SickWalt is the welding together of long time friendship, the highest quality musicianship, and lyrics we all can jive with.

Please list all of your band members and their roles in the band.

Current Lineup:

Walt ‘Sick Walt’ Novak-  Vocals. 

Matty ‘rips’ Middleton- Guitar

Rob Buckley- Bass

Eric ‘Goat’ Arce- Drums

For starters, what bands were you guys a part of prior to SickWalt?

Walt Sickwalt-  my first band.

Matty Rips - Luv Dot Gov 

Rob Buckley- Cro-Mags; Urban Sun; M-16

Eric ‘Goat’ Arce - The Misfits; Murphy’s Law; Maximum Penalty

What’s the origin of that name and have you changed the band’s name before?   

SICKWALT

Never changed the name. 

It has been my nickname since high school- Sick Walt.

Got the name because of my personality as a kid- high energy, fearless, leader, loud, big-mouth, incendiary, organizer.

So as a Senior Football player in High School, me and a few friends storming into locker room after practice. Covered in sweat and mud, we pass the freshman football locker room. 14-year old skinny adolescent kids that haven’t developed yet. My friend jokingly grabs one of them by the arm and says- “do you know who the fuck this guy is?” 

 And the cowering, naked, just-in-a-towel freshman says- “Oh Yeah! Thats Sick Walt!!  EVERYONE knows him!”

Well, we did not expect this answer. I never realized how my actions transcended throughout the student body and they NAMED me! Haaa!!

So FROM THEN ON, my good friends called me Sick Walt.

And then in college, when others heard the name, they felt it totally accurate, and continued to call me Sick Walt.

Ive always been a very musical person. Love to sing. Have sung in cover bands. But cut to 2013-

 I got my friends band on a lineup on the greatest stage in NYC, The Bowery Ballroom.  And he says to me- “I think its time Sick Walt fronts our band”. So my FIRST EVER GIG was singing to about 300 people at Bowery Ballroom. First few bands come on, ho hum… ok,… boring. But then we went on…..And the place went nuts! The crowd rushes the stage and people dancing about, throwing stuff at me. It was an amazing and fantastic reaction.

So, after the show, my close friend in the band, dumbfounded, says- “Did you just see what happened out there? We GOTTA make music!”

So he handed me 15 songs that he wrote, I went home and wrote lyrics to all of them and then we recorded. That is where SICKWALT began.

First EP 2014. Second EP 2016.

First Full Length Album 2019

Who writes your songs? What are the main themes or topics for most of your songs and do you think these topics will change over time?

Matty and the band write the music. I write the lyrics. 

I try to always find a balance in all the themes and topics. I try to find diversity. A variety of topics. Keep a broad spectrum.

So, going back to my personality, ive always been very much a Punk. Not a ‘Fuck you’ person, but a Stand-on-Your-Own, very passionate about everything, pro-active, question everything, DIY type of person. I love Rock and Roll and the attitude behind it. I love the dark and dirty. The different. The alternative. I love the Underdog. 

So my themes and topics reflect that perspective in many of my songs. I don’t ACTIVELY try to do that all the time. But it just comes out naturally. I definitely monitor and filter this tendency. I dont want to be ‘preachy’. But I do want to make a point or send the message at times.
 I want people- To Think. To Act. To Speak. Do it man! Express yourself!!

Dance-SIng- Hug- Kiss- FUCK! 

Who cares what people think of you?!  Go for it.

Speak your mind.

BUT-  With respect of course. Respect of fellow humans and the surroundings.  But, JUST BE! 

Do not go gentle into the night. (Dylan Thomas)

Attack the night.

My Themes and Topics will definitely expand. But there will always be that attitude underneath. Whether positive or an altered perspective. 

Im blessed that it comes naturally. I definitely don’t want to be preachy with it. I rather Live By Example.

Was there a particular band/artist or concert that inspired you to start a band?  

There are so many bands that were influences in my life. I love music.

But the ones that inspired me DIRECTLY to form a band?

OZZY and Black Sabbath -  HUGE Sabbath fan.  And here is a guy that did not know anything technical about music and is just pure passion and expression with a fantastic dash of crazy.  He gave me the inspiration that I could do it too. I did not have to be trained to go for it. I can focus all my unbridled energy into performing. (of course, training should come later to help refine your craft)

IGGY POP and The Stooges- Unbridled Energy! Reckless Abandonment!   THAT, is where I belong. THAT is where I take my energy.  To the stage!! Lets rip it!! 

HENRY ROLLINS/ KEITH MORRIS-   I love punk. Grew up with Black Flag and Circle Jerks.  These guys just let it out. Shout it out loud!! Good messages! In a very pro-active aggressive way. Plus Rollins’ story of joining Black Flag is fantastic. Quits his job in DC, goes and plays with them once, and they were dumbfounded and knew he was the one.  Keith Morris is always about being better. Dont be an asshole.

THE RAMONES- growing up in NY, I know these people. I share a lot in common with them.  And to see that four neighborhood guys like that can create amazing energy and music together and BECOME ABSOLUTE LEGENDS,  takes away any fear or insecurities and say - 

Fuck it! Let’s do this. 

DO WHAT YOU LOVE AND WHAT WILL BE WILL BE

What has been the biggest highlight of the band’s career so far?

This journey has been fucking divine since day one. Absolutely amazing.  Like I said, my FIRST show was at BOWERY BALLROOM!! Greatest stage in NYC!  Since then, we’ve played every major club in the city. And have shared the stage with many greats and legends-  Handsome Dick and the Dictators, Agent Orange, DOA, The Dickies, Walter Lure and The Waldos, and many more I cant remember at the moment. I am so grateful. I grew up listening and seeing these bands and now getting to play with them and other individual working players. 

Amazing. 

Each step has been bigger and better than the last. I just try to keep the focus on the MUSIC. Do it for the LOVE of music. The vibration that GIVES me that energy! Keep it pure. ENJOY it. Do it for the FUN. 

Of course we have goals and points we would like to attain.  And things keep moving forward in their own way. Step by step.

So now, we have a fantastic full length album out there in which every time we play people come up to me and say- ‘I haven’t heard crisp high energy rock n roll like that in years!’ It’s an absolute compliment.

The Rock and Roll genre has taken a big hit over the years, and we are bringing back that classic kick-ass Rock n Roll. 

If you could tour with any bands, past or present, who would they be and why?

AC/DC-  We are so influenced by the Bon Scott version of AC/DC.
They were PURE toe tapping, hip-shakin rock n roll. Bon Scott was nasty man. Legend. 

MC5- They were pro-active. Political activist band. In your face. Kick your ass through high energy music. Send a message. Awaken! Be Better!

Are you going to be part of the Problem or are you going to be part of the Solution??  You must choose brother, you must choose!

Active. 

As well as The Stooges, The Ramones, and so many more.

The energy. The PURITY. There was no PRE-TENSE.

It was RAW. It was REAL. And IT WAS GOOD. No bad intentions.

You either got it or you dont.

If you got it, it was MAJESTIC. Ethereal. Ultimate high.

If you didn’t. Fuck you. Get out. We’re going on without you.

HAHAHA.

Yup.  And that is Rock and Roll my friends.

Is there anything else you would like to add?     

Have I used the term ‘Rock n Roll’ enough?  hahaha    

Thank you so much.