Wesley Willis | |
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 Willis in October 2000 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Wesley Lawrence Willis |
| Born | (1963-05-31)May 31, 1963 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | August 21, 2003(2003-08-21) (aged 40) Skokie, Illinois, U.S. |
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| Website | Wesley Willis on Alternative Tentacles |
Wesley Lawrence Willis (May 31, 1963 – August 21, 2003) was an American musician and visual artist. Diagnosed withschizophrenia in 1989, Willis began a career as anunderground singer-songwriter in theoutsider music tradition. Willis' songs are typically partially spoken in anMC style, and partially sung in a nasal and out-of-tune manner reminiscent ofpunk rock vocals. They feature bizarre, humorous and sometimes obscene or absurd lyrics sung over backing created by using theauto accompaniment feature on hisTechnics KNkeyboard. His songs cover a wide variety of topics, withmental illness andconsumerism being the most prominent themes.[1][2][3] He is best known for songs such as "Rock N Roll McDonald's" as well as a series of songs where he would directly insult his demons.
Willis gained a largecult following in the 1990s, particularly after the release of his 1995Greatest Hits album on theAlternative Tentacles label.Jello Biafra compiled the album's track list.[2][3] In addition to a large body of solo musical work, Willis fronted his ownpunk rock band, theWesley Willis Fiasco, during the 1990s.[3] He was a visual artist long before he developed an interest in music, and produced hundreds of intricate, unusual, colored ink-pen drawings,[3] most of them depicting Chicago streetscapes; he frequently sold these on the street for between $20 and $40.[1]
Despite his mainly underground career, Willis has influenced a variety of media. For example, music software companyNullsoft took their slogan "It really whips the llama's ass!" forWinamp from Willis's song "Whip the Llama's Ass".[4][5]
Willis was born in Chicago, Illinois, on May 31, 1963, to Walter[6] and Annie Willis.[7] He had a brother named Ricky, who is also a disabled artist;[8] he also has another brother, Jerry, who worked as an exterminator as of 2014.[9] According to theLos Angeles Times, "Willis grew up in Chicago'sprojects as one of 10 children of parents who had a violent relationship and separated when he was young; he spent time in severalfoster homes and was essentially raised by two older brothers, who went with him from home to home."[10] Willis beganhearing voices during a period of living at his mother's home in the 1980s, when her abusive boyfriend Roger Lee Carpenter held a gun to his head and robbed him of $600 Willis had saved.[11] By the end of the 1980s, he was diagnosed withparanoid schizophrenia[12] and institutionalized for two months after his diagnosis.[13]
During childhood, Willis developed an interest in art, and in 1988, he was featured in a Chicagopublic access documentary feature created by Carl W. Hart titledWesley Willis: Artist of the Streets.[14] InArtist of the Streets, he was shown walking through Chicago'sLoop neighborhood, producing hisink pen drawings outside of theMarshall Field and Company Building, and interacting with people curious about his art.[14] The drawings typically encompass detailed Chicago streetscapes, including buildings, vehicles, trees, and landmarks. Willis was known for his ability to draw from memory a completely different location than the one in which he was sitting.[13] During his lifetime, he frequently gave his drawings away to friends or sold them for small amounts (typically $10 or $20) in Chicago parks. However, after his death, Willis began to receive recognition in the art community for his large body of visual art. In 2008 his artwork was exhibited at theMohamed Khalil Museum of Egypt, and he was the subject of a special exhibit entitledDrawn By Wesley Willis atDominican University.[15]
In 1991, after befriending some musicians from Chicago'salternative rock scene and recording several solo albums, he formed the punk rock band theWesley Willis Fiasco. The band developed a popular underground following as well as attention from musicians such asEddie Vedder,Henry Rollins,Mike D.,Jello Biafra, and the members ofWhite Zombie;[16] and soon caught the attention ofRick Rubin atAmerican Recordings,[16] an independent label distributed byWarner Bros. Records. In early 1994, Willis recorded with the Canadianindustrial-metal bandMonster Voodoo Machine and appeared on theirJuno Award-winning debut studio albumSuffersystem (RCA Records). In 1995, American Recordings signed Willis as a solo musician; the Wesley Willis Fiasco subsequently broke up in 1996. He went on to record numerous solo albums ofnovelty rock (two for American Recordings and the remainder for several independent labels or recorded, marketed and released independently by Willis himself), toured frequently, and was profiled onMTV.[17] On September 26, 1996, he was a guest onThe Howard Stern Show where he played songs aboutBaba Booey andHoward Stern. During his many tours and live appearances, Willis became "famous for greeting fans with a headbutt"; this left him with a distinctive permanent bruise on his forehead.[17]
On August 21, 2003, Willis died due to complications fromchronic myelogenous leukemia inSkokie, Illinois, at age 40.[2][18]
In 2013, a supporting character named Milan was introduced for the ongoingWonder Woman comic. A blind demigod with the power of far-sight and half-brother toWonder Woman, his physical appearance and mannerisms are based on Wesley Willis.[19]
Willis has been honored with a star on the outside mural of theMinneapolis nightclubFirst Avenue,[20] recognizing performers that have played sold-out shows or have otherwise demonstrated a major contribution to the culture at the iconic venue.[21] Receiving a star "might be the most prestigious public honor an artist can receive in Minneapolis", according to journalist Steve Marsh.[22]
"Hellride" was the term used by Willis to describe his encounters with "demons" (delusions brought on by schizophrenia),[23] which occurred mainly on theCTA bus lines in Chicago.[13] According to Willis, his demons were trying to ruin his "Harmony Joy Music" or "Joy Rides".[2] Every song ends with Willis saying the phrase "rock overLondon, rock onChicago", plus a commercial tagline, such as "Wheaties: Breakfast of Champions", or "Ford: Quality is Job One".
TheWesley Willis Fiasco songs werepunk rock songs with Willis howling his obscene, absurd rants as lyrics. The band recorded three cover songs, including ofThin Lizzy's "Jailbreak", though the band only released one album.[24]
As a solo artist, Willis filled his albums with funny, bizarre, tense, and often obscene statements about crime, fast food, cultural trends, bus routes, violent confrontations withsuperheroes, and commands for his "demons" to engage inbestiality (inThe Daddy of Rock 'n' Roll, Willis explained that these songs would "gross out" the demons enough to make them leave him alone).[13]
CriticStephen Thomas Erlewine ofAllMusic wrote that despite Willis' prolific output his songs were essentially variations on the same simple structure, melody and lyrical themes. He also questioned record company motives for releasing albums by Willis: "It's certainly admirable that Willis has decided to not be tied down by his schizophrenia, but it often seems that his audience is laughing at him, not with him."[25] Erlewine also wrote that listening to a Willis record felt "exploitive".[26]
The only records from Willis that were professionally released for download or streaming areGreatest Hits (Vol. 1–3),Rock 'n' Roll Will Never Die, andRock Power.
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