Why I started this page?
I started this page to provide a place for KING SWAMP fans to find Walter Wray's music. He has a great voice and released an outstanding album in 1993 in the UK. It was called "Foxgloves and Steel Strings". Produced by Walter and Dominic Miller (Sting's guitarist for the past several years). Dominic also plays the guitar on Walter's album and it is stellar work indeed. Below is the original release cover:
I discovered that his album was repackaged and re-released in 1996 in the USA as "Steel Strings".
The tracks are: Heaven On Our Side, Blue Highway, Disappearing Race, Standing In The Ashes, Love Have Mercy, Can't Call It Love, A Hand To Hold, Forget It Sal, Bred In The Bone, Throw Me A Line
UPDATE 2007
A phone interview with Walter discussing his career and recent events is now available. Just click
here for the mp3!
UPDATE 2006
Walter has now started his own myspace page which can be found by at myspace.com/walterwray.
Walter informed me that he is slowly easing back into the music scene by doing some local gigs and such. He has also been recently in touch with Steve Halliwell and Martyn Baker of the old King Swamp days and they have discussed the possibility of making a record! Let us hope so! The main obstacle is coordinating their busy lives.
Walter Wray: brief biography
"Can a Catholic school choirboy from Portsmouth, England realize his dream to become a "rock-star poet?" Under all but the most extraordinary circumstances, No! So begins the story of Walter Wray.
Lured from the altar by the likes of T. Rex, Iggy Pop, David Bowie, and Velvet Underground, Wray decided Heaven could wait while he raised a little Hell. Sheffield University, then a burgeoning scene of developing superstars including Def Leppard and the Human League, seemed an appropriate place to start.
It was there that Wray taught himself the sax, ate magic mushrooms, drank Yorkshire Bitter, and formed a formidable 4 piece called The Junk. Their debut album Cuckooland speared the indie charts with the single ‘The World Doesn’t Turn.’ Their sophomore release seemed to create more waves inside the band than out; inspiring Wray to move on to a more productive, as well as lucrative stage of his career.
Barely in London a fortnight, Wray was recruited to front KING SWAMP; a career building move which lasted two years, during which they signed to Virgin and toured extensively throughout the U.S. Both the band and the tours brought Wray critical raves, but leather and lights were never meant to be more than an exciting chapter in the Walter Wray story. It’s tough to search for your soul while hordes of screaming fans are trying to tear your pants off.
So, Wray stripped down to a six string acoustic and hit the road solo, on a troubadorial, dues-paying, poet-scribing journey of self-discovery. It was during this time he came to realize that, "Writing songs is like panning your own excrement for gold, except song writing needs more paper."
A poet was born, and the critics took notice; finding nuggets of genius in his "songs that hum and burn like fireflies on the rampage," (The Independent) delivered by, "a voice that grabs you by the guts and refuses to let go" (Making Music).
Night after night of sold-out shows convinced the poet in Wray that this rock star better get his butt back in the studio if this dream of his was ever going to become a reality. Collaborating with former KING SWAMP bandmate Dominic Miller (who had since moved on to write, record and tour with Sting) Wray created Steel Strings. It's an impressive body of work at any point in an artist’s career, but even more so since it is his stunning debut. "
Here is another biographical take on Walter Wray
Walter was born on February 7, 1959 in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England.
Melodic pop singer/songwriter Walter Wray began singing in local church choirs as a schoolboy. However, by the age of 16 he had mastered the guitar, and started writing songs with his first band, entitled Shitehot.
Reading music and English literature at Sheffield University, Wray continued writing until in 1986 he, and his band, Junk, signed to local label Native Records. Junk's debut album, Cuckooland, and accompanying single, "The World Doesn't Turn", were all that emerged from the deal, though the single did enter the UK indie charts.
By 1988 Wray had moved on to form King Swamp. After signing to Virgin Records and touring extensively this outfit also petered out, despite more positive press for Wray's songs. Possibly taking the hint, he retreated instead to a more self-sufficient guitar/voice solo format, though he kept up the punishing touring schedule inaugurated by his former bands. Opening for INXS, Jeff Healey, Gary Clarke, Julia Fordham and Jools Holland, Wray went on to deliver his debut album in October 1993. Co-produced with Sting guitarist Dominic Miller, Foxgloves & Steel Strings drew fawning reviews from the critics. The first single taken from the album, "Heaven On Our Side", was inspired by the blue and gold mask of Tutankhamun. The second excerpt, "Can't Call It Love"/"A Hand To Hold", conversely took its subject matter from the black US doo wop singers of the 50s and 60s.
If Walter is out there, PLEASE CONTACT ME as we corresponded via regular mail several years ago and I'd love to get in touch again. Be sure to see the KING SWAMP page with all the photos I have from press kits, promo CDs, live tracks, etc. Hang in there!!!!! Thanks for looking!!
Enjoy,
Ken
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