Andrew Kingslow is the neuro muso
From working on John Legends latest release to planning creditable collaborations on the anticipated soundtrack for The Rastamouse Movie, internationally renowned producer and composer Andrew Kingslow is a compelling creative force.
A classically trained multi-instrumentalist with unparalleled proficiency in creating an emotional connection through sound, Andrew's ability to use music to amplify storytelling captures the imagination of audiences globally.
Prolific in producing for the likes of Sony, EMI Records, Ninja Tune, and Daptone Records and composing award-winning soundtracks for film, TV, and advertising, his industry-recognised work spans an impressive three decades of collaboration. From working with major and independent record labels to composing and producing for children's TV (such as Paw Patrol, Rastamouse, Apple Tree House) and advertisements/syncs for Galaxy, DeLorean, Mentos and Microsoft - to name a few.
Playing the guitar from the age of four firmly positions Andrew as a lifelong creative, making him knowledgeable on the inequitable exploitation and barriers to success that many experience within the industry. But where some may look to further themselves to the detriment of others, Andrew's stance is categorically different.
Growing up, when money was invested in music, Andrew's natural ability saw him awarded a fully subsidised music scholarship to the reputable Chethams School of Music. Aware that his privileged education gave him social mobility and open the door into the music industry, Andrew's ambition is to provide aspiring creatives with no punching power, a helping hand.
Mentoring with the Musician's Union and directly through Electric Pineapple, Andrew uses his established years within the industry to arm emerging talent with the skills and understanding of their rights for a successful pathway within the industry.
With a relatively new diagnosis of ASD, Andrew champions inclusivity, equality, and diversity for the neurodivergent and creatives across all sections of society. A uniquely valuable contribution to an industry where exploitation can be rife.
‘Turns out I’m autistic’ ‘We already knew’
This is the classic response from many of my peers when I finally came out Autistic spectrum.
What was weird is that no one ever broached to subject with ever, I think deep down I always knew I was but I guess masked it better when I was younger, one thing I’ll say is that as you get older you naturally lose the ability to take things in your stride and so the masking gets harder and more tiring. Then, what follows is your dwindling ability to block out the things that trigger you, the outcome invariably is you become more ‘difficult to work with’ or more ‘eccentric’ as you cover your ears on the tube or cower away in a corner during a busy noisy event.
The sensation I feel is one of huge chest crushing anxiety until I find my way to a calming ’stim’ perhaps a Rubik’s cube or my noise cancelling earbuds(god bless apple for this one thing alone) or more specifically to me MUSIC.
MUSIC, MUSIC, MUSIC
I always did and I guess always will do music but as it became my Job it was no longer my safe space as the industry and its darker commercial side crept in, you see the thing is, because we can hyper focus we tend to become control freaks too as control is one of the biggest traits of autism for me, control of environment, control of emotion, control of routine and control of the process - the industry takes the control away or should I say you have to give up control in order to function within.
I went through the classic feelings post diagnosis, denial, anger, depression(to be fair I was quite deep in that already) but post all of that there was a clarity and a self forgiveness, eventually even a positive thought here and there.
I’ve burnt out, I’ve vowed never to do music again and I’ve also gone back to is as I can’t not…..
Which lead me to the NEUROMUSO
If there’s one thing I know it’s the positives and negatives of Autism, I can close my eyes and watch music staves unfurl in my minds eye as vividly as Disney depicted Paul Duca’s sorcerers apprentice in Fantasia but ask me to describe what I thought of the fantastic meal I just ate and I have no words to describe - because lets face it food is merely function but music in its organised and mathematical beauty is just glorious,
In the next stage of my life I want to devote time to creating better understanding and a greater empathy between the divergent and typical world so that we aren’t just seen as weird or difficult but multi faceted and brilliant people with a brain function that doesn’t always understand the typical way.
Music - or organised sound, whatever you call it just works universally, whether you like it stylistically or not there is something out there for every person in the world, the deaf feel vibration and the blind can see colour and taste through sound, its a celestial entity that we cant live without