‘Blip’ is the ultimate king of clubbing cool

Jul 26 2007 By Graham Fraser

OVER the past few months in ML3, we have featured some bands and artistes with diverse names — but does anything top I Am Blip?

The producer and DJ, formerly from Hamilton, is really Andrew McManus, a 22-year-old office worker trying to make it big on Scotland’s club scene.

It seems that the reasons behind his stage name are just as unknown to him as they are to his fans.

"The whole Blip thing is a bit of a mystery to me. Many people ask me that question, but I’ve never been able to answer it. I’ve been known now as Andy Blip for a few years now and, evidently, I Am Blip."

Andy, a former pupil of Holy Cross High School, now lives in Glasgow’s South Side. He wants to abandon his cosy office worker life with dreams of playing in clubs around Europe.

"I have been doing this for the past two years, but I have really started to take it seriously over the past 12 months. I like to think that my music is a bit different from other performers as I don’t use software like Ableto, Reason or any of that stuff on laptops. I just use my hardware — frequencers, synthesisers and drum machines — to have a dirtier, filthier sound."

"I like it to be raw. In the older days, everyone used to use hardware. People like the Chemical Brothers were great at it. But over time, people have moved on to laptop programmes and the like, but I still prefer the old style."

Influenced by the likes of Black Strobe, The Knife, Postal Service and Daft Punk, Blip has just released his new song, Munt, on his Myspace last week.

He has played at a series of clubs in Scotland, including the Soundhouse and The Arches in Glasgow, where he supported Shy Child. He also performed at GoNorth Inverness Showcase and is currently planning a series of gigs across the central belt.

So what’s the plan for the ex-Hamilton producer?

"I don’t really know what my ambitions for my long-term future are. In the coming months, I am keen to establish my name, not just in Scotland but in England as well.

"I am writing a lot of new stuff just now while trying to arrange forthcoming gigs across clubs. I write, produce and perform all my own stuff so I am keen to develop that.

"I would love to be signed and make a few records before, hopefully, playing clubs across European cities. At the moment, though, I just want to focus on getting my stuff out there."

You can see I Am Blip perform on August 24 at Blackfriar's Basement in Glasgow’s Merchant City.

l For more information visit www.myspace.com/andyblip