about

Background

Rock over London... Rock on Chicago... The Big W will rock your world!!!! For those unaware, WESLEY WILLIS is a Chicago icon who has rapidly achieved cult status. He began his career singing on the street, accompanied by his Technics KN 2000 keyboard. He was soon playing opening slots for local bands, and later recording songs as an homage to these performances (i.e.- "Urge Overkill", "Swervedriver", "Foo Fighters", "The Frogs"). In 1989, WESLEY was diagnosed as schizophrenic; he explains that writing, performing, and recording help quiet the voices in his head.

Wesley Willis stands 6'5" tall and weighs somewhere between 300 and 350 pounds, and likes to greet people with a headbutt. For years, Wesley spent his life homeless on the streets of Chicago, peddling his detailed ballpoint/felt-tip renderings of the city and riding around on the bus. On October 21, 1989, he began hearing voices and is now diagnosed chronic schizophrenic. Willis claims to have "schizophrenia demons" in his head that take him off of his "harmony joy rides" to put him on "torture hell rides". In 1992 Wesley began writing songs, and soon after, guitarist Dale Meiners took Wesley in. After many line-up changes, Meiners and Wesley formed the Wesley Willis Fiasco, with Wesley as frontman. Willis has built up a small cult following with his bizarre, three-chord rants about trivial everyday items, music, and people he knows. For the first part of the 90's, several independently released tapes of his songs appeared, eventually followed by indie recordings of his albums. He now has over 400 songs in circulation and has recorded at least 20 albums. At one point he recorded 4 different albums in 36 days. Each one is completely finished in 5 hours or less.

His songs are simultaneously disturbing, hilarious, blunt, and intoxicating. WESLEY's sheer excitement and unaffected honesty about every cultural phenomenon, from a city bus ride to McDonald's, coupled with a refreshingly wacky sense of humor, define his music as truly individual. Played frequently on the nationally syndicated Doctor Demento Show and featured in major publications, WESLEY has rubbed elbows with everyone from Steve Albini to the Beastie Boys' Mike D. Apart from self-releasing dozens of CDs, Wesley has two albums on American Recordings. In 1995, his number one fan, Jello Biafra, eagerly compiled WESLEY's Greatest Hits Volume I, which was soon followed by Volume II in 1999. Alternative Tentacles Records then released Rush Hour LP/CD (2000).

Originally recorded in 1993, Rush Hour is surely one of WESLEY's most eclectic albums. He incorporates alternating tempos, spooky intros, fake live sounds, and plenty of lyrical originality. WESLEY cuts through the shit and tells it like it is. He pointedly declares, "I am a rock. I am a roll." As always, he drew the cover art, one of his trademark street scenes. A must for old fans and new initiates alike- pick up a copy of Rush Hour today!

Aside from releasing records on Alternative Tentacles, we like to support Wesley Willis by selling his self-released albums through our mailorder division. Please make sure to check these out as well.