- Included among the Record Descriptions of Favorite Albums (Part 1).
- Wally is a British band that fits into the progressive rock category, although they use instruments that are normally not encountered in rock music at all.
Wally – Wally (1974): I had to get this album. My Father’s name is Wally, and we each have the first name Wallace. Unlike many of my obscure albums, I have played this record a lot, and I know much of it by heart. The band came in second-place in a music competition and landed a record deal with Atlantic Records as a result. Wally is a British band that fits into the progressive rock category, although they use instruments that are normally not encountered in rock music at all, such as electric violin and mandolin by Pete Sage and lap steel guitar by Paul Middleton; they both also play bass guitar. On their debut album, Wally, in addition to vocals, Paul Gerrett is credited with playing six different keyboard instruments: Fender Rhodes electric piano, Hammond organ, Mellotron, harmonium, grand piano, and harpsichord. Roy Webber is the lead vocalist and plays acoustic guitar; Pete Cosker is on lead electric and acoustic guitars and also bass guitar and vocals; and Roger Narraway is on drums and percussion.
The songs on Wally are performed leisurely for the most part, and there are just six tracks on the album. The album was co-produced by Rick Wakeman, long-time keyboardist for Yes, and “Whispering” Bob Harris, best known as the host of the BBC music program The Old Grey Whistle Test; Wally performed on the program in 1973. They toured widely in support of Wally and were the opening act for Yes at the Alexandra Palace in London. All of the songs on Side 1 are favorites: “The Martyr”, “I Just Wanna be a Cowboy”, and “What to Do”. Side 2 is mostly instrumental music, primarily on “To the Urban Man”. Wally would record a second album for Atlantic Records, Valley Gardens (1975) and broke up after Atlantic Records dropped their recording contract. Wally has been reissued on CD seven times, literally around the world, between 1993 and 2019.