Whilst having a gander in the direction of Michael Moore's New Film about The America, I got to thinking about the late, great Mr Bill Hicks, and how he tore The Gulf War apart in 10 minutes of stand-up comedy, and did it much more effectively than Moore's admittedly excellent film achieves in two hours.
I got to thinking about how heart-breakingly sad it is, that so many folks never heard of Bill Hicks, and yet own No Cure For Cancer by Dennis Leary, a man who built his career on Bill Hicks routines.
"Bunch a whining fucking maggots."
That was Bill talking about non-smokers. You may have heard the Leary cover-version.
In fact, once Leary ran out of Hicks routines, he just gave up. You may have heard the show he did where he was reduced to talking about Hanson. Shit, man, the motherfucking controversy.
So anyway, what The Duke would suggest is that you buck up your ideas, man, and go about getting hold of these here items what will illustrate just how amazing this Hicks fella was. This is for the novice, is what, kind of Outlaw Comics For Dummies or whatever, with emphasis on Bill Hicks, the Goatboy.
Bill Hicks - The Essential Motherfucking Audio
Truth be told, there ain't a damn reason in the world why you shouldn't be buying all four of Bill's "lifetime" releases, the albums he actively worked on, even though the last two were released posthumously. I'm going to assume that perhaps you might be the kinda person what doesn't own any of the damn things, so I'll recommend these here recordings, two of which are, I guess, "official" albums, and the other one is a live recording released last year.
Relentless
This is Bill's second album, and the damn thing is devastatingly funny. Not only does this have the aforementioned War routine, but also Bill's brilliant yacking with regards the "drugs", and the fact that if you don't think drugs ever did anyone any good, then you need to go and chuck out 60% of your record collection.
"Shit, man, the Beatles were so stoned they even let Ringo sing a couple tunes."
It's a more political album than the debut, Dangerous, and yet it hasn't dated a jot, even though it was recorded way back in 1992, when George Bush was president, bombing the fuck out of Iraq for no apparent reason. Seems like a motherfucking lifetime past, is what.
Rant In E-Minor
On his third album, Arizona Bay, Bill decided the thing to do would be to throw in a bunch of his guitar noodlings and so on, courtesy of his band Marble Head Johnson, in-between the stand-up stuff, and that approach is repeated here.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Natalie Davis
Bill Hicks.
Best
Motherfucking
Comic
Ever.
God, I miss him.
Thank you, Duke.
2 - jadester
so far i have only seen one bill hicks show and it was one of the funniest comedy shows i've ever seen (and i've seen alot)
sadly i think he spoke the truth all too often for the majority of people - that kinda thing makes the average person feel uncomfortable
3 - Shark
Hicks was a God among men.
The beauty (and sadness) of his work is that the most insane, surrealistic, sci-fi-like fantasy scenarios he created HAVE ALL COME TRUE -- ie. He actually didn't go far enough in his satires; *reality exceeded his wildest nightmares.
Even Bill would be shocked by the extent that we have digressed and de-evolved.
*I think contemporary news/culture is making it tough to be a satirist these days; none of us can top the unintended humor, absurdity, and insanity of Reality.
4 - Shark
Oh, and Duke, thanks for the reviews, but you probably should have added a disclaimer.
"99% of you either won't get it and/or will be so incredibly offended that you ask for you money back.
In either of those cases, do us a favor and...
KILL YOURSELF.
No, seriously...
KILL YOURSELF.
'kay?
'kay."
5 - Eric Olsen
okay, so what happened to him?
6 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
Eric, Bill died of pancreatic cancer in, i believe, 94. which is a damn shame, but also bitterly ironic, considering he spent so much of his career yacking about the virtues of smoking.
"Hi, i'm bill hicks and im dead now..."
7 - Johno
FYI, Rykodisc brought out two new Hicks discs a couple years ago with the help of his estate. One of them "Flying saucer tour" is of a BAD show in Pittsburgh. Hicks gets heckled, heckles back, and eventually loses it on the crowd. While I cannot vouch that this is the same "LOSES IT" show the Duke refers to, it's pretty darn great.
Eric and all and sundry, I cannot recommend highly enough "Relentless," for its creepily presicent Gulf War I material. Listening to that album over again last year invited feelings of vertigo and deja vu, especially the parts about we having one soldier over there winning the war by himself using only a weapons catalog... "hey... what's G-12 do?....*foooooosh.....BOOM*... Cool! Pull up G-13!" and the stuff about Bush I suddenly being all belligerent.
8 - Eric Olsen
Thanks guys - that is unfortunate.
It can now be stated: smoking is bad.
9 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
Johno, the flying saucer tour and love,laughter and truth releases that rykodisc released are worth grabbing for sure, but no, they are not to be confused with the Loses It show, but who knows, maybe they'll get round to giving it an official release at some point.
10 - Shark
Gulf War I + Bush Sr. is a bizarre prelude to the current debacle, and almost every word still rings true.
"Man, those Iraqis got some awesome weapons."
"How do you know?"
"We looked at the receipts..."
11 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
Also, theres a video entitled United States Of Advertising available on the Sacred Cow website mentioned in the article, which is also very interesting, and i believe it was Bill's last interview also.
12 - Jim Carruthers
I have "The Sane Man" video, and it is very good. Unfortunately, with Bill dying 10 years ago at age 33, the control of his estate and copyrights were split between his parents, and his manager, putting a lot of material into legal and distribution limbo (and thanks to Sonny Bono, we only have to wait 65 more years until it enters the public domain).
There was a tenth anniversay appreciation of his career in The Guardian, but over the past couple of months it has disappeared in a site re-organization, so here's an older article.
13 - Brady
Duke,
thanks for paying homage to the only man deserving of Lenny Bruce and Richard Pryor's torch - Bill Fucking Hicks. So much has been said about him so I won't ramble, but what a perverse, insightful, perscipacious wit - man. Bill was too punk rock for the mainstream to ever understand him so his lack of fame was a fait acompli. However, he still would have given the world much to be afraid of (in a good way of course) had he lived beyond his way too short 30 some years. I still miss him like all of his fans do. Goddamm we need him right now: Just like we need Jesus, John Lennon, Malcom X, and Gahndi. Peace, Brady.
14 - jadester
like so many great artists, Bill Hicks is probably more famous now than he ever was when he was alive.
Belive it or not, many of my mates from uni know who he is (was), and appreciate the humour (i live in england, that's what might surprise you)
15 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
Jadester, thats not strange at all. I live in northern ireland, man. Bill had much more of an audience in the UK than he did in america, which is, granted, quite odd. But there you go.
16 - pi
[personal attack deleted]
17 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
heh. thanks pi. I'll take that as a reference to the chigago show, and not a comment with regards the Duke's abilities, which are scientifically proven to not suck, but, in fact, to rule.
18 - Denis Leary
Bill Hicks ripped off my act. Lock & load covered the same topics as Love, laughter and truth and was out 4 years beforehand. Bill Hicks is too dry, he wasn't even funny. Just had intelligent ideas. But when it comes to delivery, I am your man.
Who does the smokin' out of a hole in your neck bit better huh??? That's right, bow to my altar. My impressions were heartfelt and real. If only I had been a protestant comedian i'd have made it easier.
19 - Shuya nanahara
[personal attack deleted]
20 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
surely the fuck not THE denis leary.
Cool. Although i doubt it.
Anyhow, love laughter and truth was recorded quite a while before lock n' load, even if it didn't appear until a couple years ago, what with the felal being dead and all.
Also, you ruled in demolition man.
21 - Denis Leary
I thought I was better in Judgement Night myself. And no, I'm not the real Leary you fuck, i'm a hicks loving mick who doesn't believe in praising my idols, rather just take the piss.
22 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
i'm a hicks loving mick who doesn't believe in praising my idols
if only those fellas hada taken the same route with the golden bovine. Moses would never have gotten so pissed off had that been the case.
And i knew that you werent mr leary, but just in case, man. Can never be too sure, especially where that plagarisin cat is concerned.
yours,
Duke De Mondo
"a fuck"
23 - Denis Leary
Very nice of you to acknowledge that you are a fuck, true fucks don't generally admit it.
I am aware of your work across the net, especially on aicn, and find your taste best suited to mine. Especially when it comes to cannibal movies. I shall spy on you some more.
'I think mama cass said it best when she said hyukffffaaaaaghkoekkoekkoeksplutter...'
Now you see why I am a superior comic to a man with the most insightful and educated views ever. Somebody throw water over me, I'm in danger of becoming too hilarious here.
Next I want you to review GG Allin's 'HATED'. Should you accept, I will have more tasks. Emmanuelle and the last cannibals must come somewhere. Beal feirste must have some kooky shops.
24 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
Dennis, nice to hear from you again.
Ok then - Click the links and so on;
I already did Review Hated as well as the astounding GG concert DVD, Raw, Brutal, Rough And Bloody.
As to Emmanuel, i have yet to see that, but i did a piece on D'Amato's earlier Anthropohagus The Beast and, if you haven't already, you might be interested in this article concerning Mountain Of The Cannibal God
Phew. I was gonna email you all that nonsense, but you've only gone and not left an address! Ah well.
Oh, and thank you for the kind words. Makes a fella feel good. oh, and this right here;
"Somebody throw water over me, I'm in danger of becoming too hilarious here." was, ironically enough, very funny. :)
25 - Denis Leary
Well done my man. Interesting reads there.
I'd love to hear your opinion on:
Meet the Feebles
Zombie Creeping Flesh
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
Dennis Pennis
I'm not the type who leaves addresses. I'm usually content with leaving very lame, very vague comments.
If its any consolation you are the second best reviewer of all ever.
See what you did to me?