Introduction to music came to him in the 70s when Andrew and his brother, Kevin entered a talent competition in the Holamarine Holiday camp in England whilst on holiday with their grandparents and parents.

Winning the competition gave them the incentive to improve their music skills and when back in their hometown of Derry, began vocal training with Tony Johnston School of Music, along with Dana, the Eurovision Song Contest winner.

Other competitions were to follow like TV programme,Tea Time With Tommy, the popular Hughie Greens Opportunity Knocks etc., and interest inThe Monk Brothers was becoming more apparent. In the early 80s the boys were smitten with sounds from the Eagles, Foreigner, Lionel Richie etc., but to play these songs required more musicians, so with help from their father Mike Monk, who was to become their Manager, their first band Mint Rock’ was formed.

The band played the local circuits in Ireland for a number of years and changed the line up of the band for the Showband circuit, then calling themselves The Stardust Showband, which toured England on a number of occasions and became noticed by Liam Hurley the brother of the well known singer in Ireland, Red Hurley. After the tragedy of the fire in the famous Stardust Ballroom, Dublin the management changed the band name to The Honeybunch, and released their first single in the 80s called Johnny Johnny which climbed to no. 5 in the Irish Charts.