Chip Walbert


Richard Charles "Chip" Walbert II is an American musician, songwriter, and disc jockey, originally from Tampa, Florida, but long-established in Miami, Florida. He is best known for his time playing guitar in the hardcore punk and metalcore bands Where Fear and Weapons Meet, Until the End, Target Nevada, On Bodies, and Morning Again. He also played in the bands Destro, All Hell Breaks Loose, Dance Floor Justice, Phantom Drive, No Excuses, and More Than Ever.

History

Walbert was born on January 16, 1979, in Tampa, Florida, to Richard Charles Walbert and his wife Lynn. He has two siblings, a brother Alex and a sister Brittany. His father was a doctor who eventually became Co-Director of Emergency Services at Baptist Health South Florida's South Miami Hospital.
Walbert became active in the South Florida hardcore punk scene in 1995, and started affiliating as straight edge that same year. He formed his first band, Destro, in 1997, with high school friends Roy Ugarte and Ariel Arro. When Destro went on a brief hiatus in 1998, he formed which only played a few shows. Destro started up again in late 1998, after drummer Ully and singer Manny left. New drummer Julio Marin joined, as did vocalist Kenn Marshall. The band recorded an extended play and a full length album, and played at such festivals as Hellfest 2K, Furnace Fest, and Hellfest 2001, before breaking up in 2002.
Walbert then formed All Hell Breaks Loose with members of Santa Sangre and Target Nevada. In 2002, Walbert also joined Where Fear and Weapons Meet and Until the End, playing second guitar alongside John Wylie. In 2003, Walbert started Dance Floor Justice with Alex Leon. In November 2004, All Hell Breaks Loose's drummer Joe Lamadrid died suddenly, which prompted the band to disband. Walbert then briefly played in Target Nevada. Between 2004-2005, Walbert and his wife Crystal Preston Walbert operated the record label Lotus Effect Records.
In 2006, he recruited Ariel Arro, Chad Kishick, and vocalist Damien Moyal for the band Best Wishes. He also played guitar in No Excuses, a Tallahassee-based straight edge hardcore band. In July 2011, On Bodies recruited Walbert, who, in turn, enlisted fellow Florida-based drummer Julio Marin and guitarist Chad Kishick. He next filled in on Morning Again's tours in 2012 and 2014. Between 2017 and 2019, Walbert was the guitarist for the band Phantom Drive. All Hell Breaks Loose reunited in 2023 and are set to play a sole performance on September 8, 2023 at the South Florida Hardcore Unity festival.
Walbert also performs as a disc jockey under the stage name DJ Chip Rock. Since 1997, he has held weekly nights at such venues as Hot Wheel Skating Center, Super Wheels Skating Center, Miami Roller Rink, Galaxy Skateway, and Astro Skating Center, all located in Miami, Florida. He is also a collector of band t-shirts, especially of 1990s hardcore bands, and was the editor of The South Florida Music Scene Past and Present webzine as well as the co-editor and contributor to xStuck in the Pastx webzine.

Related bands

  • Destro: 1997–1998, 1998–2002
  • : 1998
  • All Hell Breaks Loose: 2001–2004, 2006–2008, 2016, 2023
  • Where Fear and Weapons Meet: 2002–2004, 2012
  • Until the End: 2002–2005
  • Dance Floor Justice: 2002–2003, 2004–2008
  • Target Nevada: 2005
  • Best Wishes: 2005–2006
  • No Excuses: 2007–2008
  • On Bodies: 2011–2014
  • Morning Again: 2012, 2014
  • Phantom Drive: 2017–2019