290 South Dowling Street, Taylor Square
behind the CIB,not far from Nithsdale Street. Did not see Wally until 1976, at my daughter's naming party in Newtown .. The last memory I have of him is at a pub jam in Surry Hills in the late '70s.
When I commenced writing about my journey growing up in King's Cross .. I felt a wave of joy pass through me as I remembered my jug band days and Wally Mudd .......... where was Wal?
Warwick Wyld's and his brother Paul arrival on the scene at Taylor Square is best summed up in Red McKelvie's track .. "Wally's Song". Wheezin' Walter 'T' Mudd aka Wally Mudd will be remembered for his contribution to the Sydney Underground music scene during the late60s.
" .. Wally, he held Taylor Square to ransom for 5 years .. " Terry Wilkins
Wally, harmonica attached, hat perched on top of a head of curly hair, first caught my eye at Rhubarbs, (a 'happening' cavern-like venue in Douglass Lane, off Liverpool Street in the city). I was attracted to his quirky movements and staccato singing, but the wail coming from his harp and the passionate rawness of the blues sound emanating from this bunch of wild looking guys was beyond compare . . I had to meet them!
Tony Fitzgerald akak Mort Fist was want to drag one from pillar to post, and this Saturday afternoon was no different.
"Come on" he said. "Got a surprise for you."
Catching a bus from North Sydney to Wynyard and hopping off at Bondi Junction in silence heightened my anticipation. Entering a huge terrace house, (42) Denison Street, we were greeted by Wally Mudd, and I was so nervous. Need not have been as Wal, it transpired, was extremely shy.
He was charismatic, his enthusiasm and love of music, particularly the blues and jug, endeared him to many.
Some time later he relocated to 290 South Dowling Street.. Who lived there, who was visiting and who was transient was not always clear. the folk I remember are: Steve James, Terry Wilkins, Stuart West, Paul Wyld, Jim Crowley, Larry Knight, Sonya Kereopa, Sue Challis and Allannah.
Wal and I formed a friendship which endured the journey throughout the Taylor Square era and beyond, we shared our love of music and our ups and downs, spending mosts nights singing and playing guitar. I was enamoured with the personae that was, 'Wally Mudd'. Wally was not one to talk at any length about himself, his personal feelings or views. I don't know if anyone ever really knew Warwick Wyld, but, one could always catch him blowing his harp with any band around the traps.
I received emails, photos, comments and recollections of this period and was able to reunite with old friends and acquaintances, including Errol and Phil Wood, Danny Groves, Sue Toohey, Terry Darmody, Neil Smith, Alan Johnson, Peter Nehill, Larry Knight, Red McKelvie, Peter Gatehouse, Allannah, Dave Miller, Judy Miller, Jacquie McGarry, Peter 'Izzy Foreal' Knox ..... ?
Tony Fitzgerald akak Mort Fist was want to drag one from pillar to post, and this Saturday afternoon was no different.
"Come on" he said. "Got a surprise for you."
Catching a bus from North Sydney to Wynyard and hopping off at Bondi Junction in silence heightened my anticipation. Entering a huge terrace house, (42) Denison Street, we were greeted by Wally Mudd, and I was so nervous. Need not have been as Wal, it transpired, was extremely shy.
He was charismatic, his enthusiasm and love of music, particularly the blues and jug, endeared him to many.
Some time later he relocated to 290 South Dowling Street.. Who lived there, who was visiting and who was transient was not always clear. the folk I remember are: Steve James, Terry Wilkins, Stuart West, Paul Wyld, Jim Crowley, Larry Knight, Sonya Kereopa, Sue Challis and Allannah.
Wal and I formed a friendship which endured the journey throughout the Taylor Square era and beyond, we shared our love of music and our ups and downs, spending mosts nights singing and playing guitar. I was enamoured with the personae that was, 'Wally Mudd'. Wally was not one to talk at any length about himself, his personal feelings or views. I don't know if anyone ever really knew Warwick Wyld, but, one could always catch him blowing his harp with any band around the traps.
I received emails, photos, comments and recollections of this period and was able to reunite with old friends and acquaintances, including Errol and Phil Wood, Danny Groves, Sue Toohey, Terry Darmody, Neil Smith, Alan Johnson, Peter Nehill, Larry Knight, Red McKelvie, Peter Gatehouse, Allannah, Dave Miller, Judy Miller, Jacquie McGarry, Peter 'Izzy Foreal' Knox ..... ?
Two songs I recall written by Wally are "One Dollar, Two Dollar" and "Nithsdale"
"Nithsdale" hand-written by Wal for me
I only saw Waldo that one time and from the audience he did have straight fair hair and played geetar as I remember I had a chat with Lan last ngt in the course of the conversation I remembered that I had seen SWD's play at the Oxford before I joined them Paul was playing an upright piano at the windows end and his girl friend was sitting on the piano watching him play Rod was the bass-player the drummer was a guy called 'Hutch' in the photo you have of Rod I can see by the shape of the windows 'curved' at the top that is upstairs at the 'Oxford Hotel' this would've been late 1967 but I didn't know anyone yet. the geetar player I filled in for haha 4 abt 8 months wuz 'Chinese Chris' and when i went to the UK he got his gig back and that's him in photo of 'Matchbox' EX S W Dogs taken at the Kings X Bar BQ and you're in the photo all good stuff I met Waldo only one time I went to the 'Ball Pants' in the Cross and he wuz playing that ngt the name Rob Jamieson doesn't ring any bells I'm sorry Peter Knox told me once that he gigged with Waldo at the "Ball Pants' great to hear from ya cheers .. Red McKelvie"
Allannah Wooloughan .. I think I first met Wally through Terry Wilkins - we were at the Oxford I one Sat afternoon with the Sons playing - my memory is pretty shot. Terry would do his usual 'table hopping' chatting to everyone including musos. We really loved the music scene in the 60s at Taylor Square. Wally and I were always good friends. I wonder whatever happened to Wally's girlfriend Trisha who went to Hong Kong c1966/7? ... "
I can't tell you the exact year, but the last time I saw Wally was when he dropped in to the Clique Wine Bar when I was playing there with 'Toons'. That would have been in the second half of the 1970s. Of course, we got Wally up to do some songs, and by this time I was singing a lot more than I had in the past, so we did a duet on 'Fish' - Wally was both thrilled and surprised; the last time he'd seen me, I was a fairly voiceless back line bass player. When I heard about him next, he was gone from us.
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