Long before Weird Al, there lived another wacky musical madman with an eye toward the satiric and outrageous. Yes, of course there was Zappa, not to mention Spike Jones, Dickie Goodman and others. But out on the fringes in California, Larry Fischer was standing around on street corners, singing his off key and improvised ditties to anyone who'd listen, attacking passerbys with his most singular brand of certifiable loonyness. Along came Mr. Zappa, who had just started his own record label (long before such a daring plan was enacted by the BEATLES and the STONES). Fischer had been in a couple of mental institutions and had even assaulted his mother, but something about Fischer's rants intrigued Zappa.
In a move which, in hindsight, seems strange even for Frank, he put "Wild Man" Fischer in a recording studio. And let the tape roll. And roll. And roll.
Fischer couldn't play any instruments, though he'd occasionally pick up a guitar and bang on it. He just rapped and sang to empty air, about his mother, about mental hospitals, about fame and circles and merry-go-rounds and about how he could move so fast that not even a cat could see him.
Zappa filled up a double album of material and then went in with the MOTHERS and provided some background musical accompaniment for some of the ravings. His groupie act the GTO's helped out, as did wunderkind talent developer (and instigator behind the RUNAWAYS) Kim Fowley, and thus, in 1968, was born "An Evening With Wild Man Fischer." The cover shows Wild Man holding a knife up to the throat of a cardboard cutout of his mother! Probably the most bizarre album (certainly the strangest double album) ever made.
I spent a couple of days hanging out wth Wild Man Fischer, and here a few highlights of our rambling, off-the-wall chats.
J.A.S.: So you started out singing on street corners.
W.M.F.: Yeah, I'd stand out in front of record stores and sing and stuff. Remember back when RHINO RECORDS was still just a record store, before they started making records? Well, it wasn't called "Rhino". I forget what it was called, but I started singing "Go To Rhino Records, On Sunset Boulevard". I named 'em and brought all kinds of business in. But do you think they're grateful? Nooo! I don't get royalties for all the stuff they do.
J.A.S.: But didn't they sign you to a recording contract, after Zappa dropped you?
W.M.F.: Oh, sure, I made a few records with them, but they never promoted me! Even though I was their biggest star, back before they started just re-releasing old albums by old has-beens! I mean, man, I'd go to these towns and perform, and there would be, like, thousands of people there cheering, calling my name and singing along. They'd keep clapping for hours after I finished. They'd follow me, to my hotel and right back to the train station. They'd follow me right out of town, yelling and screaming.
J.A.S.: Sounds kind of like being run out of town by a lynch mob!
W.M.F.: Uh uh, they loved me. Frank Sinatra called up and wanted to do a duet with me. So did Rosemary Clooney. But, I swear, RHINO would screw it up every time. They hate me, you know. If it wasn't for them, I'd be the biggest thing right now. Bigger than punk, Weird Al. Do you think he's funny?
J.A.S.: Who, Weird Al?
W.M.F.: Yeah. does he remind you of anyone? Like ME?!
J.A.S.: Um, a little, I suppose. The name is similar.
W.M.F.: He owes me royalties, man. He stole my act. Guys like that have a lot of nerve, ripping off old pros like me. I could've had him messed up, if I was that type of person. Which I'm not. I'm an artist. You know?
J.A.S.: It was great seeing you perform again after all these years. Were you nervous?
W.M.F.: Hey, it takes a lot to get me up on stage nowadays. I mean, a million dollars wouldn't do it if I weren't in the mood. But Bill Mumy and his wife are my buddies. I love those guys, and he was begging me to do this. So we kept it a secret and, like, suddenly there I was. I was great, wasn't I?
J.A.S.: It was like a dream come true for the audience!
W.M.F.: Yeah, it was, wasn't it? I sang the "Nursie" song. That always freaks 'em out. And did you hear them all singing along to "Merry Go 'Round?" That was incredible!
J.A.S.: How could I miss it?
W.M.F.: Incredible. I've still got it.
J.A.S.: What are you carrying in the bag?
W.M.F.: What, you think it's my stash? It isn't. It's deoderant. I carry it everywhere.
J.A.S.: How did you and Frank Zappa have such a falling out?
W.M.F.: He just hates me, man, you know? He's jealous, 'cause I got famous so fast after he did my album. I mean, we used to hang out, whistle at girls, do all the clubs and stuff. We were tight, but he got into some other stuff. It was like he wanted to pretend he didn't know me. One day, I was over his house. And he said something rude, I forget, like: "Why don't you put your money in the bank?" or something. He was bugging me because I wasn't, like, as rich as he was and living in a big old house. So I got pissed, you know? I threw a jar or something at him. And it missed him, but he was still all yelling at me and everything. His wife or daughter came in, and he said I almost hit them, and then he kicked me out. Frank's a mother, you know that. He's a mother, that's all.
J.A.S.: But he gave you your first big break, and a hit record!
W.M.F.: So what, you know? Frank's got talent, he's all over the map there. But he hates me. So why should I say anything nice about him?
J.A.S.: Um, because you OWE him?
W.M.F.: F--k that, I owe the IRS, but I ain't sticking my tongue up their a--!
Jay Allen Sandford & Larry Fischer