Description
RE-PRESS: CD ORIGINALLY RELEASED IN 2019
- REMASTERED 2CD EDITION COMPRISING ALL THE RECORDINGS MADE BY PROGRESSIVE ROCK BAND WALLY FOR ATLANTIC RECORDS BETWEEN 1974 AND 1975
- PRODUCED BY RICK WAKEMAN AND BOB HARRIS WITH TWO TRACKS PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED ON CD
- INCLUDES ILLUSTRATED BOOKLET WITH NEW ESSAY BY MALCOLMDOME AND INTERVIEWS WITH BAND MEMBERS ROY WEBBER AND PAUL MIDDLETON
Formed in Harrogate, Yorkshire in 1971, the band initially featured Roy Webber (guitar, lead vocals), Paul Middleton (steel guitar, bass), Pete Sage (violin, bass, mandolin), Paul Gerrett (keyboards), Pete Cosker (bass, guitars, vocals) and Roger Narraway (drums). The band’s sound was unique for the era, being a fusion of Progressive and US West Coast rock influences, which combined to give Wally an identity that made them stand out from their contemporaries.
The band’s debut, ‘Wally’, issued in 1974, was produced by Rick Wakeman and Bob Harris and included the epic ‘To the Urban Man’. Prior to the recording of Wally’s next album keyboard player Paul Gerrett departed and he was replaced by Nick Glennie-Smith. This change saw the band move further in a Progressive direction for the ‘Valley Gardens’, issued in 1975, which was dominated by the excellent side-long piece ‘The Reason Why’ and also included the track ‘Nez Perc’e’ which was issued as a single and gained considerable airplay.