Presenting the One and Only Wild Bill: The Demented Adventures of a Folk-Country-Punk Legend (Sort-of)
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It all began innocently enough, one summer afternoon in August. Luke Borders of Austin Music Weekly invited me to a very special happy hour show at Flipnotics – the word “special” not even beginning to cover what was in store for my ears or my brain.
My initial unease grew with Borders’ knowing expression. I began to ask the usual questions: “Wait a minute. Is this safe? Do they let wild animals loose? Do I need CPR? Is there a blow torch involved?” Which are all very reasonable questions, really. But happily, in the end, I came to appreciate the delightfully twisted humor and funky grooviness that is the one and only Wild Bill.
Wild Bill sat down with me in the KUT studios for an interview about his shows, his music and – well, just about anything he wanted to discuss.
There is no single genre you can fit Wild Bill into – or that you’d want to fit him into. Each song presents a musical mish-mash that melds everything from folk to classic country, punk to rock ‘n’ roll, psychedelic drones to hip-hop drum beats and samples. It can be whatever’s floating around in the universe that inspired the mood at the time of the songwriting, and then some. With Wild Bill, you don’t just get a folky, mellow acoustic guitar show. At a Wild Bill show, you, as the audience, experience an all-out blast of demented good times, sordid tales with intriguing finales, extra flourishes and personal touches that only a tripped-out troubadour like Wild Bill can conjure. All that, and deviled eggs.
You have to see it to believe it.
Accompanied by his musical collaborators, the lovely and talented Amandolin and the ever-incorrigible (and ever-tardy) Griffus P. Spliffus, Wild Bill welcomes you to into his world of demented adventures and bumbling mishaps – but be warned. It’s no-holds-barred at his show. Come with a sense of humor and the desire to have fun.
You can see Wild Bill play happy hour shows each Friday at Flipnotics, 1601 Barton Springs Rd, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. He’s also got a special happy hour show coming up this Wednesday at Jovita’s, 1619 S. 1st St., at 6 p.m.
Bill’s preparing to release his new EP (I was given an honorary special edition copy named Spliffus Gallardo), featuring some old happy hour favorites that his fans have been known to sing along to. And he’s got some Christmas shows in the works with spectacular guest performers and new tracks like “Santa For Hire” (for some reason, I picture Billy Bob Thorton in Bad Santa…) and the soon-to-be classic, “Jesus Is the Reason For the Season, But I’m the Reason She’s Leavin’.” Wow. Now that says festive holiday to me, folks.
True, the Wild Bill experience may not be for everyone. But it’s a chance worth taking. Check him out.
-Big thanks to Austin Music Weekly for additional material.
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