Was shocked and saddened to learn of the death of Wallinger, frontman for the stage-version of World Party (which while recording in the studio was more or less a one-man band).

I never saw or heard anything out of World Party that ever matched his/their early hit, "Ship of Fools", which in my mind ranks with the very best singles of the rock era ever since 1954.

The elaborate video for the tune [linked below] is ALSO dynamite; now, if you're on the it's-no-big-deal side of the ongoing global warning debate, simply ignore the song's political viewpoint and instead focus on its primo melody, seriously-incisive lyrics and all the offbeat visuals, and then you'll probably enjoy watching it as much as I do--STILL, even after my several dozens of viewings since the 1980s. (That drummer recruited for the vid--I gather Wallinger was the drummer himself when he recorded this exhilarating track--is particularly riveting to watch do his thing.)

You'll also note that Wallinger always played guitar left-handed, but NOT with a restrung axe (a la McCartney), but rather by just flipping a right-handed model upside down. (Though I WAS stunned to learn the late Wallinger was in fact right-handed; me, I have a hard enough time sounding decent on a left-strung Les Paul, even though I'm cursed with being a southpaw myself.)

For whatever reason, Wallinger had gained a lot of weight during this century, so in the latter portions of the Welshman's career his no longer had that uber-hip appearance that so augments the "Ship of Fools" video...further proof that for most acts, rock isn't merely a young musician's profession, but also [apologies to William Powell and Myrna Loy here] a thin man's game.

BRYAN STYBLE/Florida
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Wallinger
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHh0V7UjVXI