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Though still immediate and energetic, The Wolf challenges listeners a bit more than its predecessor. The riffs aren't quite as rudimentary, and the piano parts hint at his years of practice. (He started taking lessons from University of Michigan music students at age five.) "There's more that these songs are asking us to try, but I hope the people who love this stick with me," he says. "We have to think of why we don't like something or why we don't want to do something, and if it comes down to fear, that's something that's so easy to eliminate. I see a great conquering of fear in what this music is doing."
Unlike at most major club shows, where barricades are the rule, fans need not fear the wrath of security guards if they swarm the stage at an Andrew W.K. show. The rush is as spontaneous as it seems; W.K. doesn't warn staffers beforehand, which has occasionally led to problems.
"They're going to do what they're going to do," he says. "Because it's so clear that people are enjoying themselves, even the security guards will be smiling and having the time of their lives. It's a situation where people are really excited and happy and not trying to fight with the staff or with each other. A few times people have gotten very angry, and that was upsetting to me because they took it really personally. Most of the time, though, it's clear that it's a loving thing."
W.K. fans will have no trouble getting close to him while he's performing, but he offers no specific tips about how to meet up with him after the show. "All I can say is, I'll always be there," he says. "It shouldn't be that hard."
