually completed his first solo album Dark Valley. 
Released in July 2013, Rolling Stone compared the sound to "big budget Tom Petty or Bruce Springsteen", also noting Szikla's ability "to write impressive songs." This small budget album of nine songs was in fact recorded over a year or so in the living room of Szikla's flat, using a laptop, Mbox2 interface, a couple of mics, and his newly designed Szikla Prodigal Channel Strip(also used on recordings by Jon Stevens, Diesel, and Baby Animals).
Produced by Szikla, Dark valley was mixed by Aria winning producer and engineer David Nicholas who worked on Kick (INXS), and was Chris Thomas's engineer in London for some time. Mastering was by the legendary Don Bartley.
Praise was widespread. Writing for Inpress, Jeff Jenkins opined: If this guy had been around in the seventies he would have been a superstar. Drum's Michael Smith called it "a punch collection of Dark Roots /Folk/Americana-style ballads on which Szikla has sung and played everything." BRAG Magazine, among others, named Dark Valley Indie Album of the Week. Chris Parke of PARX-E Web Zine referenced "the Album's lyrical poetry" selecting 'Into The Light' as a "perfect example", and described Kerri Simpson's guest vocal performance on 'Take Me Up' as "scorching". To Luke Axelby of the NMIT Campus Rap, Szikla's return from hiatus is seen as "purposeful and individual. Each song tells a story, some, like the title track, in an epic and almost apocalyptic manner." Lauren Katulka in Sounds Of Oz mused: "If only every debut could be this good."
Music videos were created for each and every song, featuring archival footage of farming communities, confronting cinematic images, and children enjoying the simple pleasures of a lost world. Most of the videos were made by Szikla himself, with two videos ('Bastard Child' and 'Dark Valley') credited to Tony Saad.
==Electronics Career==
Works under the banner of SZIKLA TECHNICALhttps://connectonline.asic.gov.au/RegistrySearch/faces/landing/bySearchId.jspx?searchIdType=BUSN&searchId=92094481
Creator of the Szikla Prodigal Dual Channel Strip.
Tutorials writer for Audio Technology Magazine (2017-2018).
==Personal Life==
Andy Szikla was married to Australian Poet Jordie Albiston from 2014 until her tragic death in February 2022.
==Genre==
Americana, Dark Roots, Folk, Rock.
Category:1961 births
Category:Musicians
Category:Electronic design
Category:People from Melbourne