Andrew Neil is a rare gem in the music industry – a true outsider artist. Born in Colorado Springs, Andrew’s life took a turn for the worse when he suffered a traumatic head injury in a car accident in 2009. This event marked the beginning of his struggles with mental illness and a journey of self-discovery through music.
Despite never learning to play a cover song or even basic chord shapes, Andrew has written over 400 songs, mostly on guitar. His unique, almost grunge-like style is reminiscent of Nirvana’s unplugged concert in 1994. In 2013, a bad psychotic episode landed him in a Virginia state hospital where he wrote and recorded the album “Code Purple.” The album was well-received and earned him recognition as one of the best outsider music artists by Rankers List.
Andrew‘s music career took off in 2018 when he met Charlottesville-based producer Andy Waldeck. Under Andy’s direction, Andrew released his first studio album, “Merry Go Round,” which received excellent reviews and even charted on college radio stations. The next two albums, “Freak” and “Sunny Side,” further cemented Andrew’s position as a talented musician, with authenticity in his voice and a bluesy, math rock and shoegaze-infused aesthetic.
Despite being diagnosed with aggressive Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in 2019, Andrew didn’t let cancer get in the way of his passion for music. In fact, he finished recording the album “Freak” and released it that year.
Andrew Maternick is a true artist in every sense of the word. He not only creates musical masterpieces, but he places just as much importance on the cover art. He worked with his brother, Kyle Scott Maternick, an accomplished abstract artist, to create the cover art for two of Andrew’s albums, “Code Purple” and “Freak.”
Another talented artist, Daniel Benayun, created the cover art for “Merry Go Round,” “Sunny Side,” and “Alien.” Andrew recognizes the importance of collaboration and is grateful to have such talented individuals contributing to his vision. Each cover perfectly captures the essence of the music contained within.
Today, Andrew continues to write and perform his music, primarily at local open mics in Charlottesville. He has recently put together a band with the hope of sharing his music on bigger stages. Andrew’s story is a testament to the power of music in healing and the resilience of the human spirit.
Fans of Andrew’s work can collect his albums on CD and limited-run vinyl. “Code Purple,” “Merry Go Round,” and “Freak” were each pressed 300 times, while “Sunny Side” and “Alien” are even rarer, with only 100 and 200 presses, respectively. In addition to his musical creations, a book titled “Kind of Hurt” is in the works to chronicle Andrew’s journey through mental illness and cancer and the role music played in his life. As Andrew continues to gain recognition on a national and international level, his impact on the music world will only continue to grow.
