Lead The Way: A Listen To Where’s My Family Gone by Andrew Cushin, produced by Noel Gallagher

It was only a matter of time before British Invasion pioneer Noel Gallagher linked with talent Andrew Cushin. After hearing his first two singles, Gallagher spotted something memorable in the Newcastle lad; some would claim even recognising a moment where he was in Andrew’s shoes, fulled by a youthful raw passion, writing emotionally charged and honest tunes. Noel praised the Geordie singer’s voice after hearing an early demo of Waiting in the Rain and vowed to produce, play guitar and sing backing vocals on his next single; for Cushin, this is the stuff that dreams are made of.

He joins a movement of Classic Indie downpour in recent times, and, without frills, fuss, or experimentation, traditional sound, and lyrics that reminisce about genuine situations and past adventures are at its core. Of fresh track Where’s My Family Gone, Andrew summarises its origins:

“I wrote Where’s My Family Gone when I was in a dark place” explains Andrew. “I hadn’t been speaking to my family, or friends. I felt as though I had no outlet for the way I was feeling, and I wrote it in a little hotel room in Leeds before a gig. It started out as a darker track but the production that Noel has added to the song has pushed the track in a way that it’s now so much bigger and more uplifting. I can’t wait to play it live and see everyone’s faces when that colossal chorus hits”.

Even without Noel guiding the way, the song carries all the hallmarks of a young G classic: a natural, profoundly tuneful heartfelt statement. This progression from the songwriter reserves his usual seriousness but displays development and a more comprehensive sound that lifts and soars as the tune moves on. The guitar solo near conclusion is a nod to the gorgeous line, “The only friend I have is here, He’s built with strings and listening ears.” Any keen-eyed Toon fans will spot various locations in the Dan Hopple produced video, following his fondness of low-key local locations of his beloved home and habitat.

Finding himself in the support slot for Two Door Cinema and playing his part in saving the summer, he made history performing to the crowds, on their pods, at the thriving Virgin Arena Outdoor concerts in August. A suitably impressed audience then purchased tickets for his socially distanced gigs at Gosforth Sports & Social Club, where Cushin managed to sell out three shows within an hour, securing his place as another treasured musical act of the area. You can catch the Walker wanderer yourself on Friday, March 12th, 2021, at his biggest headline show to date at the Riverside in Newcastle upon Tyne, where the fairytale continues...

Article by Beverley Knight