The Walkabouts

The Walkabouts

The Walkabouts are an American rock group from Seattle, formed in 1984 by Chris Eckman and Carla Torgerson. Their line-up includes Michael Wells, Glenn Slater and Terri Moeller, and the band is active from 1984 to 2015. Other members associated with the group include John Baker Saunders, Paul Austin and Chris and Carla’s former bandmates from its early years.

Style and influences

Their music combines folk elements with noisy experimental rock, and their recordings often use string arrangements and keyboards alongside standard rock instrumentation. The band draws on country and folk traditions, with Townes Van Zandt, Neil Young and Johnny Cash among the key influences, as well as Scott Walker, Leonard Cohen, French chanson and Jacques Brel. Their songs are frequently described as melancholic or subdued, while Eckman’s lyrics focus on human relationships, loneliness and restlessness.

Career and releases

The band takes its name from the film Walkabout. Carla Torgerson and Chris Eckman meet while working at an Alaskan fish cannery during a break from Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington, and move to Seattle in 1984, where the group forms with Chris Eckman’s brothers, Grant and Curt. Their first EP, 22 Disasters, appears in 1985, and Curt Eckman later leaves, with Michael Wells taking his place. A second EP, Linda Evans/Cyclone, follows in 1987.

The band’s first album, See Beautiful Rattlesnake Gardens, is released on PopLlama in 1988, before they sign to Sub Pop as the label’s first non-grunge act. With Glenn Slater added on keyboards and multi-instrumentals, they release Cataract (1989), Rag & Bone (1990) and Scavenger (1991) on Sub Pop. They tour extensively, especially in Europe, which becomes their main base of popularity.

European success and later work

In 1992 the group leaves Sub Pop Seattle but stays with Sub Pop Europe, which issues New West Motel (1993), Satisfied Mind (1993) and Setting The Woods On Fire (1994). Drummer Terri Moeller replaces Grant Eckman in 1992, after Grant leaves to care for his newborn son. Satisfied Mind begins a run of albums made largely or entirely from songs written by other artists, including Nick Cave, Charlie Rich, Johnny Rivers, Patti Smith, Mary Margaret O’Hara and Gene Clark.

In 1995 they sign to Virgin Records in Germany and release Devil’s Road (1996), recorded partly with the Warsaw Philharmonic, and Nighttown (1997). These records increase their profile in Europe, where the band also achieves chart success in countries including Greece and Norway.

In 1999 the group moves to Glitterhouse Records and releases Trail of Stars (1999), Train Leaves At Eight (2000), Ended Up A Stranger (2001), Slow Days With Nina (2003), an EP tribute to Nina Simone, and Acetylene (2005). Death Valley Days appears in 1996 as a collection of unreleased songs and includes material associated with Neil Young, Nick Drake and Bob Dylan, while Train Leaves At Eight expands the covers-based approach to include Mikis Theodorakis, Goran Bregović, Jacques Brel and Neu!

Related projects

Chris Eckman and Carla Torgerson also record together as Chris & Carla and as solo artists. Eckman works with Willard Grant Conspiracy on Regard The End and Let It Roll, and also collaborates with The Bambi Molesters. Terri Moeller forms The Transmissionary Six with Paul Austin, who previously plays with Willard Grant Conspiracy.