i have a wesley willis documentary if you'd ever like to borrow it. also, went to see him at that frat out in west philly that (used to have?) has 'punk' shows (BGA?) - at one point an amp caught on fire and while the entire party was emptying out onto the street, wesley just stayed playing and jamming and singing - amazing.

Yeah, I'd love to! Thanks! I never got to see him, but I do love a good music documentary. :)

You know, Peter, you're right. There's a fine line between hipster ironyfest and genuine appreciation. It makes me sad though when people marginalize this kind of performer as merely ironic. I think his art taps into something more primal, something we all fear yet is part of all of us.

I loved Wesley, too. I saw him live a couple of times, and for a long time I carried around a building pass from an old job that he'd signed after a show. But I have to confess I always felt a bit uncomfortable about the way that me, my pals, and the people that went to Wesley's shows/saw him interacted with him. Sometimes it felt like an honest appreciation of his work, other times like a hipster ironyfest, and sometimes in betweeen.

I'm going to upset the blogosphere by saying that Wesley Willis, while inspiring in some ways, wasn't really the most amazing artist people make him out to be.

LOL - why am I not surprised you'd feel that way.

I just have misgivings about some 'outsider' art.

yeah man. i'm down with those guys, too.

Haha - yeah, he's radical. Sad that he passed away already. Would have loved to see him live.

Yay! Excellent discovery. Wesley Willis is the truth. "Merry Christmas" is one of my favorite holiday jams.

Christmas makes people feel right at home
Christmas gives me harmonization
Christmas is Jesus Christ's birthday
That's what it is all about in the mix

wesley is the man.