We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Andrew Hardinge. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Andrew below.

Andrew, appreciate you joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

I’d say the most meaningful project that the band and I have accomplished would be the release of our E.P. “With Friends Like These…”.

I had to do a lot of reflection when thinking of that title. I started to think of what our music talks about and the people we are trying to reach with it. I thought about the lyrics that came from my heart, and the long nights writing those songs while trying to keep my own life from falling apart. I thought about the people I counted on, that didn’t show up when I needed them the most. And lastly, I thought about the people who held me together, even when they were the most unexpected ones to be my friend. And then it hit me like the old saying goes… With friends like these, who needs enemies?

I understood in those moments that the people you thought you could count on, wont always be there. But the people you least expected…? Well, let’s just say they held me together and cared when no one else would. And that’s why the common phrase “With friends like these, who needs enemies?”, was cut short and used for our most meaningful project yet.

For me personally, “With Friends Like These…” is a love letter to those people in my life that talked me off the ledge when nobody else would. The phrase used for the title stops where it does because you stopped and helped me where I was. You showed up and for that, I am forever grateful.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Andrew Hardinge and I am the frontman of the Albuquerque based band “November Radio”.

I started this project with our bass player Humberto Camarena and drummer Emanuel Mendoza back in 2022. What started as a casual friendship has blossomed into a raging project that is taking Albuquerque by storm. When dreaming up this band, I never envisioned the reach that it would have. We have listeners all over the world at this point and some of them have even become friends of ours!

We started out solely to write songs and record them. I believe there was a dream to play music live, but in the beginning it was really just a fun thing for Humberto and I to connect with. As I started writing songs and music for the project, we both began to realize that we had something really special here. The songs were heavy, but still melodic. The lyrics were dark, but still relatable for most people. At this point we brought in Emanuel to lay down some drums with our songs… and that did the trick. We were officially feeling ready to play our first show.

Our first success was a show put together by a friend of ours at a local venue for original music. Of course we had some speed bumps (primarily a virus that killed my voice the day before), but we managed to nail the show. As a result, we received multiple calls from other bands and venues that wanted to hear us. Since that show 7 months ago, we have played 6 more shows, and have another 5 lined up! Not bad for our first year playing shows. We have been blessed beyond our imagination.

When I think about this project and the progress we have made, I am amazed at how blessed we have been. We do put in a lot of work like any band has to these days, but we have received an insane amount of support from not only our fans, but venue owners and promoters as well. We really couldn’t continue without them all.

The biggest thing I would like to say about the music we have made and will continue to make is that it is for everyone. Our goal as a band is not for glory or fame, but that we reach the ears of people who need to hear it. I struggled a lot growing up with depression and fought tooth and nail to get where I am today, and as a result am writing these songs. I want people young and old to know that they too are heard by someone even in their darkest moments. Life is too short to live without a true friend that understands you and November Radio is here to be that friend. I know the world can be a very hateful place to live sometimes, and not everyone will understand or agree with that, but I do. I know the struggles and these lyrics are straight from those places. You don’t have to fight this world alone.

I am very proud of what this band is becoming and hearing everyone sing our songs back at us at the shows is amazing. You all have built up our confidence and love from day one. I believe we stand out because of our fans, and they are our proudest achievement. We’re building a castle and we want everyone with a broken heart to be a part of it. That is the mission of November Radio.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

An artists best asset are its observers. If nobody ever saw the Mona Lisa then it wouldn’t be as famous as it is today. In a time where social media has taken over, artists need people to go see these events in person more now than ever! There is something magical about seeing creation take place whether it be music, paintings, or theatre that you can’t replicate through a picture. Support art by being a part of it in real time!

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

Love, kindness, and forgiveness. We need all of these things and I want to start the conversation. If there is anything this project is built for it is for changing the way we think so we can fix the emptiness in this world.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.instagram.com/drewhollow_?igsh=MWs0NWVjNWRjamMwdA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/novemberradioofficial/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100086682404417&mibextid=LQQJ4d
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@NovemberRadio?si=yr8bxU94EWbccsGp
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5JF9HOLUckok6j5VX6POoA?si=a3YEbcDcTpmi6PYth412iw

Image Credits

Cameron Xander Toxic Photography
Daniel Ulibarri