Andrew Haug
Andrew Haug | |
|---|---|
| Born | Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation(s) | Heavy metal artist, radio presenter, drummer |
| Years active | 1993–present |
| Known for | Hosting Full Metal Racket on Triple J, drummer for Contrive |
Andrew Haug is an Australian heavy metal artist and radio presenter based in Melbourne, noted for his influential role within the nation's underground metal community.
His broadcasting journey commenced with hosting The Hard Report on Melbourne’s community radio 3RRR. Haug gained widespread recognition as the presenter of the heavy metal show Full Metal Racket (previously titled 3 Hours of Power, currently known as The Racket) on the national alternative station Triple J from 2001 until 2011. He has publicly stated that his exit from Triple J was not by choice.
Musically, Haug is the drummer for the band Contrive, which features his identical twin brother Paul Haug handling lead vocals and guitar duties.
In 2002, Australian comedian John Safran included Haug in a segment on the SBS program John Safran's Music Jamboree, where a Christian psychic claimed to sense "dark spirits" associated with his involvement in heavy metal.
Haug has also appeared as a guest curator for ABC’s music video program Rage and MTV’s Headbangers Ball.
Early years
Andrew was born in Melbourne, Victoria, sharing this milestone with his twin brother Paul.
Career
Haug’s radio career began in 1993 with a segment on Melbourne’s 3RRRFM Metal Show, eventually ascending to lead host and conducting interviews with hundreds of both local and international musicians. In 2001, he took over as host of Triple J’s national weekly metal program, Full Metal Racket. Over his tenure, he completed 612 interviews with renowned artists such as James Hetfield, Ozzy Osbourne, and Steve Harris of Iron Maiden, including a notable interview aboard their aircraft, Ed Force One. Additionally, he orchestrated a seven-hour live metal broadcast marathon for Triple J.
Between 1995 and 1997, Haug co-hosted the local television music show Metal Vision on Channel 31, featuring conversations with bands like Fear Factory and Deicide. In 2002, he curated five hours of rock and metal videos for the national TV program Rage, and in 2006 he hosted a four-hour special on MTV’s Headbangers Ball spotlighting that year’s Gigantour festival.
Haug has clarified that his departure from Triple J's The Racket was involuntary. In June 2012, he announced the creation of Australia’s first dedicated online radio station broadcasting rock and metal around the clock, which officially launched on 20 November 2012. By 2017, this station had expanded its audience through a partnership with iHeartRadio.
Starting in 2012, Haug presented a weekly two-hour metal show titled Haugmetal on Soundwave festival’s online platform Soundwave Pirate Radio. He has also contributed written content to publications including Kerrang! Australia, Roadrunner Australia's Outsider Magazine, and various street press outlets.
From 1998 until 2014, Haug served as the exclusive label and marketing manager for Century Media Records’ Australian division, representing international acts such as Arch Enemy and Lacuna Coil. Concurrently, he managed and performed drums for the heavy metal band Contrive, alongside his twin brother Paul. Contrive released two EPs and three full-length albums, toured the United States in 2019 on a 25-date itinerary with Polish band Riverside, and supported major metal acts like Machine Head, Opeth, and Testament during Australian shows.
AndrewHaug.com continues to operate as Australia’s pioneering dedicated online metal radio station broadcasting nonstop for over ten years.
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Haug undertook full-time studies to become a certified life coach and currently runs Arise Coaching [1]. An enthusiastic endurance runner since October 2019, he regularly completes marathons and ultra-distance runs exceeding 60KM, including an individual 100KM run in June 2023. He has maintained a plant-based vegan lifestyle since 2012 and has abstained from alcohol since 2008.