To Jim DeRogatis:
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I’m a fan of the Fiasco. They’re a refreshing change from the generic crap that alternative radio and MTV shoves down our throats. A Wesley Willis Fiasco show celebrates the excess of rock in all its glory with a most unique and enthusiastic front man. When Wesley asks the crowd “Those demons want me to smash my CD player, should I do it?” and they shout in unison “No” before the band launches into the next tune–that’s uplifting for Wesley, the band, and the fans. I challenge you to name a live band that achieves the level of audience interaction that Wesley and the Fiasco reach. They’re funny, bizarre, and electrifying and they rock. I’m not sure how familiar you are with “the rock,” Jim, but rock ‘n’ roll was never meant to be safe and nobody ever claimed it had to be sane either.
Phil Wolfe