Happy Birthday Walter Daniels!

Celebrating the birthday of Austin blues harp hero Walter Daniels with a few rockin' performances with the Del Valle Trustees. 

Walter Daniels & The Del Valle Trustees – Work Release

The latest powerhouse studio recording from blues-punk pioneer Walter Daniels and his hard-hitting band, The Del Valle Trustees is "Work Release," featuring eleven raw, electrifying tracks that blend gritty storytelling with intense instrumentation, making it a must-have for fans of garage rock, punk blues, and soulful rock 'n' roll. 

Daniels, renowned for his harmonica and nose flute performances, leads a talented lineup: Evan Whitehead (guitar, backing vocals), Kevin Curtin (mandolin, backing vocals), Scott Stewart (electric and stand-up bass, backing vocals), and Matt Hammer (drums). Engineered by Roky Moon and Kurtis D. Machler, the album captures the band’s signature sound in a raw, unfiltered style that's sure to energize listeners.

Adding even more depth, guest musicians Texacala Jones and Henri Herbert elevate select tracks to new heights—Texacala shines on "I'll Quit Tomorrow," and Henri brings piano magic to "11 Months and 29 Days." The album’s bold cover art, created by Chris Sick Moore, complements the music’s rebellious spirit. Work Release follows the acclaimed Have a Coffee Break With... LP, and showcases The Del Valle Trustees’ versatility through both originals and iconic covers, including Strychnine (The Sonics), 11 Months and 29 Days (Johnny Paycheck), and One Step Closer (Tim Kerr & Mike Carroll). Together, Chaputa! Records and Ghost Highway Recordings continue to deliver high-quality, collectible releases that celebrate authentic rock 'n' roll artistry.

Walter Daniels has been a force in the blues-punk scene since the '90s, contributing to seminal acts like Jack O'Fire, whose fiery sound redefined the genre, as well as South Filthy and Bigfoot Chester. Known for his harmonica virtuosity and fearless experimentation, Daniels continues to inspire and challenge the boundaries of rock 'n' roll. 

Get a copy of "Work Release" by Walter Daniels & The Del Valle Trustees via Bandcamp right here. Watch a few recent performances follow the album release trailer below. 

 

Watch Wes Coleman's documentary 'My Friend Walter Daniels'

Here's Wes Coleman's short film about harp-honkin' hero Walter Daniels of Big Foot Chester, Jack O'Fire, South Filthy, etc.

R.I.P. Austin drummer deluxe Trey Robles

Sadly, primo pounder Trey Robles of The Hard Feelings, Big Foot Chester iand Young Losers recently lost his battle with COVID-19. He'll be greatly missed. 

Trey Robles remembered by Hard Feelings guitarist John Schooley:

Trey Robles has passed away, due to covid. I hadn't kept up with him since The Hard Feelings called it quits, but the band ended amicably and it would be nice to see him whenever we would run into each other in later years. The last time I saw Trey was at Walter's wedding in 2019, a few months before the pandemic hit, and soon after that spontaneously catching up with an old friend you might randomly see out on the town was suddenly no longer a possibility. I'm glad that my last memory of Trey is from such a joyous occasion. (I'm also glad that I never referred to Trey as "My drummer," so upon his death there won't be a recreation of people telling that oft-repeated story of Charlie punching Mick that everyone shared when Charlie Watts died!)

Even though I hadn't seen him as much lately, Trey was the single guy I have been in a band with the longest - through three albums and three different bass players. You can't spend that much time in a van with somebody without having that kind of accelerated connection that you only get from touring with another person. We shared the same cynical sense of humor - most of the Hard Feelings lyrics were me trying to crack Trey up - which is probably why the band wasn't more popular. Instead of universal human themes of love and life, the songs were more often a bunch of in-jokes that we would laugh at like Beavis and Butthead! But we had fun.

Trey was an excellent musician and we had a lot of good times together. The Hard Feelings was my first time singing and fronting a band. I didn't really know what the hell I was doing, and I was figuring it out as I went along. I wish I had been better at singing and writing songs, so Trey could have had some better material to work with. He was a total powerhouse as a drummer and was definitely the best part of the band. I'll miss him. – John Schooley, Austin

 

Introducing... Meet Your Death

Walter Daniels, John Schooley, Harpal Assi & Matt Hammer are doing their best to save Austin from itself.