Birth of a Wordslinger

Waldo hails from the suburban elite of Long Island, New York. Like most enigmatic artists, he grew up in a household. Unlike them, Waldo's household provided him with a trauma-free and otherwise happy youth. Two parents who gave him love, affection, and support in all aspects of his life. Standing in stark contrast to artists like Marvin Gaye or Brian Wilson, whose childhoods were filled with parental strife, Waldo's upbringing set the foundation for for a well adjusted emotional life and future. So it might come as a surprise to learn that Waldo was unequivocally known both personally and professionally as a cantankerous and completely unagreeable person all around. He walked a life of contradictions and was a man of many sordid types.

Many speculate that with nurture out of the equation, Waldo was, put simply, born a bad person. But this is one of the many things that steered his wholly one of a kind music career.

Waldo Goes (Not) Electric

This early recording session from 1963 was a revelation in his music, as he was actually plugged into an electric amplifier. Unfortunately the engineers were so preoccupied with the breakthrough, that when the next band came in the studio to record, they forgot to change the tape, and recorded over Waldo's song. After the fiasco, he swore off ever using an amplifier. Fortunately, the band could not afford more tape and were forced to release the Waldo Take. A very minor bubblegum hit on FM radio, Bumblebee Sugar by The Candy Grove eventually resurfaced in the zeitgeist as a proto outsider-pop obscurity for record collectors. Due to the recording mishap, its nearly imperceptible conflicting melody and lyrics buried beneath The Candy Grove's otherwise pedestrian tune made for a seminal moment in experimental music. However for Jacks it was much less seminal, as The Candy Grove never made him aware of the Waldo Take being used, in an attempt to get back at him for the braggadocios comments he made passing through the studio. He was quoted as saying, Good luck nitwits. It might be little hard to record in there cause... I JUST BROUGHT THE HOUSE DOWN. And it is recalled that he violently thrusted his hips toward them and then hocked a loogie at their feet for emphasis.