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E-mail'The Commitments' star on life after the iconic Irish film
Andrew Strong has made a name for himself - outside of 'Deco Cuff'
It is difficult to think back to the Irish film “The Commitments” without remembering the stunning vocals by Andrew Strong playing the character Deco Cuff, the lead singer in the film’s eccentric Dublin band. At the ripe age of sixteen, Strong began filming the drama based on a novel by Roddy Doyle. His distinct voice quickly became associated with the most memorable scenes of the film, including his famous rendition of “Mustang Sally.”
Over 15 years later, Andrew Strong, now in his 30s with four platinum-selling albums under his belt along with several European chart-topping singles and a new band on his horizon, has proved himself already to be far more than the man behind Deco Cuff, though the label of the film was no simple task to shake.
“It sold 16 million copies, that ‘Commitments’ record, so it was a huge albatross around my neck,” said Strong in a phone conversation recently. “I was heavily influenced by the grunge scene at the time, it was the early ’90s so I wanted to do stuff that was in tune with that, but management said no, you’re known for singing this soul music, this is what they expect of you.”
Strong made special appearances on television and in concert with the Commitments, but as his co-stars went on to tour full time as The Stars from the Commitments, Strong waited for the hype behind the film to die down as he worked out material before releasing his solo record in 1993, which reached platinum sales. His albums, which he described as having elements of R&B and rock, found a great deal of success in Europe. Throughout the ’90s, Strong toured with some of music’s most recognizable names. He accompanied legends like the Rolling Stones, Elton John and Ray Charles on tour, which proved a more than intimidating task for a young performer.
“[When I opened for] the Stones on the Voodoo Lounge tour, I think the smallest show we played was to 90,000 people,” Strong recalled. “And when you play with the Stones you’re not playing at three o’clock in the daytime, you go on an hour before them… I was very fortunate with all those superstars – they all treated me very kindly.”
This August, Strong returned to the U.S. to play this side of the Atlantic for the first time in almost ten years. Supported by Boston pop rock band Tucker Jameson and the Hot Mugs, Strong played throughout the eastern U.S. promoting his “Greatest Hits” album. The album, released in 2006, chronicles Strong’s progression as an artist beginning with his early vocal work on the “Commitments” album, his solo work and some new material.
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