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I Get Wet
Studio album by
Andrew W.K.
ReleasedNovember 13, 2001 (2001-11-13)
Recorded2000–2001
Studio
Genre
Length35:32
LabelIsland
Producer
Andrew W.K. chronology
Party Til You Puke
(2000) 		I Get Wet
(2001) 		The Wolf
(2003)
Singles from I Get Wet
  1. "Party Hard"
    Released: October 29, 2001
  2. "She Is Beautiful"
    Released: February 19, 2002
  3. "We Want Fun"
    Released: December 2002
  4. "Fun Night"
    Released: 2003

I Get Wet is the debut studio album by American rock musician Andrew W.K. Its first two singles were "Party Hard" and "She Is Beautiful".

Recording

[edit]

Production

[edit]

I Get Wet was recorded while Andrew W.K. was living in New York City. The album was recorded with many layers of overdubbing, in order to make the album "sound as party as we could make it sound," and for the "sound of the songs to be like one instrument" instead of a collection of individual musicians.[5] In July 2001, W.K. and Jimmy Coup traveled to Minneapolis, Minnesota to record with John Fields at SubJersey Studio. In August, the three traveled to Sherman Oaks, California to mix the record with Mike Shipley at Record One.

Influences

[edit]

One inspiration for the album was Andrew W.K.'s enjoyment of intense, major-key music, something he attributed to his musical childhood experiences with the piano.[5]

Another inspiration for I Get Wet was the charity single "We Are the World" by USA for Africa. Andrew W.K. was impressed with how all the artists on the song were singing all at once, something he described as a "powerful sound, like an orchestra." In turn, Andrew W.K. wanted to create music that sounded like that.[5]

Artwork

[edit]

I Get Wet is known for its cover art shot by art photographer Roe Ethridge: a photo of a wet-haired Andrew W.K. with a large stream of blood running from his nose, down his chin and onto his throat. This cover art caused a controversy, as it was seen to represent cocaine abuse and violence.[6] To achieve the effect, W.K. initially said that he struck himself in the face with a piece of a cinder block during the photo shoot but later explained that it did not lead to enough blood flow. Consequently, he supplemented his own blood with some of an animal which he got from a butcher's shop.[7][8]

Release history

[edit]

The album went to number one on Billboard's Top Heatseekers chart. The songs "Party Hard" and "She Is Beautiful" were released as singles. The opening track, "It's Time to Party", was featured in an advertisement for Hotwire.com, a Coors spot and an Expedia ad. "Fun Night" can be heard in the 2003 film Old School. The track, "Don't Stop Living in the Red" was featured in an ad for Target. "I Love NYC" is frequently played at New York Rangers games. "Ready to Die" is used in the Hitman game series, as well as the trailer for the game Rage 2.[9]

On August 28, 2012, a deluxe reissue of I Get Wet was released. The reissue contained previously unheard recordings, demos, live tracks, and alternate mixes. A limited number of autographed deluxe editions contained a lock of Andrew's hair, a piece of his white jeans, or an autographed plane ticket from his 2012 world tour.[10]

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic64/100[11]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStarStarStar[12]
Alternative Press8/10[13]
BlenderStarStarStar[14]
Entertainment WeeklyB+[15]
The GuardianStarStarStar[16]
NME8/10[17]
Pitchfork0.6/10 (2002)[18]
8.6/10 (2012)[19]
QStarStarStarStar[20]
Rolling StoneStarStarStarStar[21]
The Village VoiceA−[22]

I Get Wet provoked very polarizing critical reaction when it was initially released, with Pitchfork's Ian Cohen retrospectively writing that "critics of Andrew W.K. were often branded as the fun police and his fans considered fools or incurable ironists."[19] On the review aggregate site Metacritic, the album holds a score of 64 out of 100, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[11] Stephen Thompson of The A.V. Club described I Get Wet as "more fabulously entertaining the louder it's played" and added that "if it wipes out a generation of hard-rock crybabies along the way, fans will owe him a debt of gratitude that can never be repaid."[3] Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone also gave the album a positive review, stating that "there's no denying the over-the-top whomp of his music, the loudest and funniest metal you've heard in ages."[21] David Browne, writing in Entertainment Weekly, noted that W.K. "must know how ridiculous this all sounds, but he attacks the material with such fervor that you almost believe he means every word."[15] AllMusic's Heather Phares noted that while the album "has a certain sameness due to the frenetic beat that drives nearly every track, it's the perfect complement to W.K.'s party-centric vision", praising it as "refreshingly simple and cleverly stupid."[12]

Adrien Begrand of PopMatters gave the album a mixed review, writing "At its best, WK’s music is a refreshing blast of skanky air on the current stale music scene, but at its worst, it’s disappointingly monotonous, unoriginal, and very, very dumb."[23] Evan Chakroff of Stylus Magazine called it a "worthless piece of rock-product, 35 minutes of glossy, overproduced tripe", but concluded that "once these songs have pounded their way into your head, you can’t help but pay attention" and "if this is a joke, it's a brilliant one."[24] Ryan Schreiber of Pitchfork panned the album as being "about as empty as rock music gets, right down to the tinny, digitally processed tonebank noise that passes for 'guitars.'"[18]

Legacy

[edit]

Q listed I Get Wet as one of the best 50 albums of 2001.[25] NME included I Get Wet in their retrospective list of the best albums of 2001.[26] Rhapsody ranked the album at number two on its "Rock's Best Albums of the Decade" list.[27] Despite initially panning the album, Pitchfork placed I Get Wet at number 144 on their list of top 200 albums of the 2000s.[28] Ian Cohen of Pitchfork acknowledged his review of the album's 2012 reissue, which received a "Best New Reissue" designation, as the website's "biggest statistical mea culpa ever", writing that "whether you consider these songs to be brilliant, brilliantly dumb, or just dumb, I Get Wet is necessarily simple".[19]

Andrew W.K. reflected on the album's initial reaction in a 2012 interview, saying:

Everything is always going through changes in terms of attitudes or mood, but it does seem like partying is a more common theme in music and culture [now]; colorful attitudes and excitement and positivity are more embraced. I remember trying to make a band the first time around [..] people didn't like that there were keyboards in the music. They said it sounded too corporate. They also didn't like that it had this four-on-the-floor club beat. But it's interesting because now the club/dance beat is in lots and lots of songs. I was very happy with how things have come around.[5]

Track listing

[edit]

All songs composed and written by Andrew W.K.

No.TitleLength
1."It's Time to Party"1:30
2."Party Hard"3:04
3."Girls Own Love"3:13
4."Ready to Die"2:54
5."Take It Off"3:10
6."I Love NYC"3:11
7."She Is Beautiful"3:33
8."Party til You Puke"2:34
9."Fun Night"3:23
10."Got to Do It"3:55
11."I Get Wet"3:23
12."Don't Stop Living in the Red"1:42
Japanese edition bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
13."We Want Fun"4:21
14."Make Sex"0:46
10th anniversary edition bonus disc[29]
  1. "It's Time to Party (Live)" 2:09
  2. "It's Time to Party (1999 Version)" 1:24
  3. "Party Hard (Live)" 4:33
  4. "Party Hard (1999 Version)" 3:07
  5. "Girls Own Love (Live)" 3:46
  6. "Girls Own Love (1999 Version)" 3:35
  7. "Ready to Die (Live)" 3:19
  8. "Take It Off (Live)" 3:23
  9. "I Love NYC (Live)" 3:51
  10. "She Is Beautiful (Live)" 5:15
  11. "She Is Beautiful (1999 Version)" 3:13
  12. "Party til You Puke (Live)" 2:53
  13. "It Just Got Hotter (Sundogs Version)" 3:26
  14. "Got to Do It (Keyboards Version)" 4:12
  15. "I Get Wet (Live)" 5:13
  16. "Don't Stop Living in the Red (1999 Version)" 1:33

Personnel

[edit]

Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.[30]

Primary musicians

  • Andrew W.K. – vocals, composition, synthesizer, bass guitar, production
  • Jimmy Coup – guitar, vocals (sweet heat)
  • Erik Payne – guitar
  • Donald Tardy – drums
  • Gregg Roberts – bass guitar
  • Frank Werner – guitar

Additional musicians

  • Tony Allen - additional guitar, assistant engineering
  • Phil X – additional guitar
  • Chuck Morgan – additional guitar
  • F. Thomas – additional guitar
  • Chris Chaney - additional bass guitar
  • Mike David – additional bass guitar
  • Gary Novak - additional drums
  • Brett Lee - additional drums
  • Tom Gordon – effects processing
  • Lou Willis - effects processing
  • Frank Vierti – piano, keyboards, production
  • Roger Lian – digital editing, programming
  • Cory Churko – digital editing, programming
  • Anthony Miller – programming
  • Darron D. - Programming
  • Nate Young- programming

Production personnel

  • Dan Burns – assistant engineering
  • Jeff Burns – engineering
  • Roe Ethridge – photography
  • John Fields – production, engineering
  • Frank Gryner – engineering
  • Scott Humphrey – production
  • Mike Shipley – mixing
  • Robert C. Thompson – engineering
  • Dave Collins – mastering
  • TSD – production
  • Bobby Warner – engineering
  • K. Williams – art direction

Charts

[edit]

Weekly charts

[edit]
Weekly chart performance for I Get Wet
Chart (2002) Peak
position
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[31] 32
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[32] 59
UK Albums (OCC)[33] 71
US Billboard 200[34] 84

Year-end charts

[edit]
2002 year-end chart performance for I Get Wet
Chart (2002) Position
Canadian Alternative Albums (Nielsen SoundScan)[35] 136
Canadian Metal Albums (Nielsen SoundScan)[36] 68

Certifications

[edit]
Certifications for I Get Wet
Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[37] Silver 60,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

I Get Wet

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
I Get Wet is the debut studio album by American rock musician Andrew W.K., released on November 13, 2001, by Island Records. The album consists of twelve high-energy tracks characterized by anthemic choruses, pounding piano riffs, and a relentless party-rock ethos, with standout singles including "Party Hard" and "She Is Beautiful." Recorded at various studios including in while Andrew W.K. (born Andrew Fetterly Wilkes-Krier in 1979) was living there, the album features extensive layers of overdubs to create its dense, bombastic sound. Blending genres such as , , and heavy metal, it draws from W.K.'s background in classical piano training and influences like , resulting in a unique fusion of punk-metal aggression and pop accessibility. The 's , featuring W.K. with a profuse bloody nose from self-inflicted injury using a brick, became iconic and controversial for its raw, visceral imagery. Critically, I Get Wet was praised for its unapologetic fun and motivational intensity, earning a from , which described it as "refreshingly simple and cleverly stupid" and a "great big bear hug of an ." It has since been reissued multiple times, including a 10th-anniversary deluxe edition in 2012 and a 2019 vinyl , cementing its status as a favorite in .

Background

Early career

Andrew Fetterly Wilkes-Krier, professionally known as Andrew W.K., was born on May 9, 1979, in and raised in , after his family relocated there due to his father's academic position at the . From a young age, Wilkes-Krier showed a strong interest in music, beginning classical lessons at four years old through the University of Michigan School of Music. His early exposure to music was supported by his family, including his mother, a , and his father, a law professor, who encouraged creative experimentation. As a teenager in the mid-1990s, Wilkes-Krier shifted from to and immersed himself in the local music scene, joining several and heavy metal bands in the area, including death-metal outfits. These experiences honed his skills as a performer and introduced him to high-intensity genres that would later influence his sound, though he often balanced them with humorous, energetic elements even in underground settings. By age 17, he was recording his own material at home, exploring solo compositions that blended his classical roots with more aggressive styles. After graduating high school in 1997, Wilkes-Krier moved to in 1998 at age 18 to fully commit to music, leaving behind the structured academic environment of . In the city's vibrant underground scene, he delved into experimental , performing solo concerts with just a keyboard, , and his voice, often improvising chaotic yet engaging sets that drew small but dedicated crowds. These shows emphasized raw energy and physicality, foreshadowing his later persona, and helped him build connections within the indie noise community. Wilkes-Krier continued self-recording demos in New York, distributing them informally to friends and contacts in the industry; one such 1999 demo tape captured his evolving sound and circulated among potential collaborators. These efforts culminated in the release of his debut EP, Girls Own Juice (also known as AWKGOJ), in 2000 on the experimental label Bulb Records, featuring tracks like "Girls Own Juice" and "Don't Ever Stop the Noise" that showcased noisy, high-octane rock experiments. The EP's raw production and themes of fun and intensity marked his transition from pure noise to a more accessible, party-oriented style. The buzz from his demos and EP led to pivotal industry connections, including initial outreach to producer , whose interest helped secure a deal with in 2000. Working with Sardy, Wilkes-Krier refined his high-energy rock persona, emphasizing anthemic positivity and relentless enthusiasm that would define his breakthrough work, while drawing from his noise roots for added intensity. This collaboration marked the end of his independent phase and the start of his major-label trajectory.

Conception and influences

Andrew W.K. conceived I Get Wet as a deliberate to the prevailing angst and irony of and nu-metal, aiming instead to deliver unbridled positivity and communal celebration through music that emphasized excitement and inclusivity. In interviews, he described the album's core vision as channeling a "blinding light" of universal energy, rejecting cynicism in favor of themes centered on partying as a life-affirming force that builds strength amid doubt. This intent stemmed from his experiences in New York City's underground scenes after moving there in the late , where he isolated himself to hone a sound that prioritized feeling over intellectual pretense. The album's influences drew heavily from 1970s and hard rock and punk aesthetics, blended with elements from his classical background. W.K. cited the raw, high-energy riffing of hard rock acts like Mötley Crüe as a foundational inspiration for the record's relentless drive, while punk's simplicity and directness—evident in the ' knuckleheaded, anthemic presentation—shaped its straightforward structures. His early training on since childhood infused classical sensibilities, such as multi-layered compositions and major-key melodies reminiscent of orchestral works, which he combined with metal's intensity to create a hybrid sound. Additionally, the massed vocal harmonies of charity single "We Are the World" influenced the album's choral, collective feel, aiming for a sense of shared triumph in its hooks. W.K. intentionally merged aggressive metal riffs with accessible pop song forms and soaring, anthemic choruses to maximize broad appeal, designing tracks to function like a single, overwhelming instrument rather than showcasing individual players. Songwriting began in earnest around 2000, with W.K. developing ideas in isolation using basic tools like a four-track recorder, focusing on melodies hummed or whistled that captured themes of fun, excess, and relentless enthusiasm before assembling a band to refine them. This process emphasized meticulous detail in every element, from rhythm to overdubs, to evoke pure exhilaration without ego or complexity.

Recording

Studio sessions

The recording sessions for I Get Wet spanned from 2000 to 2001, allowing to develop and refine material across multiple phases. Initial work began in New York, where W.K. handled much of the early composition and demoing solo before expanding to collaborative efforts. Sessions then shifted to Hollywood with producer , followed by a period in , for several months of tracking, and concluded with preparation in alongside co-producer John Fields. Primary tracking occurred at Studios in and Guardian Sound in , with additional work at locations including The Chop Shop and in , New Jersey Studios in , and Studios in . Andrew W.K. contributed vocals, piano, and guitars throughout the sessions, emphasizing a hands-on approach to layering sounds for density and impact. The project relied heavily on session musicians to fill out the instrumentation, including drummers D.T. (Donald Tardy) and , bassist Gregg Roberts, and guitarists such as Erik Payne (E. Pain), Sgt. Frank Williams, and , along with additional bass from and Mike David. This assembly of players enabled a flexible, non-band dynamic, with instruments tracked individually rather than as a live ensemble to prioritize precision and multiplicity. A key logistical challenge was translating the album's raw, euphoric live energy into a studio environment, addressed through extensive that built tracks with dozens of layers—often hundreds—for guitars, vocals, and percussion to simulate overwhelming intensity. This method required multiple takes per element to maintain high performance levels, avoiding fatigue while ensuring each addition amplified the celebratory momentum without diluting the core drive. Production techniques, overseen by Humphrey and Fields, facilitated this buildup in the varied studio settings, focusing on environmental acoustics suited to rock tracking.

Production

The production of I Get Wet was led by co-producers Andrew W.K., , and John Fields, who aimed to capture a high-energy, aggressive rock sound. Mixing was handled by , with engineering by Frank Gryner, Jeff Burns, and Robert Thompson. A key aspect of the album's technical approach involved extensive layered guitar overdubs, creating a dense, overwhelming sonic texture often described as a wall-of-sound effect reminiscent of Phil Spector's techniques but adapted to heavy rock. Heavy compression was applied throughout to maximize loudness and impact, contributing to the record's relentless, in-your-face intensity without sacrificing clarity in the mix. Piano elements were strategically integrated, particularly in tracks like the title song, to provide melodic counterpoints amid the guitar-driven chaos and enhance the album's party-anthem vibe. Post-production was completed with mastering by at Masterdisk in New York, finalizing the album's polished yet raw aesthetic in 2001 ahead of its release. backed the project, allowing for an unrefined rock edge that aligned with Andrew W.K.'s vision of unapologetic exuberance.

Composition

Musical style

I Get Wet is primarily classified as , incorporating elements of heavy metal, , and . The album's sound draws from punk and metal traditions, blending aggressive energy with catchy, anthemic melodies that evoke 1980s stadium rock and bubblegum pop sensibilities. Its tracks feature fast tempos, averaging 144 beats per minute (ranging from 91 to 185 BPM), alongside simple chord progressions that prioritize immediacy and accessibility over complexity. The instrumentation emphasizes prominent distorted guitars, often multitracked for a dense, wall-of-sound effect, paired with pounding, stadium-like drums that drive the relentless rhythm. Anthemic hooks dominate the arrangements, creating explosive, fist-pumping choruses, while occasional and keyboard flourishes add subtle melodic layers, as heard in tracks like "Girls Own Love." Production techniques, such as digital processing on the guitars, enhance the overall high-energy polish without diminishing the raw aggression. Most songs follow straightforward verse-chorus structures, building tension in verses before erupting into massive, repetitive choruses designed for communal sing-alongs. Tracks average 3 to 4 minutes in length, contributing to the 's tight 35-minute runtime across its 12 songs. This cohesion forms a seamless sequence of party anthems, eschewing ballads or slower tempos in favor of unrelenting momentum that sustains a non-stop, euphoric vibe from start to finish.

Lyrics and themes

The lyrics of I Get Wet center on the celebration of partying, fun, and hedonism, presenting partying not as mere escapism but as an inclusive, communal force that invites everyone to participate without exclusion. Andrew W.K. has described the recurring use of "party" and "we" in songs like "It's Time to Party" and "Party Hard" as emphasizing a collective vibe where "everyone being invited and everyone being able to do what they want to do as a group and there's no one left out," fostering a sense of shared euphoria and resilience amid chaos. This theme extends to subtle undercurrents of perseverance and joy, with tracks like "Ready to Die" portraying a defiant embrace of life's intensity as a path to vitality, rather than defeat. The writing style employs repetitive, chant-like structures and simple, exclamatory language designed for crowd sing-alongs, allowing listeners to project personal meanings onto the vague phrasing and bridge any interpretive gaps through passionate participation. For instance, the title track "I Get Wet" repeats its obsessively to evoke an overwhelming, visceral rush, while avoiding narrative depth to prioritize emotional immediacy over irony or cynicism. This approach aligns with W.K.'s for to function as an additional instrument, supporting the music's power without obstructing it, as explored in analyses of the album's creation. Notable examples include "Party Hard," a direct urging unreserved commitment to the moment—"You gotta, gotta, gotta party hard"—that blends hedonistic abandon with an undercurrent of perseverance through its relentless energy. In contrast, "She Is Beautiful" shifts focus to admiration and positivity, less about romantic love than the universal power of positive thinking and recognizing inherent in oneself and others, with lyrics emphasizing her beauty and its overwhelming positive effect, reinforcing themes of uplift and shared joy. W.K.'s vocal delivery—shouted and enthusiastically raw—amplifies these themes, transforming simple declarations into anthemic roars that mirror the album's chaotic exuberance and encourage audience immersion, as if the listener is shouting alongside in a unified, joyous frenzy.

Artwork and packaging

Cover art

The cover art for I Get Wet depicts a of Andrew W.K. in a white shirt, with disheveled wet hair and a stream of flowing from his nose across his face and onto his neck, captured in a intense, forward-leaning pose that conveys raw energy and vulnerability. The photograph was taken by artist Ethridge in 1999, during a session where W.K. achieved the bloody effect by striking himself in the face with a , supplemented with pig's from a shop, according to one account, though W.K. has claimed the blood is his own. Art direction for the image was handled by ' Scott Sandler, who collaborated closely with W.K. to align the visuals with the album's high-energy ethos. The imagery embodies the album's titular theme of "getting wet," symbolizing the physical immersion in sweat, , and the unbridled excess of partying, as W.K. intended to evoke the tangible costs and exhilaration of total commitment to revelry. Its high-contrast, gritty presentation, with stark lighting accentuating the against pale skin, draws from the visceral, confrontational aesthetics common in heavy metal album covers, amplifying a sense of chaotic intensity. Upon release, the cover generated significant controversy for its graphic depiction of blood, which some interpreted as glorifying abuse or , prompting censored editions in several markets; in the UK, for instance, retailers required a large black sticker to obscure the image, while similar alterations appeared in European distributions to mitigate backlash. Despite the uproar, the unaltered version became an iconic emblem of early rock provocation, later reprinted and sold as .

Packaging and design

The original edition of I Get Wet was released in a standard CD jewel case format with a clear tray and a 6-page folded booklet containing credits and thanks. A vinyl LP edition followed in 2002, pressed on black vinyl. In , to mark the album's 10th anniversary, a deluxe 2-CD reissue was issued, featuring an expanded booklet with extensive and dozens of never-before-seen photos documenting Andrew W.K.'s early career and recording process. A limited collector's edition of 500 copies included an autographed 20-page version of this booklet, along with unique personal artifacts such as pieces of worn or locks of unwashed . Subsequent vinyl reissues, including limited-edition colored pressings in 2019, maintained the original design while adding spot gloss finishes over the iconic imagery. In 2024, a limited edition reissue was released on vinyl, housed in a jacket with bonus tracks and a poster, hand-signed by W.K. The back cover and disc labels across formats preserved the album's signature bloody motif, integrating track listings and production details in a style consistent with the cover art's visceral aesthetic. International editions varied due to regulatory concerns over the graphic bloodshed; in the UK, the cover was altered with a black sticker obscuring the facial image or redesigned to comply with Advertising Standards Authority guidelines.

Release and promotion

Release history

I Get Wet was first released on November 13, 2001, in the United Kingdom and by , primarily in CD format, with promotional versions preceding the official launch. The album's international rollout continued into early 2002, including cassette and vinyl editions in markets such as , , and , distributed through and local subsidiaries like Universal Music Indonesia. In the United States, the release occurred later on March 26, 2002, under the imprint, encompassing CD, LP, and cassette formats to align with domestic promotion. Digital download availability emerged in the mid-2000s via platforms like , expanding access beyond . Following the 2000 merger of Island Records and Def Jam into Universal Music Group, subsequent distribution shifted under UMG's oversight, influencing reissue logistics without altering core label credits. The album saw its first major reissue in 2012 as a 10th anniversary deluxe edition by Century Media Records on August 28, featuring remastered tracks, bonus live recordings, demos, and alternate mixes across a two-disc CD set and double-gatefold white vinyl LP. A limited vinyl reissue followed on July 19, 2019, via Enjoy The Ride Records in collaboration with Island Records and Universal Music, pressed on black vinyl in a deluxe gatefold jacket. No significant updates or new editions have been released since 2019.

Singles and marketing

The lead single from I Get Wet, "Party Hard", was released on October 29, 2001, in the United Kingdom, where it peaked at number 19 on the Official Singles Chart. The track's anthemic chorus and high-energy production helped establish Andrew W.K. as a breakout act. Following its success, "She Is Beautiful" was issued as the second single on February 19, 2002, reaching number 55 on the UK Singles Chart. A third single, "We Want Fun", received a limited promotional release in December 2002, primarily tied to its inclusion on the soundtrack for the film Jackass: The Movie, though it did not chart prominently. Marketing efforts for I Get Wet centered on positioning as an exuberant party icon, emphasizing themes of unbridled fun and communal energy to appeal to rock and alternative audiences in the post-9/11 era. The campaign included visually striking music videos directed by Alexander Kosta and himself; the "Party Hard" video featured chaotic, blood-soaked party scenes with smashing through walls, while "She Is Beautiful" depicted a surreal gone awry, both amplifying the album's over-the-top aesthetic. Print coverage in rock publications, such as a 2002 feature in Metal Rules!, highlighted his unconventional image and piano-driven , contributing to buzz in niche metal and circles. Promotional strategies extended to television and radio, with a focused push for airplay on alternative stations during 2001-2002 to build momentum ahead of the album's November release. Andrew W.K. made several late-night TV debuts, including performances of "Party Hard" on Saturday Night Live on April 13, 2002 and "She Is Beautiful" on Late Night with Conan O'Brien in July 2002, where his high-octane delivery and stage antics resonated with broader audiences. A notable appearance on New Zealand's Space in 2002 saw him performing under a piano in a bizarre setup, underscoring his willingness to embrace unconventional promotion. These efforts, combined with radio rotations on channels like those playing classic alternative hits from the era, helped cultivate a cult following centered on the album's escapist ethos.

Touring

Following the release of I Get Wet in November 2001, launched a promotional tour featuring headlining dates across the and , running through 2003 and emphasizing the album's high-octane rock anthems. The performances were known for their relentless energy, with W.K. and his band delivering sweat-drenched sets that encouraged audience participation through and sing-alongs. Setlists during the tour placed heavy focus on I Get Wet material, often opening with the short, explosive "It's Time to Party" and building to crowd favorites like "Party Hard" and the title track "I Get Wet," which served as frequent closers. For instance, at the Leeds Festival on August 25, 2002, the set included nearly all tracks from the album, such as "Party Hard," "She Is Beautiful," "Ready to Die," and "Take It Off," captivating a festival audience amid a lineup featuring acts like The Prodigy and Slipknot. Similarly, W.K.'s appearance at the Reading Festival earlier that weekend showcased the same album-centric approach, contributing to the event's reputation for emerging rock talent despite challenging weather and crowd dynamics. The tour also included stops at major events like in summer 2002, where W.K. shared stages with metal heavyweights across multiple U.S. venues, further amplifying the album's crossover appeal. These high-energy shows, marked by W.K.'s frenetic stage antics and direct engagement with fans, often tied into singles promotion, with "Party Hard" becoming a nightly to ignite the crowd. The physical intensity of the performances—described by W.K. as a "perpetual-motion" effort—exacted a notable toll, involving constant motion and amplified exertion to sustain the celebratory vibe night after night.

Critical reception

Contemporary reviews

Upon its release in 2001, I Get Wet garnered mixed reviews from music critics, earning a Metacritic aggregate score of 64 out of 100 based on 14 reviews, reflecting generally favorable but polarized reception. Several reviewers praised the album's unrelenting energy and fun, party-hard ethos as a refreshing antidote to rock's prevailing seriousness. Rolling Stone awarded it 3.5 out of 5 stars, lauding its "balls-out heavy metal with an emphasis on speed and keyboard-driven hooks" that rocked "almost recklessly" without pretension. NME gave it 8 out of 10, hailing it as a "beautiful and brutal riff-seared endorsement of life itself" that revitalized rock with its brief, to-the-point exuberance. Conversely, detractors found the record juvenile and overly simplistic, dismissing its bombastic style as contrived. issued a harsh 0.6 out of 10, describing it as "evil in its purest form" that appealed only to base instincts and labeling its relentless positivity as immature and lacking substance. Other critics echoed this sentiment, viewing the album's uniform intensity and motivational lyrics as gimmicky rather than genuinely innovative. A common thread in contemporary critiques was the debate over the sincerity of Andrew W.K.'s hedonistic themes, with some embracing the unapologetic celebration of excess as empowering, while others suspected irony or calculated absurdity in its over-the-top presentation.

Retrospective assessments and legacy

In the years following its release, I Get Wet underwent significant reappraisal, evolving from a polarizing debut to a cult favorite celebrated for its unapologetic exuberance. , which had initially dismissed the album with a 0.6 rating in 2002, included it at number 144 on their list of the top 200 albums of the in 2009, praising its streamlined production that evoked Kraftwerk's precision while teetering on the edge of chaos. By 2012, in a review of the 10th-anniversary reissue, awarded it an 8.6, describing it as a "singular record" that continues to inspire extreme reactions and retains utility as a euphoric, no-trends-started artifact of major-label experimentation. This shift highlighted the album's endurance, with critic Ian Cohen noting its comparison to Daft Punk's Discovery for delivering unadulterated joy amid initial intellectual skepticism. The album's cultural impact lies in its role as a cornerstone of , blending punk, metal, and electronic elements into anthems that emphasized positivity and excess over irony. It emerged alongside a wave of similarly high-energy, revivalist acts in the early , such as The Darkness, prioritizing maximalist production and sincere celebration in a landscape often marked by cynicism. Tracks like "Party Hard" permeated media, appearing in video games including Guitar Hero II (2006), Rock Band 3 (2010), and Guitar Hero Live (2015), extending its reach to gaming culture and reinforcing its status as a for communal revelry. A pivotal legacy event was the 2012 deluxe , marking the album's 10th anniversary with expanded content including live recordings, demos, and alternate mixes, which reignited interest and accompanied an anniversary tour. Andrew W.K. has reflected on its timeless appeal in , stating that the album "proved to me very quickly at a relatively young age that dreams can and do come true if they're meant to come true for you," crediting its collaborative magic rather than personal authorship. He further noted a toward embracing "colorful attitudes and excitement and positivity," aligning I Get Wet's themes with broader advancements in enjoying music for its emotional impact over intellectual dissection. Critically, the album has received academic and essayistic attention for its anti-nihilistic stance in , positioning partying as an affirmative response to existential dread. Phillip Crandall's 2014 entry in the 33 1/3 series devotes a full to I Get Wet, analyzing its production, , and role as a "party rock classic" that counters rock's prevalent irony with relentless . This work underscores the album's enduring conceptual influence, framing it as a high-impact contribution to discussions on in . In 2021, marking the album's 20th anniversary, retrospectives further affirmed its lasting legacy. Stereogum described it as a "deeply strange record" that induces a "partied-out state," emphasizing its sonic density and instinctive appeal. Far Out Magazine hailed it as the "ultimate thrill ride," crediting it with pushing rowdy rock to its logical endpoint. An interview with Metal Injection highlighted its role in launching W.K. into rock stardom while exploring its philosophical depth on partying as a life force.

Commercial performance

Chart performance

Upon its release, I Get Wet experienced modest chart success, particularly among emerging artists . The album debuted at number 112 on the before peaking at number 84 in May 2002, while simultaneously reaching number 1 on the Top Heatseekers albums chart, highlighting its appeal to new acts. In the , I Get Wet entered the at number 71 in 2002 and spent one week in the top 100. The album also achieved placements in international markets, peaking at number 32 on Japan's .
Chart (2002)Peak position
US 84
US Top Heatseekers ()1
Albums (OCC)71
Japanese Albums ()32

Certifications and sales

In the , I Get Wet was certified silver by the (BPI) in 2002, representing sales of 60,000 units. In , it received a Gold certification from the (RIAJ) for 100,000 units. The album did not receive any certification from the (RIAA) in the United States, though it is estimated to have sold more than 100,000 copies worldwide, primarily reflected in its performance on the Heatseekers Albums chart. The deluxe edition released in , marking the album's 10th anniversary, boosted renewed interest through expanded track listings and vinyl formats.

Track listing and credits

Track listing

All tracks are written by Andrew W.K.
No.TitleDuration
1.It's Time to Party1:30
2.Party Hard3:04
3.Girls Own Love3:13
4.2:54
5.Take It Off3:10
6.I Love NYC3:11
7.She Is Beautiful3:33
8.Party Til You Puke2:34
9.Fun Night3:22
10.Got to Do It3:54
11.I Get Wet3:23
12.Don't Stop Living in the Red1:40
The standard edition of the runs for a total of 35:32. International releases, such as the European version, include bonus tracks like live recordings of "Party Hard" and "It's Time to Party," but the original U.S. edition has no additional content.

Personnel

Andrew W.K. performed vocals, keyboards, piano, and programming on I Get Wet. The album's musicians included Jimmy Coup and Erik Payne on guitar, Gregg Roberts on bass, and Donald Tardy on drums. Production duties were led by Andrew W.K., with co-producers John Fields, Scott Humphrey, TSD, and Frank Vierti. The album was engineered by Frank Gryner, Jeff Burns, and Robert Thompson, with assistant engineers including Dan Burns. Additional backing vocals were provided by Jimmy Coup, Erik Payne, and others.

References

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