Many years ago, in the golden years of Channel Four's formative years, I saw this amazing documentary about andy, Andy the furniture maker of the title. A complete rascal of a fella, a cheeky hedonistic young vagabond, who would steal the eye out of your head and break your heart. i had not thought about it for decades and finding it on Youtube was a real joy. The years seemed to flashback, rewinding to a time I lived in my folks attic, drifting through my life, rudderless, directionless and happily stress free. Despite all the madness of those days, and I saw quite a bit of it, I never knew any better.
I thought "well, this is what life is like."
Which indeed it was.
Its a great documentary about a cheekily free spirit who demonstrates surprising depths. There was something special about Andy. He had a touch of Ariel about him. A faerie sprite with a dirty mind and a dirty laugh. He was like a walking talking Smiths record sleeve, working class, witty and sexy, and not one to be nailed down by anyone. An absolute hand full off course but you had to love him.
Its a great piece of work by documentary film maker Paul Oremland. Quite bold for its day and a perfect little time capsule for days now long passed.
I wonder what became of Andy. Did he grew from a young bespoke furniture maker to a business man owning his own firm. With paperwork, employees and taxes to pay? its hard to picture him in such a scenario. Mind you, I suppose the younger me could not reconcile his older self being me.
Not when that young man dreamed of trips to the moon.
