Karl Wallinger, the mastermind behind neo-psychedelic pop classicists World Party and an early member of the Waterboys, died on Sunday at the age of 66. His family confirmed his death through a spokesperson.
Unabashedly steeped in vintage sounds, World Party crackles with Wallinger's sonic invention and melodic finesse, delivering modern rock hits like “Ship of Fools,” “Way Down Now” and ” “Put the Message in the Box” and “She’s the One” showed obvious talent. ” Robbie Williams' number one song in the UK. His pop singles were clearly not part of Wallinger's purview as far as his contemporary charts of the 1980s and 1990s were concerned. Recorded mostly by himself at Seaview Studios in England, he synthesized elements of the Beatles. He had a talent for splicing together the melodicism of Paul McCartney with the gritty cynicism of John Lennon, David Bowie and Bob Dylan, with a fair amount of added elements. The playfulness I learned from Prince. Wallinger's hybrid of extravagant pop, hippie mysticism, and postmodern cynicism inspired the world of his parties with his 1987 debut, “Private Revolution” and his 1990 second release, “Goodbye Jumbo.” College rock helped him carve a niche on radio and his MTV.
Although Wallinger had previously served as music director for Ben Stiller's loose 1994 romantic comedy Reality Bites, World Party was one of the artists who were swept up in the alternative rock explosion of the early 1990s. I was alone. Too tuneful and idiosyncratic to compete with the grime of grunge, World His Party evolved into a cult act, maintaining a loyal audience but rarely breaking into the mainstream.
Upon learning of Wallinger's death, his old Waterboys partner Mike Scott said: Posted “You're one of the greatest musicians I've ever known.” Curt Smith of Tears for Fear mentioned, “I was a big fan of Carl.”
Born on 19 October 1957 in Prestatyn, Wales, Karl Wallinger developed a love of music at an early age, an interest that continued to develop at Charterhouse. Charterhouse was a public school that called all the original members of Genesis alumni. He later collaborated with Peter Gabriel on an eclectic project called “Big Blue Ball.'' Wallinger, who mastered several instruments, initially began his professional career as a keyboard player, playing in a group called Pax, which featured Dave Sharp and Nigel Twist, who would later become members of the Alarm.
After serving as musical director on the West End production of The Rocky Horror Show, Wallinger joined Mike Scott's ambitious Scottish rock band The Waterboys. Wallinger first appeared on the group's second album, 1984's “A Pagan Place,” but his collaboration with Scott blossomed on “This Is the Sea.” The record is an epic modern rock record, anchored by the single “The Hole of the Moon'' and propelled by Wallinger's playing. A lively piano. (The making of “This Is the Sea'' is fully documented in the recent box set “1985.'')
Wallinger's time with the Waterboys was short-lived. Recruited by Chrysalis as a solo act during the making of “This Is the Sea,'' Wallinger left the group by the end of the album's support tour and released “Private Revolution'' in early 1987. Released. This modern rocker was a hit in the US, reaching the Billboard Top 40 and making Wallinger a hot commodity in the process. He helped create the demo for Sinead O'Connor's 1987 debut film, The Lion and the Cobra, and created the 1990 sequel, I Don't Want What I Haven't Got, with Black Boys on Mopeds. ” was arranged. O'Connor returned the favor by singing on World Party's second album, Goodbye Jumbo.
“Goodbye Jumbo” became the pinnacle of World Party's popularity, spawning the modern rock hits “Way Down Now” and “Put the Message in the Box,” and winning the Grammy Award for Best Performance. It was nominated for the Alternative Music Performance Award and placed 15th in the Village. The Voice's annual Pazu & Jop Critics Survey. Wallinger designed the 1993 sequel, Bang!, as a band effort, adding drummer Chris Sharrock and guitarist David Catlin Birch as full members. Despite the initial success of the melancholy lead single “Is It Like Today?”, “Bang!” struggled to find an audience during the heyday of grunge. When World Party released Egyptology in 1997, they were overshadowed by the hustle and bustle of Britpop. Britpop were as into 1960s guitar pop as Wallinger, but from a much younger generation.
After releasing “Dumbing Up” in 2000, Wallinger suffered a brain aneurysm that required a lengthy recovery period. He resurfaced in 2006, performing a live show at South by Southwest, and later at Bonnaroo later that year. World His Party continued to tour through his mid-2010s, and in 2012 he released his five-disc set, “Arkeology,” which included unreleased songs, covers, and live material.
At the time of his death, Wallinger was in the process of completing his first new song in 25 years, tentatively titled “Change.” He also began planning a new album and tour.
Wallinger is survived by his wife Susie Zammit, son Louis Wallinger, daughter Nancy Zammit, and two grandchildren.