Earn Money Chicago
Rock Over London, Rock on Chicago – the Story of Wesley Willis
Wesley Willis was a 6’6’’ tall, 350lb black man, who suffered from chronic paranoid schizophrenia, and therefore, one of the most unlikely rock stars of all time.
He began his career by singing on the streets of his native Chicago. It was on these streets where Willis had previously tried to earn money from selling his own paintings, before buying a keyboard from a thrift store for fifty cents for no other reason than he liked the look of it. His unique song style, which has been described as equally blunt, disturbing, obscene, hilarious and intoxicating, gained Willis cult status in the city.
In the early ‘90s, Willis began hearing voices in his head, which he referred to as “hellride demons”. He often described music as the “harmony joy ride” that helped him battle against the voices. In his song “Outburst”, Willis documents one such occasion where his demons forced him to shout out obscenities in the middle of an art gallery, and thus get kicked out.
His demons and schizophrenia were not the only things Willis had to battle against. Obesity also plagued Willis for the majority of his life. He also recorded songs documenting his fight against weight gain, such as the confessional “I’m Sorry That I Got Fat” and the hilarious “Rock & Roll McDonalds”, which was later used in the movie, ‘Supersize Me’, and became Willis’ best known work as a result.
Previously, Willis’ biggest hit had been “Alanis Morrissette”, a self-explanatory ode to the Canadian singer, which made the US Billboard chart, and became an MTV favourite. Morrissette is not the only artist to have had a song written about her by Willis; others who experienced the honour include Foo Fighters, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Dead Kennedys and Willis even treated himself, with an autobiographical track!
When singing about other bands or singers, Willis almost always referred to them playing shows at one of Chicago’s most famous and popular music venues, The Empty Bottle, regardless of whether or not they actually had. Willis even penned a tribute song, in which he described playing at the club as being like “whipping a horse’s behind with a belt”, a metaphor Willis often employed when expressing his likeness for something.
The Empty Bottle has become synonymous with the alternative music scene in Chicago, and in particular, breaking new bands. It has staged early gigs by acts such as The White Stripes, who played their first gigs outside of their hometown of Detroit there. The Empty Bottle is located in North Western Avenue in Chicago, and there are a number of luxury hotels in Chicago, available for anyone wishing to visit it.
During an exhausting and illustrious career, Willis released fifty albums and recorded approximately a thousand songs, before his death from complications of chronic myelogenous leukemia in August 2003.
About the Author
Andrew Regan is an online, freelance author from Scotland. He is a keen rugby player and enjoys travelling.
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