Gentle Dom

Andrew Wells VanWyngarden, born on February 1, 1983, in Columbia, Missouri, and raised in Memphis, Tennessee, developed an early passion for music. His childhood in Memphis involved outdoor activities with his father and exposure to diverse music from his family’s record collection. In his youth, he received a Les Paul guitar and began playing, winning a contest at Lausanne School by performing “Under the Bridge” by Red Hot Chili Peppers. He later formed a band called Glitter Penis and another named Accidental Mersh, which achieved local recognition and released two albums before members left for college. Andrew invited Ben Goldwasser to play keyboard for Accidental Mersh during the summer of 2002, but the band eventually dissolved.

VanWyngarden attended Wesleyan University, where he initially planned to study astronomy or entomology. However, his encounter with Ben Goldwasser led him to co-found MGMT. He was instrumental in forming the group, despite Goldwasser’s initial reluctance to pursue a music career. VanWyngarden contributed significantly to MGMT’s success, including writing lyrics for their albums. The band’s song “Kids” received a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals, and the band was nominated in the Best New Artist category. He was recognized on NME’s Cool List in 2008.

As Gentle Dom, Andrew VanWyngarden has explored electronic and house music. Over five years, he released standalone singles and mixes, gaining notable attention with his remix of Soccer Mommy’s ‘Circle The Drain’ as part of her ‘Soccer Mommy And Friends Singles Series.’ In January 2021, he released the up-tempo house track ‘I Miss Dancing In New York’ and also remixed ‘All About You’ by The Knocks featuring Foster the People. In October 2020, he launched “Time Passage,” a radio show on WYXR Memphis 91.7FM. He continues to perform as Gentle Dom and has maintained an active presence in both his solo and band projects.