New wave and ‘60s retro style rock band from West Baltimore. The group performed covers and original music. Their original songs were played on the 98 Rock Home Tapes program.
For a 1983 airing of their song “Psychiatric Help,” 98 Rock DJ Sarah Fleischer introduced the group with their supplied biography “Wally & the Weirdos were formed by Russ Krauch in early 1979 to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the death of Buddy Holly. It took the Weirdos quite a while to learn how to play their instruments as the mail order music course they thought they were learning from turned out to be a Volkswagen repair manual sent from Frostbite Falls, Minnesota. After playing a number of very prestigious gigs including the Congoleum Club in Finksburg, the Dundalk Philharmonic Hall, and Room 211 at the Federal Courthouse on Lombard Street, the Weirdos went through a number of personnel changes. The original bass player Mike Barton quit to buy his wife a maternity bra and the new tile for his bathroom floor. Drummer Bob Clark left after he was arrested for selling parts of his body to Kentucky Fried Chicken outlets for change…”
The group originally formed in 1979 as a trio of Russ Krauch (guitar, vocals ex-Blokes), Mike ‘Syd’ Barton (bass ex-12,000 BC), and Bob Clark (drums). They performed at local clubs while honing their skills and building their reputation. Lead vocalist Lee Doll (ex-Norrod Flynt, Blokes) joined the group in 1981. Clark was later replaced with Tom Heffernan (drums ex-Norrod Flynt, Blokes, Core). The group performed at Sgt. Peppers, Marble Bar, Full Moon Saloon, Galaxy Ballroom, Back of the Vac, Wildwood Hall, Catonsville Community College…
By 1983 the lineup consisted of Doll, Krauch, and Heffernan, with Bill Resnicow (bass), and Andy Domingue (keyboards). It was this lineup that released the 1983 single “Psychiatric Help” b/w “Unemployment Blues” on their own NeatFace Records label. Both sides were featured on Home Tapes as well as another original song “Be Weird.” “Be Weird” was later released on a single as by the Russ Krauch Band.
Lee and Heffernan left in 1983 to form Talegunner.
Wally & the Weirdos reverted back to the original trio in 1984 and played at the Marble Bar, Wildwood Country Club, and a grand finale show at Catonsville Community College.
The group morphed into the Russ Krauch Band.
In 2005 the group released a retrospective CD that included their original songs cut at Bratt Studios, as well as a bonus CD of live performances. In the liner notes by Russ Krauch, he debunked the near legendary myths surrounding the band that they “did not originate nor have ever been to Frostbite Falls” and “Bob Clark never sold his body parts to fast food outlets,” but “yes it’s really true… Mike Barton did leave the band to buy his wife a maternity bra.”
1983 NeatFace 001 Psychiatric Help / Unemployment Blues
2005(CD) NeatFace The Best of Wally and the Weirdos
