The harnessing of Andy

Andy Harness is no stranger to the music scene in the Middle East, having played as a drummer in various bands around the Gulf for the past nine years.

He is now full-time manager of the Jimmy Dix club in Dubai, which has been his home away from home for the last few years.
This cheeky Yorkshire lad sat down with GW to chat about football, Ringo Starr, and being yourself at Jimmy Dix.
Tell us about how you came to the Middle East?
I first got the chance to come to Dubai in ‘97, I was a drummer in a band called Legal Racket, and we got our first tour in the Middle East at the Warbler bar in Bahrain. At that time, I was actually working in mental healthcare, strangely enough. I had not given up music, but there were no opportunities in my hometown.
It was just that chance, crossroads phone call in life that was in the Middle East. But I remember getting down the steps, my first time in Bahrain. I had never heard of Bahrain before hand, and I remember thinking this is really hot, it must be from the engines as you step off. Then realising to myself no, I am in the Middle East, in the middle of an oven! I had never been on holiday, and even when I did, it was Pontins in Prestatyn, so I was not used to the heat.
My first time out here, one phone call, I had to learn 40 songs in six days and then I was out there playing in front of one and a half thousand people on my first night, at the Warbler.
We played that gig up until Ramadan, and then we got booked to go back to the Warbler, which then took us to our first time in Dubai at the Rock Bottom Café.
We changed our name to Sonic Avengers, and went on to the Oman circuit. We did the Dubai Rugby Sevens, and did that for five out of the last six years. At the end of all that, I got the chance to design Jimmy Dix, where I came in as a manager.
The band playing at the time, were just finishing their contract at the club, so we put the band together again, and were here for just over three years as The Usual Suspects.
That’s how I got pulled back into the music scene again, which I was happy about, I am an entertainer. Bit like David Brent, entertainer first and maybe boss second.
What do you think about the Dubai entertainment scene and what more can be done for it?
The main problem for me with the entertainment scene, which has always been a main big to bear for musicians here, is permissions. Where as if you look anywhere which has had a vibrant music scene, whether it’s the country western scene in Nashville, or the Mersey side beat from the 60s, musicians work together, and could jump around onstage together. You know like Pete Best was the better drummer in the Beatles, but Ringo Starr was the right member of the Beatles, and its from people playing together that they find that right mix, that x-factor, like falling in love. You don’t know why it works but it does. Here, you can only be on that stage. I mean the musicians I know I would absolutely love to come up and jam onstage but you can’t. There is not enough being pushed for local talent.
But what I would change if possible is that a musician gets a permission that allows him to play anywhere, so that therefore you could go down to anywhere, see your mates and jam with them, to have almost like a labour card. From that you could get a Dubai-based musical culture developing where the original music will come out.
Tell us about Jimmy Dix and the idea behind your design for it?
The idea behind Jimmy Dix is that, basically, a lot of clubs now are going for that really modern feel, some are retro. But I wanted to use the reds, and heavy curtains to make it warm etc. It’s based around a 1920’s speak easy, Bugsy Malone, Al Capone, Elliot Ness, the Untouchables. We are never going to be a club that is for people who think too much of themselves. For want of a better word in a British way of looking at it, it’s an elegant fun pub. I always said when I was in the band here, leave your IQ at the door and your credit card behind the bar. It’s not where you come and stand in your Prada, you simply make friends and have a good time.
What is the strangest request you have ever received?
The strangest request I ever got, one night we had quite a few South Africans in and just for a laugh we sang, The Lion Sleeps Tonight, and they all started dancing. From that moment on for the last two years of my band leadership at Jimmy Dix, it was requested every night, and it became our version of Hotel California.
Would you say bands live the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle in the Middle East?
To a degree, it depends on what you class as a rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle. Being in a band straight away is living the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle because you are getting paid.
If the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle is classed as wrecking hotel rooms and smashing up cars and being abusive to people because you’re a ‘rock ‘n’ roll star’ then no, I have never done that.
Basically, there is no better feeling than, even though you are playing other people’s music, making it your own. 
But for a true rock ‘n’ roll story? Well, read the autobiography as they say.
If somebody offered you $10 million, but said you could never sing, or play drums ever again, would you take it?
If I was single I would say no way, but I have three kids. To know that my family would get the best education and always be taken care of. If I had to give up music, I am still creative in other ways. Would I find it hard to live with everyday? Of course I would.
But does that mean I couldn’t put bands together? Because if so, I would definitely take the $10 million, to put bands together and advise them and help them, but not perform.
What do you want Jimmy Dix to become?
To not necessarily be the number one nightclub in town. There are so many clubs now, and a very transient population and we can’t compare to places such as Zinc, or Double Decker. Every club has got its clientele that they want, and that like it for what it is. I am under no illusions that not everybody will like the Jimmy Dix way of doing it. I want to make Jimmy Dix, hopefully one of the best trained, friendliest, most easy-going venues in Dubai, to just come in and be yourself, and at all times top line entertainment.
Like anything else in life, people put titles to job descriptions. So does that mean a teacher is always focused? Or a bank manager is formal and sombre? People are people. I am a manager, but it does not mean I don’t love entertainment. It’s another mask I put on. I am still me. I don’t care about the job you have or the nationality you are or the religion you have. Especially at the moment, with the world at the minute, surely bringing people together is where it should be at the moment. Like John Lennon, give peace a chance. If we can have a venue that maybe isn’t for everybody I have no problems with that; you can’t be a jack of all trades. But the people who come through the door feel comfortable and have had a good night, then that’s what will bring them back in again.

· Olivia Middleton