Wesley Willis dead at 40
 

<a href="http://www.empty-handed.com/archive/2003_08_22.html#000986">Text of the announcement</a> (the Alternative Tentacles site is somewhat slashdotted).

For those who did not know of Wesley, he was:

* six-foot-five, three-hundred-plus pounds
* diagnosed with chronic paranoid schizophrenia through much of his adult life
* once homeless, selling drawings on the streets of Chicago
* known to deliver headbutts as a friendly greeting
* a prolific recording artist, with over 20 albums on his discography, all performed in his signature style (i.e. Wesley ranting about whatever was on his mind with his Casio keyboard providing the melody, always ending with an advertising slogan)
* someone who did things his way and didn't give a rat's ass if anyone else was offended, which puts him one up on most people.

Rock on, Chicago.

I think it's safe to say that Batman Whupped His Ass.

That's very sad. Some friends of mine saw him play a few years back and even got some friendly head-butts from him. I hoped to see him the next time he came to town... Oh, well, now I hope he's at peace.

I became a fan of Wesley in late '96. He got a rave review for one of his shows with the Fiasco in St. Louis, plus he had just signed a major label deal with American Recordings. The shit he did was just off the wall, and funny as hell--I own 8 of his CDs.

He was a fixture in Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood. The Quaker Goes Deaf on North Avenue always had his newest CDs...one of the only places where you could find a plethora of them. Never saw him in concert though...a shame.

Here's hoping that Wesley is having a harmony joyride on that 50 Damen bus in the sky...