Creative brilliance or creative therapy?
Wally & Philbert are an enigma wrapped in a puzzle, encased in a mystery. A "garage band with no garage", the duo has forged a musical legacy as kaleidoscopic as it is spurious. One Canadian, the other American, they met at a Montreal university electronic music studio in the late '70's. Wally had been working with the musical group, Sonde, while Philbert spent his time playing the role of a theater student at McGill University and performing standup comedy. Beginning with the extemporized recording of "Tuesday At Eleven", they found a shared musical vision -- as well as a severe Catholic upbringing (there are just some things that transcend ethnic disparity). The tools of their musical arsenal included a Moog Mark III modular synth, ARP 2600, Synthi AKS, various Hugh LeCaine inventions (Polyphonic Synthesizer, Special Purpose Tape Recorder), Novachord, various Ampex tape recorders and whatever instruments they could scrounge up.
From 1978 to 1981, Wally & Philbert explored the heights and depths of their collective inner psyche. Their recording style was a sort of "band on the run" approach. They would sneak into the studio after hours, record whatever popped into their heads and emerge at the crack of dawn. After a hearty fishblock breakfast, they would try to remember what they had spent all night composing. While their highly experimental style and slacker work ethic garnered them no recording contract, they were able to traverse a wide range of musical pathways. From the rock anthem "Gouda 7" to the experimental sound of the "Ersatz Prunes" pieces, Wally & Philbert exhibited a well-balanced musical and relational symbiosis. They occasionally collaborated with "Big Al", who would went on to an illustrious career in Hollywood, writing for television and movies.
In addition to their surreptitiously produced music, the duo also did sound design for student plays as well as co-produced student films. Their 1979 mockumentary, "Catering To The Aliens" featured an early music video based on the title song -- in glorious Super8. Assisting with the animation was a young teen friend who went on to do work on such television shows as "Pee Wee's Playhouse" and "Doug". Wally & Philbert were also featured performers in "The Joe Beef Made For TV Movie" by artist Michael Haslam.
With the advent of today's information technology, the boys can finally find that elusive audience which heretofore eluded them (actually, who eluded who may be a "chicken or the egg" issue).
Prepare yourself for the Wally & Philbert experience!
