Wesley Willis Fiasco
Encyclopedia
The Wesley Willis Fiasco was an American
punk rock
band based in Wicker Park, Chicago
, Illinois
.
on vocals
, Pat Barnard on lead guitar
, and his friend Dale Meiners on guitar and bass. Dale Meiners previously played guitar in Billy Corgan
's pre-Smashing Pumpkins band, the Marked. In 1992 Willis began writing songs, and soon after, Meiners took Willis into his studio to record them. After many drummer changes, Meiners, Barnard and Willis formed the Wesley Willis Fiasco with Dave Nooks on bass and Brendan Murphy on drums. Their name was coined by early second guitarist Michael Cates.
They released only one studio album in 1992, Spookydisharmoniousconflicthellride (a reference to Willis's description of his schizophrenic
episodes), which is found on the Urban Legend label. Various live albums are available, though most are bootlegs. After the band broke up, Willis went on to record his own solo albums. One of his songs on his solo album "Rush Hour" is about the Fiasco.
The Fiasco band covered the song "Girls on Film
" by Duran Duran
, which appeared on the Duran Duran Tribute Album in 1997. They also released a much sought after and hard to find 7" vinyl split with Sublime
, as well as a split with Milwaukee's The Frogs
.
The Fiasco toured with many bands, most notably Rocket from the Crypt
, Sublime, and Lordz of Brooklyn
. The band was also noted for charming Eddie Vedder
, lead singer of Pearl Jam
.
Due to conflicts between the Fiasco band's shows and Willis's solo keyboard shows, the band broke up while on tour in Ohio
in 1996. Willis stated that the demons in his head worsened, causing him to constantly yell at the band unintentionally.
After the breakup, Pat Barnard sold his equipment and moved to Lake Tahoe
, where he died in a drowning accident at the age of 27. Murphy, who briefly played with The Jesus Lizard
, lives in Chicago, working for an indie label. Dale Meiners builds custom furniture. Dave Nooks got married and was a member of the Chicago based punk and roll band The Symptoms for a time. Willis continued his solo career until his death in 2003, age 40.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band based in Wicker Park, Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
.
History
The band was formed by Wesley WillisWesley Willis
Wesley Willis was a musician and artist from Chicago. A diagnosed chronic schizophrenic, he gained an enormous cult following in the 1990s after releasing several hundred songs of simple but unique music, with emphasis on his humorous, bizarre, and frequently obscene lyrics...
on vocals
Lead vocalist
The lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...
, Pat Barnard on lead guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, and his friend Dale Meiners on guitar and bass. Dale Meiners previously played guitar in Billy Corgan
Billy Corgan
William Patrick "Billy" Corgan, Jr. is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and occasional poet best known as the frontman and sole permanent member of The Smashing Pumpkins. Formed by Corgan and guitarist James Iha in Chicago, Illinois in 1987, the band quickly gained steam with the...
's pre-Smashing Pumpkins band, the Marked. In 1992 Willis began writing songs, and soon after, Meiners took Willis into his studio to record them. After many drummer changes, Meiners, Barnard and Willis formed the Wesley Willis Fiasco with Dave Nooks on bass and Brendan Murphy on drums. Their name was coined by early second guitarist Michael Cates.
They released only one studio album in 1992, Spookydisharmoniousconflicthellride (a reference to Willis's description of his schizophrenic
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by a disintegration of thought processes and of emotional responsiveness. It most commonly manifests itself as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions, or disorganized speech and thinking, and it is accompanied by significant social...
episodes), which is found on the Urban Legend label. Various live albums are available, though most are bootlegs. After the band broke up, Willis went on to record his own solo albums. One of his songs on his solo album "Rush Hour" is about the Fiasco.
The Fiasco band covered the song "Girls on Film
Girls on Film
"Girls on Film" is the third single by Duran Duran, released on 13 July 1981.The single became Duran Duran's Top 10 breakthrough in the UK Singles Chart, peaking at Number 5 in August 1981...
" by Duran Duran
Duran Duran
Duran Duran are an English band, formed in Birmingham in 1978. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s and a leading band in the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" of the United States...
, which appeared on the Duran Duran Tribute Album in 1997. They also released a much sought after and hard to find 7" vinyl split with Sublime
Sublime (band)
Sublime was an American ska punk band from Long Beach, California, formed in 1988. The band's line-up, unchanged until their breakup, consisted of Bradley Nowell , Eric Wilson and Bud Gaugh . Michael "Miguel" Happoldt also contributed on a few Sublime songs, such as "New Thrash." Lou Dog, Nowell's...
, as well as a split with Milwaukee's The Frogs
The Frogs (band)
The Frogs are an American rock music band founded in 1980, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, by brothers Jimmy and Dennis Flemion. The brothers mainly write and perform short, catchy pop songs, but they are also known for their improvised home recordings which are delivered in a comedic style, and often...
.
The Fiasco toured with many bands, most notably Rocket from the Crypt
Rocket from the Crypt
Rocket from the Crypt was an American rock band led by John Reis, formed in 1989 in San Diego, California and disbanded in 2005.The band gained critical praise and the attention of major record labels after the release of their 1992 album Circa: Now!, leading to a recording contract with Interscope...
, Sublime, and Lordz of Brooklyn
Lordz of Brooklyn
Lordz Of Brooklyn now known as The Lordz are an American crossover Hip hop/Rock group composed of brothers and childhood friends of mostly Irish American and Italian American descent from Brooklyn, New York...
. The band was also noted for charming Eddie Vedder
Eddie Vedder
Eddie Vedder is an American musician and singer-songwriter who is best known for being the lead singer and one of three guitarists of the alternative rock band Pearl Jam. He is widely considered a cultural icon of alternative rock.He is also involved in soundtrack work and contributes to albums...
, lead singer of Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam is an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. Since its inception, the band's line-up has included Eddie Vedder , Jeff Ament , Stone Gossard , and Mike McCready...
.
Due to conflicts between the Fiasco band's shows and Willis's solo keyboard shows, the band broke up while on tour in Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
in 1996. Willis stated that the demons in his head worsened, causing him to constantly yell at the band unintentionally.
After the breakup, Pat Barnard sold his equipment and moved to Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe is a large freshwater lake in the Sierra Nevada of the United States. At a surface elevation of , it is located along the border between California and Nevada, west of Carson City. Lake Tahoe is the largest alpine lake in North America. Its depth is , making it the USA's second-deepest...
, where he died in a drowning accident at the age of 27. Murphy, who briefly played with The Jesus Lizard
The Jesus Lizard
The Jesus Lizard was an American alternative rock and noise rock band formed in 1987 in Austin, Texas. They were "a leading noise rock band in the American independent underground…[who] turned out a series of independent records filled with scathing, disembowelling, guitar-driven pseudo-industrial...
, lives in Chicago, working for an indie label. Dale Meiners builds custom furniture. Dave Nooks got married and was a member of the Chicago based punk and roll band The Symptoms for a time. Willis continued his solo career until his death in 2003, age 40.
Band members
- Wesley WillisWesley WillisWesley Willis was a musician and artist from Chicago. A diagnosed chronic schizophrenic, he gained an enormous cult following in the 1990s after releasing several hundred songs of simple but unique music, with emphasis on his humorous, bizarre, and frequently obscene lyrics...
(deceased) - vocals - Dale Meiners - guitar, bass guitar
- Pat Barnard (deceased) - guitar
- Dave Nooks - bass guitar
- Brendan Murphy - drums
Discography
- 1996 SpookydisharmoniousconflicthellrideSpookydisharmoniousconflicthellrideSpookydisharmoniousconflicthellride is the only studio album by the Wesley Willis Fiasco, released in 1992 and re-released on September 10, 1996, through the Urban Legends label, with distribution through RED Distribution.- Track listing :# Get On The Bus...
(Studio LP) - 1996 The Frogs do Wesley Willis/Wesley Willis Does the Frogs (with the FrogsThe Frogs (band)The Frogs are an American rock music band founded in 1980, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, by brothers Jimmy and Dennis Flemion. The brothers mainly write and perform short, catchy pop songs, but they are also known for their improvised home recordings which are delivered in a comedic style, and often...
) (EP) - 1997 Split 7" with SublimeSublime (band)Sublime was an American ska punk band from Long Beach, California, formed in 1988. The band's line-up, unchanged until their breakup, consisted of Bradley Nowell , Eric Wilson and Bud Gaugh . Michael "Miguel" Happoldt also contributed on a few Sublime songs, such as "New Thrash." Lou Dog, Nowell's...
(EP) - 2001 Live EP (Live EP)