Alan Ralph Wallis was born to Charles Wallis and Ivy Wallis on 4th February 1947, above the bike shop in 50 Tonbridge Road, Maidstone. His younger brother Morris was born 2 years later.
His father was a Member of the Institute of Patentees and Inventors and a part-time fireman and his mother worked within the family business.
The family had boats on the River Medway and were self-sufficient with fruit and vegetables grown on the land alongside the river. When the shop was closed on a Wednesday, they would take a Primus Stove to make tea and all had to help work the land.

Wally attended the local St Michaels Infants and Primary School until the age of 11 (alongside Ernie, Ray & Clive) followed by Westborough Secondary School on the Tonbridge Road which he left in 1962.
He served an Apprenticeship at KEF Engineering in Tovil (famous for their hi-fi speaker designs). In 1965, he left home to study at Philips Research and from 1966 to 1967 he attended Medway College of Technology, qualifying in the City & Guilds examination in Welding/Electric Arc Welding & Metallurgy. This was a trade he perfected and passed on his skills and knowledge in future years.

Wally was a master of his craft and enjoyed fabricating in Aluminium and Stainless Steel. He could invent, design and prototype; a Wallis trait passed down from father to son and then to his own sons Andrew and Robert, who are both qualified Design Engineers.

At the age of 17 he bought his first motorbike and was always working on them and enjoying rides out with his mates who were just as passionate and there were no speed limits in those days! He raced a bit but never achieved the results or fame of his good mate Paul Smart.

It was also about this age that he joined good friends Clive Sayer, Ray Sprawson and Graham Green (Ernie) playing in a band called the Concords in local pubs. With the introduction of Wally as keyboard player and Paul Dance as drummer, they became Mood Reaction, originally playing a mixture of pop, soul, rock and Tamla. Mick Clark a student at the local Art College would bring along a projector, colour pigments and a variety of aerosol cans and spray onto the slides. With the heat of the projector and the vibration of the loud music, a constantly changing, amazing light show was projected onto the group as they played. This was before colour-wheels were manufactured and commercially available to buy.

This was the 60’s, music and fashion were exciting! Sandra and her school friend Pat were enjoying being allowed to go to dances and gigs which is where she met Wally. Sandra went away on holiday with a friend and Wally wrote to her stating ‘I’m missing you and when I’m driving I keep thinking that you are sitting next to me’ As well as telling her ‘I’ve pulled the fire place out, mended your radio and hope you have some money left as I’m broke’; Wally’s version of a love letter! When she returned and for the next 50 years, they were never apart again.

Sandra also enjoyed writing songs and poems, one of which Mood Reaction recorded, ‘Run Away Man’. In about 1968 the roadie gave them a handful of Reggae records that were big in the clubs at the time. A few were introduced into the Mood Reaction set and the audience loved it. Laurel Aitken came to watch and recommended them to Pama Records where they became the first white reggae band to be signed to a Jamaican record label.


In 1971, the band members started getting married and went their separate ways to bring up their families. Wally and Sandra were married on 28th August 1971 at East Farleigh Church and moved to their house in Burham. Their first son Andrew arrived a month early in 1975 followed by Robert in 1978.

From 1977 to 1979 Wally worked at Godden Engineering making Grasstrack & Speedway frames. During this time, he built ‘Mighty Mouse’, the Brian Chapman drag bike which broke all speed records.
In 1980 Wally decided to go it alone and Argon Weld Alloys started in a cramped workshop in Bower Place, which he soon outgrew and in 1983 moved to Willow Industries in Sandling, where it operated for the next 32 years. During these years, many hours were spent designing & manufacturing Aluminium and Stainless Steel racing components. In fact, in one year alone he designed and manufactured components for over 30 world champions and world record holders from F1, GP and Power Boats. Including motor cycle legend Barry Sheene. Some of his clients also included Indi Car racing; Science Museum; London Underground; NatWest Bank; Mid-Kent Water and Burger King to name just a few.

The next few years were to have special memories for the Wallis family. Andrew and Robert graduated from University with excellent results. A new company bearing the family name was formed in 1998, Wallis Products, where components for the cycle industry were designed and patented. The website Poshbikes.com was secured and built up a first-class reputation for building bespoke and exclusive Road and Mountain Bikes. They won Best of British in Esquire Magazine, numerous Bike of the Year awards and supplied Tour De France and Olympic Champions. In 2012 saw the expansion of Poshbikes moving to larger, smarter premises in Penenden Heath where they continue to grow today.

In late 1999 Wally was approached by Clive with the idea of reforming Mood Reaction for a Millennium re-union. Everyone was up for it, if not a little apprehensive as Wally had not played a single note in 30 years. Instruments were sought, rehearsals began and they were soon delighting audiences and packing venues as they had done decades before. They returned to the recording studio in late 2000 and released ‘Reggae 69’ followed by ‘Reggae Take 2’ in 2009. They were constantly booked again over 15 years with their last performance at a private party in the Orchard Spot in June 2015.

There were also many special family occasions over this time and the Wallis family were expanding. Andrew married Louise in 2003 having met at University. Robert and Michele followed in 2005. Then came the grandchildren, a daughter Emily to Andrew & Louise born in 2006 followed by a son Sam to Robert & Michele in 2007, making their families complete.

Sadly, Wally suffered a stroke in late 2015 and although he returned to work, he never fully recovered and often felt unwell. His health declined and in November 2016 he was admitted to hospital and was discharged before Christmas. He saw in his 70th Birthday in February with his family around him but was admitted back into hospital where cancer was diagnosed. He died peacefully with Sandra by his side as she had been throughout the last 50 years on 4th April 2017.

A quote from Wally:

‘I don’t do sad’ and ‘I don’t do miserable’