Walter Meego
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Walter Meego | ||
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| Background information | ||
| Origin |  Chicago, Illinois, United States |
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| Genre(s) | Pop | |
| Years active | 2004–present | |
| Website | Official website | |
| Members | ||
| Justin Sconza (vocals, keyboards, guitar) Colin Yarck (keyboards, computer) Andrew Bernhardt (live performer) |
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| Former members | ||
| Pat Pelligrini Jarrett Spiegel |
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Walter Meego is a musical duo from Chicago, Illinois. Its members are Colin Yarck and Justin Sconza.
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[edit] History
Sconza and Yarck met in 1999 at the University of Illinois in Champain, IL. At this time Sconza was playing in rock bands of many different styles, including pop, punk, post-punk, dance, etc. As a child in Beverly (a neighborhood on the south side of Chicago), Sconza was trained in classical and ragtime piano and later as a teenager introduced to jazz and rock on the guitar. Yarck’s musical background was more dance oriented, which subsequently developed into an ear for production. Between 2002 and 2003, he and a long time friend, Pat Pelligrini, built a studio in Pelligrini’s basement in their hometown of Park Ridge, IL (a northwest suburb of Chicago). While Yarck was home from school, it was in this studio that Yarck and Pelligrini laid the groundwork for what would become the electronic side of Walter Meego. They mainly produced instrumental beats on various music making machines like synthesizers, sequencers and computers. Yarck took some of this musical gear down to school with him in the spring of 2003 and it was at this time that Sconza and Yarck first collaborated musically, mainly just experimenting with sounds and getting a feel for each other’s style.
It was also at this time that Sconza asked Yarck to call him “Walter,” which was short for his new alter ego, “Walter Meego.” Colin thought it was funny and obliged.
When the two graduated in May of 2003, they both moved back to Chicago to take jobs in the city, not at all planning on continuing their collaboration. That summer and fall while back at home, Sconza made hundreds of songs and unfinished ideas on his four-track and put them together on audio cassettes entitled “Walter Meego,” which he would pass out to friends. Also during that period, Yarck and Pelligrini continued to work together in making instrumental electronic productions. Eventually, Sconza joined Yarck and Pelligrini at their studio and before long they had a decent amount of material (some of which would later appear on their debut “Walter Meego EP”). Starting in January of 2004, the three of them began performing regularly throughout Chicago under the name “Walter Meego.” The band enjoyed initial support from promoters at well known Chicago venues like Metro, the Empty Botle and the Double Door. Following the release of “Walter Meego EP” in April of 2005, the UK’s famous music shop, Rough Trade, as well as Internet blogs like Music For Robots raved. The band's show attendance grew quickly.
As the popularity of the band increased, Pelligrini found it more and more difficult to focus on his full-time job and eventually decided to leave the group in the summer of 2005. Yarck and Sconza looked to Yarck’s friend Jarrett Spiegel to replace Pelligrini, which he did. Spiegel was an active DJ in Lawrence, KS while at school and then later in Chicago. After a string of shows and inner-band turmoil, Spiegel was replaced with Andrew Bernhardt in the summer of 2006, who currently performs live with the group.
[edit] Style
Walter Meego makes pop music. The songs are usually comprised of verses, choruses, hooks and instrumental sections and rarely exceed four and half minutes in length. The music has a sort of "glow" to it, which is generally unique to groups that employ electronic music tools, like samplers, synthesizers, sequencers, computers and plug-ins. Although heavily influnced by such electronic tools, the band also makes extensive use of more analog instruments like electric and acoustic guitar, electric and acoustic piano, live drums, etc.
Reviewers often list Daft Punk, New Order, Air, Radiohead and The Beatles as similar to Walter Meego in their sound.
[edit] Discography
EPs Walter Meego EP (Self Released, 2005) Romantic EP (Brilliante Records, 2007)
Singles "Usually" (Single - Self Released, 2005) "Hollywood / Through a Keyhole" (Double Single - Brilliante Records, 2006)
Compilations Music for Robots Vol. 2 (2006) Insound.com SXSW 2007 (2007)
