John Walker
In 1964, John (Maus) Walker formed the legendary band The Walker Brothers in Hollywood, hiring Scott (Engel) Walker on bass, and Al ‘Tiny’ Schneider on drums. Gary Leeds came in the club one night, having just returned from London where he played drums for PJ Proby, and convinced most of the group that London was definitely the place to be. So after recording the single ‘Love Her’ in Hollywood, John, Scott, and Gary headed for England. They moved into a small place in Earl’s Court in February 1965, and John remembers adjusting to the freezing climate, and being wakened very early each morning by church bells chiming loudly from across the street.
Offered an impromptu gig to replace The Kinks - who had to cancel the last part of their tour - John, Scott, and now Gary, quickly organized a show, and played together for the first time on stage at The Odeon Theatre in Wolverhampton in early 1965. The rest is rock and roll history. Retaining the name The Walker Brothers, the group was an overnight success – the crowd that night rushed the stage, pandemonium ensued: their meteoric ascent to stardom had begun.
John had grown up in Southern California. He was a child actor until he discovered music. He taught himself to play a number of musical instruments, and developed his aptitude for guitar in particular, eventually giving lessons to young teenagers in the next neighbourhood: Carl Wilson, co- founder of The Beach Boys, and his neighbour, David Marks, an original member of the group.
By the age of nineteen, John was recording at the famed’ Goldstar’ studios in Hollywood along with Phil Spector and other hot new musicians and producers. During the early 60s, John and his bands were drawing huge crowds at the trendiest clubs in Hollywood with regular visits in the audience from The Rolling Stones and other distinguished rock bands who were checking out the California music scene. Little did John know at the time that he would one day be spending afternoons in Europe, jamming with Jimi Hendrix, and modelling the latest London fashions in Penthouse and other popular magazines! It was inevitable that the combination of John’s musical abilities, natural stage charisma, and drop-dead gorgeous looks proved irresistible to promoters, managers, agents and fans around the world.
The Walker Brothers began to record at Phillips studio in Stanhope Place shortly after they arrived in London. It was there that they produced the Walker Brothers signature sound. The songs were recorded ‘live’ and usually in just a couple of takes. John was very good at finding new songs for The Walker Brothers to record, and ‘Make It Easy On Yourself,’ by Bacharach and David , was one of his best choices. ‘Make It Easy’ was a smash No.1 hit in September 1965. Next came ‘My Ship Is Coming In’ which reached No.3 followed by ‘The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore which went to No.1 in March 1966, their second record at the top position within six months! By now they were one of the most popular groups in the country, having to move house every few months because the fans would find out where they lived and would camp on the doorstep, hoping to catch a glimpse of their favourite guys!
After sharing the bill with Roy Orbison, The Walker Brothers headlined a number of package tours. Among other acts on the programmes were The Hollies, The Yardbirds, Dave Dee and Co, The Troggs, Cat Stevens and Englebert Humperdinck. John remembers the last Walker Brothers’ tour. They were looking for someone new and up and coming to add to the bill; Gary had seen Jimi Hendrix playing in a London club, and soon they were all touring together – The Walker Brothers topping the bill, and Jimi Hendrix and The Experience on their first European tour. John and Jimi became good friends and would often go to the theatres early to play some blues, or just jam for a while before the audience came in.
The group appeared on numerous television shows in America and Europe including, ‘Shindig’, ‘The Sandie Shaw Show’, ‘Top of the Pops’, ‘Beat Club’, and ‘Ready, Steady, Go’. The Walker Brothers were presented to the Duke of Edinburgh and other members of the Royal Family at The Royal Gala, at the London Palladium in 1966. John was a special guest of the Variety Club in Scotland, attending the annual Christmas Ball in 2007 in Glasgow. He has a longstanding involvement with a charitable causes in the US and Europe, particularly those for children.
When the Walker Brothers disbanded for the first time, John went on to pursue a successful solo career with hits such as ’Annabella’, ‘Kentucky Woman’, ‘I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight’, and ‘Woman’. He launched his first solo tour at the in Bristol, and needless to say, his first performance was an absolute showstopper. During this time he also released two albums, ‘If You Go Away’ and ‘This Is John Walker’.
One day in 1975, John happened to be watching the movie, ‘Deadlier ThanThe Male’ in California, which features The Walker Brothers singing the theme song. He recalls thinking at the time just how good a band they were and immediately made a call to Scott suggesting they reform. Scott’s career seemed to be in the doldrums at the time and Scott simply said ‘Yeah, why not.’ It was as easy as that! The Walker Brothers reunited that same year with the classic Tom Rush number, ‘No Regrets’ and an album of the same name, followed by a further two albums, ‘Lines’ and ‘Nite Flites.’ ‘Nite Flites’ was completely experimental for the band. John, Scott and Gary worked separately on the songs so as not to influence each other, with three distinctive but integrated thoughts on the same theme and a million miles away from those big ballads with which they found fame.
On his return to California, John turned his attention to the recording process and now has his own recording/mixing/mastering studio He reacalls, ‘I had a head start because I got to work with some very good engineers in great studios’ John formed his own publishing company, Arena Artistes Association, and became a consultant to other bands and artistes. In 2002 he released the completely self –penned album entitled ‘You,’ a critically acclaimed collection of contemporary adult love songs.
In 2004 John took to the stage as part of The Solid Silver Sixties Show, his first live performance in the UK in many years. He was pleased to be able to meet and greet the fans, something which proved an impossibility way back in the frenzied days of the sixties, when the fans were hooked on screaming and tearing the clothes off his back wherever he appeared! John did another Solid Silver Sixties tour in 2007, and then headlined his own tour the same year.
John returned home to begin work on his next album, and got a call from Richard Park, a well known British TV producer and director. Richard interviewed John in Beverly Hills for the TV show, ‘Britain’s Favourite Break-Up Songs Of All Time’:‘The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore’ ranked ninth place out of the top 100 songs in a UK poll. The show was aired on BBC 2. Another TV show followed, this time an American PBS production, filmed here in the UK, and aired on US television in March 2008 about the British pop invasion of the sixties, even though we all know John is NOT British!! John sang ‘Make It Easy On Yourself’ and ‘The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore.’ Americans still refer to The Walker Brothers as a British band.
In October 2007, John was flown to Berlin to be a guest star on the popular German TV show, ‘Die Hitgiganten’. Groups and artistes were invited to take part in the show who had achieved Number One hits in Germany in the 60s and 70s: John Walker, The 5th Dimension, The Animals, The Fortunes and The Flowerpot Men. John re-mixed and re-recorded ‘The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore’, especially for the occasion, and added a completely new vocal.
John has just completed another highly successful 66 gig, Solid Silver Sixties Tour, playing to packed houses once again across the length and breadth of the UK.
John is always delighted to come back to his second home, the UK, which will forever remain dear to his heart.