-
Wednesday, Oct 2, 2002
7:30pm
The Daddy of Rock 'n' Roll
"Say 'roooock,' say 'roooll,'" then a head-butt from the big Daddy, Wesley Willis, as he closes in on you, all 320 pounds of him. Chicago's legendary musician is an enigma, a schizophrenic songster with a cult following of fans like the Beastie Boys and Billy Corgan. Willis has his "demons," voices in his head that only the meds can quiet - the meds and his songs. Raunchy lyrics stapled to ticky-tacky tunes, the songs are like clubs meant to keep the demons down. When they're up, it's a "hell ride." Curiously comical, The Daddy of Rock 'n' Roll takes us into Willis's world, the day-to-day of studio sessions, bus-bound encounters, rounds through the record stores. It's a bumpy ride as his moods catch that razored curve of anxiety. Massive and wheezing, Willis is a walking sideshow, a schizo genius with a foul mouth and a repertoire of 2,000 songs. His art is the art of survival and then some.
This page may by only partially complete.