Walter De Maria, best known as a lauded visual artist but also drummer in The Primitives, a precursor band to the Velvet Underground, has died. He passed away today, July 25, 2013, in Los Angeles, California. Walter was 77.
As a drummer, Walter De Maria can be regarded as one of those small but essential footnotes in the history of popular music.
Walter was born in 1935 in Albany, California. He studied music — first piano, then percussion.
In 1964 Walter moved to New York City and soon after became musician in a collaborative group called The Druds.
He also became the drummer in rock group The Primitives, which featured Lou Reed and John Cale and was a precursor to The Velvet Underground.
The band scored a minor hit with the single The Ostrich, a parody of popular dance songs of the time, which included lines such as "put your head on the floor and have somebody step on it."
In 1965, Lou Reed and John Cale recruited Angus MacLise as a replacement for Walter De Maria. They also recruited Sterling Morrison on guitar and renamed themselves The Warlocks, then The Falling Spikes. They adopted the Velvet Underground as its new name in November 1965.
Meanwhile Walter became succesful with his minimalist sculptures and installation art.
He released 'Drums and Nature', two lenghty songs featuring a tribal drumming pattern and the sounds of nature, in 2000 on the occasion of an exhibition. The two pieces were originally recorded in 1964 and 1968.
In May 2013 Walter went to California to celebrate his mother's 100th birthday and had a stroke there a few days later. He remained there for treatment but never fully recovered.
The artist is survived by his mother, Christine De Maria; his brother, Terry; three nieces; four nephews; and one grand niece.
