Andrew Haug'is a radio announcer and heavy metal musician from Melbourne, Australia. He is one of the most prominent figures[citation needed] in Australia's largely underground heavy metal scene[citation needed].

Andrew Haug
Andrew Haug
Born
Melbourne, Australia
Occupation(s)Radio presenter
musician
Known forFull Metal Racket
Triple J
Website[1]

Haug started his radio career doing the heavy metal music program The Hard Report for Melbourne community radio station 3RRR. He was most notable as the presenter of the heavy metal music program Full Metal Racket (formerly 3 Hours of Power and currently The Racket) on Australian alternative music radio station Triple J, which he hosted from 2001 to 2011.[1][2] He has stated that he did not leave Triple J by his choosing.[3]

Haug also plays drums with outfit Contrive, which also features his identical twin brother Paul Haug on lead vocals/guitar.

In 2002, Haug was convinced by Australian comedian John Safran to appear on his SBS television series John Safran's Music Jamboree. His appearance involved a Christian psychic who monitored him during a radio broadcast and at a Contrive live gig, claiming she could see "dark spirits" who were supposedly attracted to him due to his interest in heavy metal music.[citation needed]

Andrew has also been a guest programmer for the ABC's music video show Rage as well as MTV's Headbangers Ball.

Early years

edit

Andrew was born in Melbourne, Victoria,[4] along with twin brother Paul.

Career

edit

Haug started working in radio in 1993, with a local demo segment on Melbourne's 3RRRFM Metal Show. Haug soon become the lead host of the show, spanning all facets of the program including interviews with several hundred local and international artists right up until leaving the station for a new opportunity.[citation needed]

In 2001 he became the host of Triple J's national weekly metal program, Full Metal Racket. Over his decade-long run he conducted 612 interviews with musicians such as James Hetfield, Ozzy Osbourne, Maynard James Keenan, Ronnie James Dio, Rob Halford, and interviewed Steve Harris of Iron Maiden on board their own plane, Ed Force One. Haug once convinced JJJ management to do a live seven-hour straight metal radio marathon.[1]

In 1995 Haug co-hosted a local TV music show on Channel 31, Metal Vision. This lasted for two years, and included local and international interviews with the likes of Fear Factory and Deicide, as well as general music discussion. In 2002 he hosted the long-standing national TV music show Rage,[5] handpicking five hours of his favourite rock and metal video clips, and in 2006 hosted a four-hour special on MTV's Headbangers Ball dedicated to the acts on that year's Gigantour festival.[citation needed]

Haug has stated that he did not leave Triple J's The Racket voluntarily.[6]

In June 2012 Haug revealed his plan to create a dedicated rock and metal online radio station in Australia.[7][8] The station was officially launched on 20 November 2012.[citation needed] In 2017, the station started a partnership with platform iHeartRadio.[9]

From 2012, Haug hosted a weekly two-hour metal show, Haugmetal for Soundwave festival's online radio station, Soundwave Pirate Radio.[10][11]

Haug has written music columns for Kerrang! Australia, Roadrunner Australia's Outsider Magazine, plus weekly metal music columns for various street press magazines.

He was the sole label and marketing manager at the Australian branch of German-based record label Century Media (Arch Enemy, Suicide Silence, Lacuna Coil, Architects) from 1998 to 2014 full time.[12][13]

Haug managed and played drums for heavy metal band Contrive with his twin brother Paul. They released two EPs and three albums to date, and toured the USA in May 2019 on a 25 Date tour with Polish progressive band Riverside. Thye also played in Australia with Machine Head, Opeth, Stone Sour, Coroner, Cavalera Conspiracy, Testament, Sepultura, Soilwork, Mayhem, Skinlab, and Parkway Drive.[citation needed]

AndrewHaug.com, now in its 11 year of broadcasting, still remains the First & Only 24/7 Metal Radio Station Online in Australia, where many have come after and now cease broadcasting.

2020, during the Covid pandemic, Haug, with his long time interest in self-development, undertook 2 years of full time study to become a life coach, to which he now operates under the banner Arise Coaching [2]

Haug, being an avid endurance runner on & off over the years, reignited his passion of running in Oct 2019 after a 10KM fun run in Vietnam. This took his running to new heights to now doing once a week - full marathons to ultra distances of 60+KM. In June 2023, Haug did his first ever 100KM run, none of these runs completed were 'official' sign up community runs, he does them alone purely for self growth and is now close clocking 7000KM since Oct 2019, you can find him on Strava.

He is also plant based Vegan since 2012 & Alcohol free since 2008.

References

edit
  1. ^ a b Haug, Andrew. "10 years, 612 Interviews, tonnes of riffs". THE RACKET Facebook page. Retrieved 30 December 2011.
  2. ^ "triple j farewells Haugy from The Racket \m/". Music News. Triple J. Retrieved 30 December 2011.
  3. ^ "triple j's The Racket is on the hunt for a new host". Sludge Factory. Archived from the original on 22 May 2012. Retrieved 30 December 2011.
  4. ^ "On the road... with drummer Andrew Haug from Contrive". The Canberra Times. 23 June 2011. p. 5.
  5. ^ "Andrew Haug from Triple J - guest program". www.abc.net.au. Archived from the original on 26 May 2008. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  6. ^ "Contrive - Tone Deaf". tonedeaf.com.au. 24 January 2012. Retrieved 29 June 2017.
  7. ^ "Andrew Haug To Launch 24/7 'Rock And Metal Online Radio Station'". Music Feeds. 27 June 2012. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
  8. ^ "Racket:net". The Courier-Mail. 22 November 2012. p. 45.
  9. ^ "iHeartRadio Australia Launches 24/7 Heavy Metal Stations". B&T. 28 August 2017. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
  10. ^ "Andrew Haug Announced As Soundwave's Radio Pirate - Tone Deaf". tonedeaf.com.au. 24 January 2012. Retrieved 29 June 2017.
  11. ^ "Soundwave Launches Online Pirate Radio With Andrew Haug - Music Feeds". Music Feeds. 24 January 2012. Retrieved 29 June 2017.
  12. ^ Johnston, Chris (26 September 1999). "Full metal racket". The Age. p. 6.
  13. ^ "Century Media Extends EMI Deal Down Under". Billboard. Retrieved 29 June 2017.
edit