Jack :

22:16 15.06

I got some devastating news today. My friend Andy Hughes sadly died at the weekend. He was someone who had an enormous influence on my musicality and my studio engineering. Furthermore large sections of the UK music community won't know what a luminary they have lost - a completely overlooked producer / arranger / programmer / writer of class and flair.

I met Andy in 2002 when he was helping set up my fathers new studio in 2002. I had gone along for the day with the sole purpose of meeting, in my opinion, the most talented guy from the orb as he was showing Dad how to use his new logic set-up. It would be true to say I was in awe - Orblivion is one of my favourite ever albums. Not only did I learn more that day about being a professional musician than my entire time at University - I also met a kind, fun and inclusive musician. Towards the end of the afternoon we made a song together and then went off for a Nando's.

A couple of weeks later Andy called me and invited me up to his studio in Brixton. It was incredibly exciting for me to visit Andy's studio - next door to the Basement Jaxx (who he introduced me too) showing me lots of Mac music tricks that I still use on a nearly daily basis. I would play him something I had been working on and he would offer advice - and then he would blow my demo out the park with his latest and greatest steaming out the studio monitors like champagne on crystals.

The strangest thing happened what turns out to be the last time I saw Andy - I was waiting in the car for my girlfriend to finish work in Soho and was chatting to some people who were smoking outside their office nearby. I decided to give Andy a call as we had seen each other just before Christmas and had discussed starting a film and tv sync catalogue. As his phone rang - who should walk round the corner but Andy fishing his phone out his pocket to answer my call. He was actually on his way to have a meeting with the people I had been chatting too!! An insane coincidence made doubly bizarre that at the time I was living in Brighton and Andy was living in Rochester! As it happened he was early so we had half an hour in the car playing each other some stuff and making plans. He really liked my Psychogenic material and I don't mind telling you I'm still chuffed (and will always be) with his comments on that. Andy played me some of his latest which as ever bounced out the speakers with sparkle and wit.

Much of Andy's best stuff remains unreleased - most probably still sitting on his hard drive so I will be making noises at the funeral of some way of cataloguing his work for posterity. I'll miss you mate - if your reading....

Jack :

01:59 13.08

Official press release from the orb:

ELECTRONIC MUSIC ENGINEER/PRODUCER GENIUS
ANDY HUGHES OF THE ORB SADLY PASSES AWAY ON FRIDAY 12TH JUNE 2009

Andy Hughes, electronic music producer/DJ who was born 11th November 1965 and, and who lived and grew up in Harrow, Middlesex, tragically passed away on Friday 12th June 2009 after a short illness.

Andy was a genius who gave so much inspiration and passion to all with his incredible work. He was loved by many aficionados of the trance/ambient genre, but will be especially remembered for his work with Alex Paterson and The Orb, most notably the album Orblivion and single Toxygene, which reached number 4 in the UK charts in 1997. Together with his musical partners Alex Patterson and former members Kris Weston, Simon Phillips and Thomas Fehlmann together with Nick Burton of Westworld fame, Andy created electronic and ambient/techno/house/dub masterpieces. These took him across the globe where he played to masses of fans in countries including the USA, Japan and Canada as well as a sell out concert at the Royal Albert Hall in 1998.

In 2000 he started producing music on his own and more recently produced music for artists such as Kovak and Basement Jaxx at their neighbouring studios in Brixton, London.

Andy was an incredibly doting and loving father who always made time for his children Gabriel and Circe and their father’s passing will leave a chasm in both their lives…

At just 44 years of age, Andy Hughes’ death is a tragic one, and his contributions and advancements to electronic music won’t be quickly forgotten.