Chris , I don't know. It's very possible that he stopped taking his meds , but , it's just as possible that he did'nt. I knew one of his bandmembers in passing. He said that Wesley was doing much better , but , of course , that does'nt mean his situation was always as good as could be. If he'd had a friend to act as a valet , he might have got into trouble , less often. I think he did have one , on occasions. Some people were scared to death of him , because they did'nt know who he was , or why he acted the way he did. Still , the Hipsters were a lot more sympathetic than the South siders , who took him at face value.
Chris Henniker said:
I know schizophrenia medication makes users sick at times, which would be a reason why he stopped taking them. One of my friends is a psychaitrist and deals with people like him for a living, but he's also a film director too. He knows the type, but What did the Nathan Barley types know that you didn't?
John Battles said:I would'nt say that the headbutting thing had anything to do with exacerbating his Schizophrenia , Chris , but , it's a good question. What I disagreed with was the fact that he'd go around head - butting total strangers. I would'nt want to get head - butted by a guy one - third his size , but , that's just me. Some people wanted to be head - butted , that's all good and well. But he seemed unable , or too uncaring , to differentiate between the two. I think he mainly got kicked out of clubs because he intimidated paying customers , when it's extremely unlikely that he ever had to pay for anything at venues where he was known , at least. I once saw him try to pay for a burrito at a taqueria with one of his CDs. Someone told him , Wesley , that won't fly here , you HAVE to pay the guy. I could'nt help but notice when he opened his wallet , right in front of me . There must have been about a hundred to two hundred dollars within , and he was trying to barter with a man that did'nt speak English , nor know of his local celebrity. The other thing , I would imagine , is , well , his hygeine issues are well - documented , I don't need to go there.
The first time I saw him have an episode (And this was after I'd seen him in passing for years , and did'nt know he heard voices.) he was screaming that he had a gun and a knife , and he was going to kill somebody.
I think all the hipsters knew the score , but , hey , I did'nt. I did'nt think he was really armed , but , he sounded like something out of "Scared Straight". He used intimidation with people to try to get them to by his CDs. I saw him practically crush a woman's arm , one time , yelling "BUY MY CD !!", and she was even apologetic about it , saying she just did'nt have the money..... I never saw the charming sweetheart that people always said he was , but, I'll say this , when he got on meds , he did seem like he was doing better. I don't know if he stayed on them , later on. I don't know. I , personally , never had a bad run - in with him , but , i DID'NT GET IT WITH HIM , EITHER . He had some funny songs , just not , in my opinion , funny or interesting enough for me to consider purchasing. He had some hilarious catch phrases , too. But Chicago is full of what JAMES PORTER DUBBED "R'n'B ECCENTRICS". i'LL TAKE LORD OF LIGHTNING , BIG DOO - WOPPER AND EVEN SHARKULA OVER WESLEY , GOD REST HIS SOUL , JUST THE SAME.Roky Erickson , of course , was also diagnosed with Schizophrenia (That diagnosis was later put to question.). Schizoprenia , of course , is incurable and is not the fault of those who have it. The big difference , here , though , is that Roky is a musical genius.
Chris Henniker said:He greeted people with a headbutt, but I wonder whether this exacerbated his Schizophrenia. He harangued his audience with insults, which is why he got kicked out, but didn't he try and control his outbursts?
IDON MINE said:Various reasons I think. He could be quite vocal at times and coming from his illness, could burst into fits, that he sometimes wasn't able to control. Beyond being a charming guy, in his own way. Wes was just an intense fella.
Also as you sure have heard, his favorite way to say "hi" was to headbutt you (and all kinds of objects, he liked or didn't), hence the mark on his forehead. But John can sure tell more, being local and all.
Chris Henniker said:Why was he thrown out of venues? He wasn't like GG Allin.
John Battles said:The Hipsters in Chicago DID devour Wesley , so to speak. But , I think his following was on the wane , and , as noted earlier , I'd been told , by an employee at one of the few places that still admitted him , that every other club in town had banned him , probably meaning every club that , up to that point , he frequented. I used to see him around , with his drawing pad , before he made his way into the Rock club scene , and when he still had an afro. I was'nt even aware that he was mentally ill. He seemed about as low - key as a person his size could probably be. I don't know when he was diagnosed with Schizophrenia , but , many people who are , turn out to be misdiagnosed , they may have something similar , but not always the same thing.
IDON MINE said:Oh yeah, Wes is the thing! Coming to think of it:
I can only imagine that he would have been eaten up by the new "performance art show" crowd of nowadays, for his, uhm, all natural looking "act." Only to headbutt them for a hello, haha!
Chris Henniker said:Anyone like Wesley Willis? A true outsider musician if there ever was one, who was so bad, he was great.
