Compare and Contrast: Wesley Willis vs. Daniel Johnston

What is outsider art anyway? Outside of what? Don't most artists feel like outsiders in the first place? Do outsider artists feel like outsiders? Where can you draw the line between admiring somebody and laughing at them? The very existence and notoriety of these two artists begs all of these questions. What they had most in common is their commitment to letting the world know how they feel at all costs '” and conversely, at such little cost.

Background: The late, great Wesley Willis headbutted his way into the world on May 31, 1963 and spent most of his childhood in foster homes. He sold his gorgeously detailed drawings of his native Chicago on the street for many years. In 1989, he started hearing demons in his head, was diagnosed with chronic schizophrenia and made (and listened too) a lot of music to chase the demons out. Using the Autoplay function on various keyboards he ranted rather than rapped '” a consequence of his great love for '80s metal. He told the world of his struggles, his loves and his hates. He touched on such issues as politics, the evils of fast food (to which he was addicted), living with a mental illness and which people and bands he loved the most. Wesley was discovered by various alterna-rock stars, including Jello Biafra at Alternative Tentacles Records in the mid-'90s. Wesley left this world on August 21, 2003, a victim of chronic myelogenous leukemia.

Daniel Johnston was born in Texas in 1961 and started making spartan lo-fi recordings at home in the early '80s. Using a cheap organ, Johnston would record songs about comic book heroes, unrequited love and The Beatles. Until his discovery by '80s underground rock cognoscenti (such as Sonic Youth, Yo La Tengo, Butthole Surfers, Half Japanese and Nirvana) he probably, and very shyly, gave more of his music to pretty girls he met on the street than he sold. He has been institutionalized at several points in life due to delusional episodes and currently lives with his parents.

The work of these artists challenges the notion of what is considered 'œpersonal'? or 'œheartfelt'? as their presentation is so raw and honest, almost embarrassing. Their work can at various times make one laugh hysterically or feel great empathy.

Laughter: It is the laughter that upsets people. Are people exploiting the mental illnesses, 'œotherness'? and un-rock-star-like persona (both were very overweight, poorly dressed and did not interview well) of these artists? As one critic wrote, Willis' 'œappearances for crowds of jeering white fratboys evoke an uncomfortable combination of minstrel act and traveling freak show.'?

Another great thing about Willis and Johnston (along with the Shaggs, Jandek, Syd Barrett, Roky Erickson and many others) is that their work makes one re-evaluate why they listen to music in the first place. Everybody will have to judge whether it is exploitive or not on that basis because laughter is a personal thing.

Output: Both of these artists put out a ton of records. Wesley was known to record albums in a matter of a few hours and put out about 50 during his lifetime. Daniel Johnston has put out a couple dozen. Their urge to express themselves transcended the machinations of major labels (to which they were both signed for brief periods) and these extraordinarily prolific songwriters continued to put out multiple albums independently or for small labels.

Smokey Highly Recommends: Daniel Johnson '” Yip/Jump Music and Hi How Are You? (both 1983). Wesley Willis' records are very similar and are equally recommended. My favourite songs of his are 'œRock and Roll McDonald's,'? 'œSuck a Caribou's Ass'? and the harrowing 'œOutburst'?.