In the music industry, it’s not unexpected to hear crazy theories one would call impossible. A few examples of those theories could include Avril Lavigne being switched with a doppelganger, John Lennon being killed by Stephen King, Elvis Presley being alive, and so on. These theories include one more person: Andrew W.K.
Theories suggest that he does not exist, and is not a real person. But what really caused these theories to come up?
Who Really Is Andrew W.K.?
Born Andrew Wilkes-Krier in 1979 to noted US law professor James E. Krier, Andrew developed a passion for music early on and moved from Detroit to New York in the late ’90s. He has been known to mix rock, pop, and metal elements and write party-themed songs. In a short span, he released his first EP, gaining attention for his lively performances and catchy choruses. Dave Grohl took notice, inviting him to open for the Foo Fighters shortly before the debut of his album, ‘I Get Wet.’
How Did The Theories Spread?
All of this started when an executive producer, Steev Mike, was named under the credits for ‘I Get Wet.’ Many fans first encountered Steev Mike through a supposed website ‘hack’ on Andrew W.K.’s site. Numerous messages credited to Steev Mike were posted online, some of which were claims that questioned the authenticity of W.K.’s musical career. This was followed by some comments from Mike on W.K.’s website in 2004, such as:
“I’ve been giving [your fans] bits and pieces, hoping that you’d come to your senses and stop trying to squeeze me out. Well, you haven’t responded to my initial request and you’ve forced me to make threats. When you act unprofessional, so will I. Now I have no choice but to let the facts speak for themselves.”
“I never wanted it to come to this, but I can no longer wait in the background and ignore your complete disrespect. Our choice to let you enjoy the spotlight while I create the magic leaves me almost helpless. You will not force me to expose myself until I expose you first.”
He did also add that W.K. was a ‘backstabbing fraud.’
After the comments, fans were confused as to who was the person writing the comments. Well, according to the rocker Steev Mike is not someone real, and instead, it was someone whom he created:
“Please don’t believe Steev Mike. I used to call myself Steev Mike a long time ago and it’s nothing now. Someone is trying to confuse you and make me look bad. Like a relationship gone bad. Someone is pretending to be me and this Steev Mike guy. I don’t understand why people are close.”
‘I Am Finally Free’
After the release of his 2009 album, ’55 Cadillac,’ the rocker appeared in an interview to discuss the details of his then-new album, while he reminisced about the older incidents, involving not being able to use his own name for certain reasons. While he did not give away any names, he pointed out having an old friend who apparently ‘ruined’ his life:
“At the end of 2004, an old friend of mine got in some business trouble and basically decided to take it out on me. To cut a long story short, this person is someone I worked very closely with and had a formal and family business relationship with. Due to various complaints this person had with me, they were able to turn my life and career upside down.”
Apparently, all of these incidents made his life complicated:
“I wasn’t allowed to use my own name within certain areas of the US entertainment industry and we were in a debate about who owned the rights to my image, and who should get credit for ‘inventing’ it. This made my life complicated and intense for a few years, but I kept working and doing whatever I could to keep moving forward.”
What Do Fans Think About The Theory?
The theory got so big, it even became a matter of curiosity in different blogs. Some fans explained he is real and he just loves ‘acting weird.’ Some also referred to the earlier theories about W.K. being an ‘Illuminati puppet’ and how much of a nonsense it all was.
It also seems that some believe Dave Grohl was involved in the Steev Mike incident and pointed out the similarity in sound and being friends with W.K. long before he was famous.
