Two decades since parting ways, the band Through Walls is getting a second chance in the streaming era.
In the mid-1990s there was an indie group from Iowa called Marble Orchard. Things were going well for the band, so they decided to take their show to the West Coast. They packed up the van and headed to San Francisco. Few details remain of that ill-fated trip, however one thing is certain. By the end of the journey Marble Orchard ceased to exist as a cohesive musical ensemble. It seemed the group would fade into Gen X history.
Seven years passed. A new band appeared on the Bay Area music scene with a unique recipe of alternative, progressive, and classic rock. And its members had a striking resemblance to the members of Marble Orchard. Through Walls made a few recordings and played shows around San Francisco before eventually disbanding. Although each member went his own way, they remained friends.
They lost one of those friends recently, when drummer Dave passed away. His bandmates are honoring their brother by sharing his previous work with the world. They have reissued the entire Through Walls catalog.
Lady Moon is a newly reissued EP by Through Walls originally released in 2004, and then again nearly 20 years later on December 31, 2023 via all major streaming services. The four-song set is a testament to the talents of four skilled players and stylistically adventurous artists.
From the dark blues and low-key funk of the opening title track, to the big Soundgarden-style riff-rock chorus of “Listen”, Lady Moon is a dreamy and often psychedelic art-rock ride with strong indie vibes. All these years later, that genre-bending style keeps the record sounding fresh, not anchored to any passing trend or fad.
“Kennigh” is a trippy acid-rock jam featuring some stellar guitar work. The band quiets things down for the mystical poetry of “INU”. That hot/cold dynamic is an effective theme throughout the record.
Check out Lady Moon in its entirety below, or listen on your favorite streaming service. You can also hear the song “Kennigh” on the Deep Dive : Pop & Rock playlist. We had the chance to chat with Geo, guitarist of Through Walls. Check out his answer to our 8 questions below. Follow the links at the end of this article to connect.
8 Questions with Geo of Through Walls
Where are you from?
Rural Midwest – if you cross the Mississippi on interstate 80 I would call that home. Over the years I have lived in Brazil, San Francisco, Chicago and now I call the DC area home.
How long have you been making music?
Played my first gig at age 16 in Cruzeiro, SP Brazil. That was 1990 so I suppose that would be 34 years
Who are the members of Through Walls?
Geo – me. Guitarist, songwriter
J – Singer/Songwriter
Dave – Drummer
Milhouse – Bass/Keys
Who are your biggest musical influences?
Myself – I always like an intelligent lyric mixed with ambitious music. So let’s say, Concrete Blonde, the Police, Soundgarden, Beatles, Peter Gabriel and my bandmates Dave and J who both have left a permanent impression on my playing.
More recent: the War on Drugs, Delta Spirit, Purr, Soccer Mommy and the Chicago indie artist Burr Oak.
What is your greatest non-musical influence?
Boris Spassky, Raymond Carver and Caitlin Clark
What inspired you to create this project?
The music largely came from experiences in our social circle in the fall of 1995 and the spring of 1996. We were all moving in different directions personally but the music we were creating was interesting. After our band fell apart and then reformed again 6 years later – these songs were a pickup of a musical conversation we hadn’t finished. Later we moved in a less art rock direction but we enjoyed this nonetheless.
Our reason for releasing Through Walls music now is that we lost our drummer and good friend a few years ago and we felt it was important to share his work with the world. We live in a world now where the barriers to create and distribute are very low and what wouldn’t make sense back in 2004 now has a chance to find its niche audience.
What are your plans for the future (musically)?
I was at a Christmas party at the end of 2022 and a friend told me he was going to have his selfish year when he turned 50. For him that meant more fishing and more pursuing his hobbies as he had dedicated more than a decade to being a good parent etc. I went home and asked myself what would be my selfish thing and I realized I wanted to record music again. So I started writing songs daily and amassed close to 80 pieces of music by the end of 2023. My plan for 2024 is to record and release the best of these works with the help of some new bandmates.
Is there anything else you would like to say?
Thanks for your time!
Connect with Geo and Through Walls
Spotify
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