The Rocking World of Walk The Walk
Paul Alfery of Walk The Walk
The Rocking World of Walk The Walk
With introductions by the one and only Tracy G (DIO guitarist), J. Adler and Paul Alfery would discover their mutual admiration of melodic hard rock with big choruses and strong hooks. Walk The Walk would soon be created, and the duo would record an album in the grand and glorious tradition of Mötley Crüe , RATT, and all things that has rendered the legendary Sunset Strip so legendary in the worldwide music scene. Now available worldwide via AOR Heaven, the Self-Titled Walk The Walk manifesto is jam packed with memorable anthems that should intrigue and enrapture all types of music fans. Highwire Daze recently interviewed multi-instrumentalist Paul Alfrey to find out a whole lot more about the rocking world of Walk The Walk. Read on…
Introduce yourself, tell me what you do in Walk The Walk, and how long the band has been together.
My name is Paul Alfery and I played all the instruments on the Walk The Walk record. J Adler is the other member. J provided all the vocals for the Walk The Walk record. We first met and began recording in March of 2020. So that makes us about year old or so.
Where is the band based out of and what is the local music scene like there?
I live in Southern California and J Adler is from Arizona. The music scene in LA is unfortunately at a stand still at the moment. I had the pleasure of playing the Sunset Strip at the height of the eighties. It was quite the scene. And while I believe live music will make a strong come back, it will be interesting to see how many of the music venues survive. The Pandemic has been tough on lots of industries. Live music has been impacted as much or more so than any of them.
Tracy G introduced you both but how do you both know Tracy G? He appears on what I feel are the best and most underrated Dio albums Strange Highways and Angry Machines.
I played on a record called Gale Force “Subhuman” with Tracy G. He is also a close friend. And I agree that the DIO records Tracy was on are underrated. Many people seem to think that Tracy “made” Ronnie go in the direction of those records. Tracy assures me that Ronnie was an integral part of those records. And if you listen to some of the heavier stuff Ronnie did with Black Sabbath, Strange Highways and Angry Machines is a natural progression of that music.
J Adler of Walk The Walk
How did you wind up signing with AOR Heaven?
I listen to a lot of new music. And I pay close attention to the labels that release new melodic hard rock. Georg at AOR Heaven was enthusiastic about Walk The Walk and when I looked further into the other bands signed with AOR Heaven, it felt like a good fit and an honor to be on a label with so many other great bands.
Select two songs from the new album and what inspired the lyrics.
“Get Busy Liven” is exactly what the title says. That there is no better time than the present and that you need to live for today. “Never Been To California” is a song J wrote about his wife. When they met, she told him “I’ve never been to California”. So, J said “we’ll fix that. Time for a road trip”. And they got in the car and drove from Arizona so she could experience California for the first time.
What has it been like to write and record new music in the middle of a worldwide pandemic and so much social unrest in the world?
I think both J and I are thankful for time we had to work on this as well as something to focus on other than the Pandemic. It has been such a difficult time for so many people. And yet we thought that if we could put together a fun record that would remind people perhaps of an easier and more enjoyable time, it could provide at least a momentary escape from the stress in our lives.
What was it like playing the Sunset Strip in the late 80’s/early 90’s and what were some of the bands you participated in?
It was an exciting time, and it was super competitive. I played in several bands, however, Inside Out probably did more than any of the other bands. We ended up in The Record Plant and it started to feel lime maybe our time had come. And then the Seattle scene hit big, and it honestly felt like somebody threw a switch and “hair bands” were out. As I look back, I suppose it was inevitable. An awful lot of bands looked and sounded similar. Something was bound to change.
When life gets back to normal again, would you like to do some live shows with Walk The Walk?
We would love to do some live shows. I have a bass player and a drummer all lined up. So, if the opportunity presents itself, we’re ready!
Walk The Walk now available on AOR Heaven
If Walk The Walk could open for any band either now or from the past, who would it be and why?
I guess this will be from the past with the tragic passing of Ed. But opening for Van Halen would be the pinnacle for me. I saw them for the first time when I was 14 years old. They are the reason I play music to this day. I watched and admired their climb from backyard party band to selling out arenas. It was inspiring to say the least.
Are you currently involved with any other bands or projects outside of Walk The Walk?
Tracy G and I are working on new music. We expect to have something new for late 2021 or early 2022. It is a little heavier than Walk The Walk and yet still falls into the melodic hard rock camp.
What do you hope the rest of 2021 brings for Walk The Walk and for the music community in general?
I hope more people continue to discover Walk The Walk and enjoy the music. There will be new Walk The Walk music as we are working on songs as we speak. And I hope the live music scene can return soon. When you think of all the people from the bands to the crews, promoters, venues etc., who have been affected, they want and need to get back to work.
Any final words of wisdom?
I will encourage people to support bands releasing new melodic hard rock. This music has a very loyal fanbase. We appreciate every one of you!
Thank you for taking the time to answer these questions!
It is my absolute pleasure. Thank you for the opportunity.
(Interview by Ken Morton)
