left the group after the recording of this album, leaving Wallinger on his own. Wallinger took a three-year break from World Party, before the release of Dumbing Up in 2000. However, in February 2001 he suffered an aneurysm that left him unable to speak. After a five-year rehabilitation, in 2006 Wallinger re-emerged onto the scene. With his back catalogue reclaimed from EMI, a distribution deal was agreed (via his own Seaview label) with Universal, and he played his first live show in a decade at the South by Southwest festival in Texas, US. He played additional US dates in 2006 including the Bonnaroo Festival in Tennessee. Big Blue Ball, a joint project with Peter Gabriel with production work by Stephen Hague was also released. In September 2007, World Party supported Steely Dan in their first tour of Australia. The Best in Show compilation was released to celebrate the Australian tour. In 2009, World Party toured the west coast of the US, and appeared at Seattle's Bumbershoot Festival and San Francisco's Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival. In 2012, World Party released a new five-CD/70-song collection of new songs, live recordings and cover versions titled Arkeology to critical acclaim. The band toured extensively in America in 2012, and toured England for the first time in 12 years, ending with an appearance in November 2012 in London at the Royal Albert Hall. Live dates and tours followed through 2015, and a 2013 UK show was issued as a 2-CD set called World Party – Live!. World Party has not toured, released new material, or updated their website since the end of their 2015 North American tour. Members Karl Wallinger – vocals, guitars, keyboards, bass, drums, programming (1986–2015) David Catlin-Birch- guitars, bass (1992–1995) Chris Sharrock- drums, percussion (1992–1997) Music Wallinger cites influences such as the Beatles, Bob Dylan, the Beach Boys, Junior Walker, Neil Young and Prince. He sings and plays most of the instruments himself, using multi-tracking to create the studio sound. Lyrically, many of his songs feature thoughtful and occasionally political sentiments. Discography Studio albums Live albums World Party Live! (2014) (recorded live at the Picturedrome, Holmfirth, UK, April 2013) Compilation albums Best in Show (2007) (greatest hits compilation) Arkeology (2012) (5-CD/70 song set of new songs, demos, outtakes, B-sides, alternate mixes, live tracks and radio sessions) Singles Other contributions Acoustic 05 (2005, Echo) – "She's the One" References Musical groups established in