Belated RIP Karl Wallinger

[storrsroars]

Just learned this morning that one of my favorite musical artists passed back on 3/10. This one hurts. First heard him back with the Waterboys in '83. After he split with them, saw World Party's first tour at Toad's in '86. Owned everything he put out and still play his music often. Have been waiting for new music from him for 20 years, always thinking it was right around the corner. Guess it's never to be, although if his posts through the years are to be believed, there's likely a stash of songs he simply never released. While he did have success in the 90s with the Grammy-nominated Goodbye Jumbo, and Bang!, he was a man somewhat out of his time, blending Beatles/Dylan/Prince into his own sound, and IMHO, was woefully underappreciated. Can't believe I didn't learn about this till now. Pretty much ruined my day despite last night's win.

 

[storrsroars]

I don't expect anyone here to enjoy Karl as much as I did, but I did want to post some retrospectives:

World Party’s Karl Wallinger was a pick’n’mix songwriter with a total, titanic love of music

The World Party frontman, who has died aged 66, was not the 60s revivalist some critics dismissed him as – his work was extraordinary in its breadth and political bite

www.theguardian.com

Karl Wallinger, Who Sang With World Party and the Waterboys, Dies at 66

As a songwriter and instrumentalist as well, he blended pop and folk influences into music that helped define college radio in the 1980s and ’90s.

www.nytimes.com

Private Revolution: A Retrospective of World Party — Ceremony

Karl Wallinger spun-off a solo career after a stint in The Waterboys and never looked back, making World Party one of the best acts of the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, but a lack of commercial success rendered it overlooked. Listen to the playlist and read along about this artist’s history.

ceremonymusic.ca

Thank You World: Karl Wallinger bids farewell – SuperDeluxeEdition

superdeluxeedition.com

From one of his biggest shows post the aneurysm that cost him 5+ years of his career as he had to relearn how to talk, sing and play.