McAndrew was born in 1985 and brought up in Syracuse, NY, but currently lives in San Diego, CA. He was awarded Daemen College's portfolio-based four-year visual art scholarship, where he went on to earn a BFA in Illustration. McAndrew played drums in Syracuse, NY based rock bands Deer Park Elementary and Bleeding Hands along with one of his two brothers, Tyler McAndrew. He is a founding member of Found Hat Press collective.