Jeff Walls
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Jeff Walls | |
|---|---|
 Jeff Walls playing for The Woggles in 2016 | |
| Background information | |
| Also known as | Flesh Hammer |
| Born | August 29, 1956 Marietta, Georgia |
| Origin | Athens, Georgia |
| Died | May 29, 2019 (aged 62) Durham, North Carolina |
| Genres | |
| Formerly of |
|
| Spouse(s) |
Rhett Crowe (m. 1988)Phyllis Bridges-Walls
(m. 1997–2019) |
Jeffrey Kermit Walls (August 29, 1956 - May 29, 2019) was an American musician, songwriter, and producer. He gained prominence as the lead guitarist of the 1980s alternative rock band Guadalcanal Diary, which originated from Marietta, Georgia.[5]
Career[edit]
Guadalcanal Diary[edit]
Guadalcanal Diary, originating from Marietta, Georgia, a suburb north of Atlanta, was established after Walls and Murray Attaway transitioned from their high school punk band, Strictly American. The band formed in 1981 and initially released an EP titled "Watusi Rodeo" along with the full-length LP "Walking in the Shadow of the Big Man" under DB Records. In 1985, they signed with Elektra Records, which reissued their debut LP[6] and released three subsequent albums: "Jamboree" (1986), "2X4" (1987), and "Flip-Flop" (1989).
The band experienced several reunions in the late 1990s, one of which led to the self-released live album "At Your Birthday Party" in 1999, later reissued by Omnivore Recordings in 2018. Guadalcanal Diary briefly reunited again in 2011 to mark their 30th anniversary.
Songs from Guadalcanal Diary have been featured on the television show "Billions."
Hillbilly Frankenstein[edit]
Following Guadalcanal Diary’s breakup in 1989, Walls formed rockabilly/lounge band Hillbilly Frankenstein. Hillbilly Frankenstein was featured in the documentary Sleazefest: The Movie from No Place Like Home Productions. The documentary chronicled the 1994 two-day music festival in Chapel Hill, North Carolina that celebrated rockabilly and garage rock music. Hillbilly Frankenstein released one LP on Zontar Records, Hypnotica, and had begun recording new material before disbanding in 1995.
The Woggles[edit]
In 1990, Walls began a close association with '60s-influenced garage band The Woggles, producing and playing on a number of their recordings. [7] The group maintained a heavy U.S and international touring schedule, and when guitarist George Holton died in 2003, Walls stepped in, once again assuming the tongue-in-cheek moniker ‘The Flesh Hammer’ from his theme song in Hillbilly Frankenstein[8]. He soon became a full-time member of The Woggles, and continued to produce and play guitar with the group until his death. [9]
Bomber City[edit]
In addition to his ongoing work as guitarist for The Woggles, Walls formed the group Bomber City with his wife, bassist Phyllis Walls, and former Guadalcanal Diary bandmate Murray Attaway.
Bomber City's music included many collaborative songs written by Attaway and Walls, music from Attaway's solo album In Thrall, and some fan-favorite Guadalcanal Diary songs. Joining Attaway, Jeff and Phyllis in Bomber City was Pat Patterson (Hillbilly Frankenstein, Black Label Orchestra) on drums, vocalist/percussionist Diana Crowe (Hillbilly Frankenstein) and Doug Stanley on keyboards and guitar (Love Tractor, Black Label Orchestra, the Helium Kids, the Glands, the Nairobi Trio).
Other Musical Endeavors[edit]
Walls’ other musical endeavors included the bands Blasting Cap (with Robert Schmid of The Swimming Pool Q's on drums) and the Nairobi Trio, an R&B and soul project.[10]
Jeff collaborated with several other notable performers, including English singer-songwriter Holly Golightly, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Hilton Valentine (original guitarist, The Animals) and a re-formed version of the Plimsouls (as a bassist).
Death and Legacy[edit]
On April 12, 2019, Jeff Walls received a diagnosis of pulmonary veno-occlusive disease (PVOD), a rare and progressive condition that restricts blood flow from the lungs to the heart.[11] Walls was subsequently transferred to Duke University Hospital while awaiting a double lung transplant as treatment for the disease. Walls died on May 29, 2019 due to complications arising from pancreatic cancer.[12]
Following Walls’ death, numerous fund-raising concerts were announced in Athens and Atlanta, Georgia to help raise money for Walls’ surviving family.[13]
Discography[edit]
Guadalcanal Diary albums[edit]
| Year | Album | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Watusi Rodeo EP | DB Records |
| 1985 | Walking in the Shadow of the Big Man | Elektra |
| 1986 | Jamboree | Elektra |
| 1987 | 2X4 | Elektra |
| 1989 | Flip-flop | Elektra |
| 1999 | At Your Birthday Party (live) | self-released |
Woggles albums[edit]
| Year | Album | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Rock and Roll Backlash | Wicked Cool |
| 2008 | Tempo Tantrum | Wicked Cool |
| 2013 | The Big Beat | Wicked Cool |
| 2014 | Souled Out | Wicked Cool |
| 2017 | Tally Ho! | Wicked Cool |
References[edit]
- ^ "Guadalcanal Diary Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More". AllMusic.
- ^ "Guadalcanal Diary discography - RYM/Sonemic". Rate Your Music. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
- ^ "Woggles - garage rock band from Atlanta, Gerorgia". Wipe Out Music :: Independent Music Publishers :: WipeoutOutMusic.com. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
- ^ "The Woggles on Apple Music". Apple Music - Web Player. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
- ^ Ruggieri, Melissa. "Jeff Walls of Guadalcanal Diary has died". Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
- ^ "Guadalcanal Diary | Biography & History". AllMusic.
- ^ "The Woggles - Get Down With It". March 26, 2016 – via YouTube.
- ^ May 30, Tony Paris Thursday; Edt, 2019 04:25 Pm. "Jeff Walls, 1956-2019". Creative Loafing. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Coolest Conversations - Jeff Walls of The Woggles - Unedited". February 19, 2015 – via YouTube.
- ^ May 30, Tony Paris Thursday; EDT, 2019 04:25 pm. "Jeff Walls, 1956-2019". Atlanta Creative Loafing.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Jeff Walls Diagnosed with Rare Pulmonary Disease - Support Our Troops". Stomp And Stammer. 2019-04-27. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
- ^ "Jeff Walls, Part 4 - Feature Stories". Stomp And Stammer. 2019-07-10. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
- ^ Mills, Fred. "Guadalcanal Diary/Woggles' Jeff Walls 1956-2019 RIP: An Appreciation". Blurt Magazine.
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