Behind Bart Walsh's Wall of Sound

By Dave Clark
DLR Army Communications Officer
   If you've ever wondered about the man responsible for that sonic wave exploding from David Lee Roth's stage last summer, then we've got the goods.
    Different people have different perceptions of Bart Walsh. At first glance, he looks and awful lot like Howard Stern, but his easy demeanor and soft-spoken Southern charm instantly puts you at ease.
    While he's got Eddie Van Halen's guitar sound down about as much as anyone could, Walsh is his own man and refuses to be reduced to a "tribute" player. But for now, people know Walsh best as lead guitar Godzilla for the DLR Band's triumphant 1999 world tour.
    His eye is now turned toward the real prize, writing and recording his own material. A renaissance man who's equally at home in the recording studio as he is on stage with Diamond Dave, Walsh sat down with the DLR Army to discuss Dave, touring and what he is planning next.

    Just please, he's beggin' you, don't ask him about Van Halen 2000....

DLR ARMY: Tell us a little bit about how you got started as a professional musician? Why the guitar?

WALSH:   "I started playing at age 7. My great uncle was one of the original pioneers of country music and taught me how to play. He was a singing cowboy in the early Gene Autry movies with his band The Tennessee Ramblers.
    "I'm from a very small town in North Carolina so country, blues, gospel and bluegrass were a big part of my musical up-bringing.
    "Then I bought Deep Purple's 'Machine Head' when I was 10. It hipped me to rock. I was hooked. We co-headlined with Purple at the Sweden Rock Festival and it was amazing.
    "I took some lessons in junior high but basically taught myself to play. I started slugging it out in the bars at 16-years-old with various cover and original bands."

DLR ARMY: Do you remember the first time you ever heard Van Halen? What was it about the band that got you hooked; Dave, Eddie, the songs? What song did you look forward to playing every night while on tour with Dave?

WALSH:    "There was this kid at school who knew I played guitar and kept buggin' me to listen to this record he had, which was Van Halen's debut.
So finally I took it home and was like 'Whoa! What the hell is this?'
    "I'd never heard anything like them before, and I think that was everybody's reaction to that album. It definitely was a defining moment in rock guitar history. I looked forward to playing all of the songs except 'Eruption,' because I thought it was too much of a EVH signature piece. I felt funky doing it."

DLR ARMY: We've seen fan reviews like that too. People grumbling that you had stomped on some "sacred ground."

WALSH:    "I don't think I'm Eddie and wouldn't even dare to compare myself to him. I was just playing what I was hired to do, as any professional musician would have done."

DLR ARMY: What were you doing before you were hired by Dave?

WALSH:    "I've always had a lot of other stuff going on. I was teaching, doing sessions, clinics, writing different styles of music for film and television, producing and recording other people."

DLR ARMY: How were you notified that you were going on tour with DLR?

WALSH: "Dave just basically called and said 'Ya wanna tour, kid?' Off we went!"

DLR ARMY: Playing for the lead singer of the band you idolized must have been more than a little daunting. People might dig listening to someone like Steve Tyler, but some musicians wouldn't want to work with him for fear their impression of them they've built up might get demolished.
    What made you want to work with Dave?

WALSH:    "I've always loved Dave's voice and thought I could handle a gig with him, and hopefully bring something to the table. So I guess it was goal of mine, but it just kinda happened naturally."

DLR ARMY: Clear this up for us, prior to Gary Cherone's leaving Van Halen you guys, the DLR Band, were in the studio recording, correct?
    Have you been back in the studio since then with Dave? How far along on the c.d. are you? Is work still progressing or has it been put on hold?

WALSH:    "I was writing and demoing stuff for a record that was supposed to happen. It was a pretty diverse spectrum of tunes, some of which Dave really dug. He would always give me guidance in what direction he wanted to go musically. Ray Luzier and I would get together a lot on the breaks and write. I hope it gets finished someday."

DLR ARMY: We know that you guys were kicking out the jams with the DLR Band for some time. Can you give us an idea of how many songs you worked on, completed? Is it 80 percent done? Closer than that? Can you throw us a couple of song titles? How about an album title?

WALSH: "(There are) just working titles."

DLR ARMY: What's the status of the DLR Band?

WALSH:    "I personally hope the DLR band is on hiatus because I think we've got a lot to offer the fans. And I absolutely loved playing with those guys."

DLR ARMY: What are Ray and Todd up to these days?

WALSH:    "Ray is on the road with the Nixons and Todd is chillin' in Portland. Hey guys! Wazzzzzzzzup!!!"

DLR ARMY:: Have you been hounded night and day since December by people (like us) wanting the inside scoop on VH? How do you fucking deal with that?

WALSH: "Yes! And I don't know anything, so please stop asking!"

DLR ARMY: We met backstage in Detroit and I have to say, it looked like you were having the time of your life.   Was touring with Dave the experience you thought it would be? What are the high points and low points for you? Is there one particular city that stands out in your mind?

WALSH:    "Reunion Arena in Dallas was a high point for me. The band was starting to gel and there were 18,000 screaming fans on their feet when we left the stage. That's awesome for an opening act in the States. Plus there were gorgeous Hooters girls everywhere. I remember saying to Ray, 'Hey, now we're getting somewhere!'
    "We played in front of 35,000 in Finland and Sweden and that was cool.
    "The low point is not finishing the record. Touring is great, but recordings last forever."

DLR ARMY: What's it like writing a song with Dave? What's the process, we imagine it's pretty off the wall...

WALSH:    "He basically would give me a direction and I would demo something and hand in a DAT. If he liked it I would hear about it."

DLR ARMY: How's the knee? We heard you were having some problems.

WALSH:    "I tore my cartilage on tour and had to have it repaired. It's fine now, thanks."

DLR ARMY: So, your first big tour with Dave... on several nights we heard that Club Dave lived up to everything we would imagine it to be.
    We want to hear the details, man. Give us your best two groupie stories (or more if you'd like to share)!

WALSH:    "There were some pretty wild things that went on... but I'll leave that to your own imagination! Although, I'll tell you, I did get kicked out of a hotel for what I'll call the 'Philadelphia Spanking Experiment'!"

DLR ARMY: Different people have different perceptions of Dave. Tell us what your first impression of him was. You got to hang during the off-hours. What's Dave like when he's not on-stage? Give us an inside look at what you saw.

WALSH: "What you see with Dave is what you get. He is a truly funny guy. He would always hang with us before the show and crack us up with his jokes and antics, a lot of which was improv.
    "I don't know where he comes up with some of that stuff, but we always went on stage with real smiles on our faces. A lot of hilarious stuff went down on that tour, it made 'Spinal Tap' look like '60 Minutes'!"

DLR ARMY:  Describe what it's like sharing the stage with DLR. That must have been a trip....

WALSH:   "Basically it was trying to play the guitar parts while not getting kicked in the head or impaled by the mike stand! Actually we were very conscious of where each member of the band was at all times, Dave's the master of that."
    "I learned a lot about stagecraft from him."

DLR ARMY:  The DLR Army staff really loved the Techno-tribute record you did for the Japanese label. How did that come about?

WALSH:   "A friend of mine who worked for a Canadian label hooked me up with it. She knew I was familiar with classic VH. I helped arrange and produce it and it was a blast!"

DLR ARMY: You had some huge shoes to fill man,... Steve Vai and Eddie Van Halen! Did you feel like you were under a lot of pressure to measure up?

WALSH:    "Yes and no. I just tried to play the best I could every night. I had good nights and bad nights like everybody. Sometimes people would point out the heaviness of Vai and Van Halen thing, and I have tremendous respect for them, but I approached it like I would any gig."

DLR ARMY: Have you met the other Van Halen guys?

WALSH:    "Everyone except for Sammy. I've jammed classic Halen tunes in a club with Michael and I've met Ed several times. Once he invited me to his car to listen to 'Balance' before it was released."
    "He's a prince of a guy."


DLR ARMY: Tell us what you've been up to recently. What can we expect next from Bart Walsh?

WALSH:    "I've been traveling, writing, recording and producing, teaching and doing sessions. I'm open to all options right now.
    "If want to reach me for lessons or serious musical projects my voice mail is (818) 841-4175 or e-mail bartfife@earthlink.net.
    "Once more for the record, 'NO, I DON'T KNOW WHAT VH IS DOING, so don't ask."

DLR ARMY: So we heard you've visited the site. What do you think of the DLR Army? (a totally loaded question, heh, heh...)

WALSH: "You guys rule!"

DLR ARMY: Any parting shots to the DLR and Bart Walsh fans out there?

WALSH: "Thanks for coming out to the shows this past year. I hope to see ya' soon!"

So there you have it. If you're interested in taking lessons or are in the process of putting together a serious musical project, contact Walsh at (818) 841-4175 or e-mail bartfife@earthlink.net .