Here are a few more questions with our
friend Colt Westbrook:
TONE REPORT: What’s been the
proudest moment so far for Walrus?
Similarly, what’s been the most
challenging?
COLT WESTBROOK: I don’t have a
proudest moment, but whenever we get
a text or email that says “Hey the (Walrus
Pedal) made it on my touring board” or
“made it onto our album,” that’s what
does my soul good. When that happens,
I leave the shop, go home, draw a hot
bath, and smoke a victory cigar. Just
kidding about most of that. Maybe.
Ask what makes any of their projects or
the company itself unique and Colt will
hit you with something like—“Yeah, that’s
a good question” or “We’re still trying to
figure that out.”
Ask another way and he’ll tell you that
Walrus tries very hard to make pedals
that don’t have a bad sound in them, no
matter where you set the dials.
But the goal is still as simple as ever.
“We try and make things that our
friends would use, paying respects to
classic sounds but giving them modern
tweakability—wherever that fits, that’s
where we want to be.”
Somewhat experimental, somewhat
intentional and occasionally accidental—
this is the Walrus Audio way.
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TONE TALK //
And the most challenging moment is a
moment I legally can’t talk about. Let’s
just say I really pissed of a film company
that made the best sci-fi series ever on
an afternoon in November 2015.
TR: We still love your artwork. Are you
still working with Nathan Price?
CW: Nathan still does and has done a
lot for us. He did the Messner, Vanguard,
Bellwether and Luminary, among others.
We also started using another OKC guy
named Chris Castro who worked on the
Julia, 385, ARP-87 and Monument, and a
UK guy named Adam Foster who did the
Iron Horse V2.
The way it works—we all come to the
“meeting” with name ideas and inspiring
images that tell a story to us. We all go
around, say the name, and tell the pedal’s
story. Best story wins.
TR: Can you tell us about the inspiration
for some of your newer designs?
Through the Looking Glass: Round 2 with Walrus Audio