Walter Schreifels poll wrap up

Walter and Tom with Quicksand at City Gardens, Trenton NJ, Photo: Ken Salerno

As expected, Quicksand ran away with the votes as the vast majority of voters' favorite band fronted by the beloved Walter Schreifels.

Forget for a minute that Walter essentially orchestrated GB on his own and basically wrote everything in the band, that he was a key player and writer in YOT from 1987 on, brainstormed CIV and wrote all that stuff too, and is a versatile bassist and guitarist - the guy has been fronting and singing in bands now for 20 years. Pretty crazy. Obviously some of these projects gained very little attention in the poll results, but if nothing else, it's clear that Walter has a dense catalog of music and lyrics he's been belting out as a frontman for a real long time.

Personally, my vote went to Moondog, but it's no knock on Quicksand. Love Quicksand, the first EP still gives me chills when the Omission bassline rumbles through the speakers - the whole thing is weird and creepy and confusing and awesome and really is in my mind at least, the epitome of that 1990 "which direction now?" Revelation scene. Walter would prove he had a real talent, great lyrics, a unique delivery and his own style in a time where Quicksand spawned a lot of imitators and really paved their own way.


Walter with Quicksand in San Francisco, 1995, Photo: Brian Lillie

But I've always loved Moondog because you can just hear the raw goods in his delivery and style. He's essentially finding his way but his voice just sounds so cool, and some of those Moondog tracks really smoke. Sure it would evolve into Quicksand, but Moondog was a hardcore band dabbling in weird rock stuff, whereas I view Quicksand as a weird rock band that was still dabbling with hardcore stuff.

Rival Schools trailed behind in third place, but I think that had they remained a band longer the first time around, those numbers would be different. They really seemed to be gaining a lot of momentum when they hit the skids - so it's gonna be cool to see what kind of ground they gain now that they are back together. Maybe they aren't a hardcore band, but they've written some great tunes and seeing The Youth and ND in a band together...well shit, that's half of Project X as far as I'm concerned.


Sergio with Quicksand at City Gardens, Photo: Ken Salerno

Oh, and a thing about Wally hardcore: don't let all the rock music fool ya. Walter still knows a thing or two about a thing or two. I'd bet the guy could lay down a classic sounding hardcore EP entirely on his own that would shred if he wanted to.

So...Walter, whatdya say? - Gordo DCXX

Quicksand - 309
Moondog - 73
Rival Schools - 35
World's Fastest Car - 7
Walking Concert - 7
Walter and the Motorcycles - 2


Tom and Wally with Quicksand, Photo courtesy of: Quicksand