For any who aren’t familiar with the work of Wesley Willis, the 6’5”, 350 pound, schizofrenic frontman of the Wesley Willis Fiasco, the news of his death will be far less impressive than the news of his life. For, if you were not in the know, you’ve missed out on one of the most peculiar personalities pop culture has known.

Wesley Willis achieved brief fame in the early nineties with songs entitled “Kurt Cobain” and “Alannis Morrissette”, both on albums released by Rick Rubin’s American Recordings company. Most of Wesley’s fans will tell you his real genius lay in his concepts and titles, rather than the songs themselves. Titles included “Whip the Donkey’s Ass”, “I’m Sorry That I Got Fat (I Will Slim Down)” and the classic “I Whupped Batman’s Ass”.

In and out of hospitals for the better part of his life, Willis was sure to use every second of free time on his music. He was known to play upwards of 200 shows in a year and not many can say they’re ever seen someone enjoy performing more. When not on stage or in “the studio”, he was often to be seen on the Chicago city bus line selling his pen drawings of cityscapes and scenes. On June 2nd he was rushed to an emergency ward for internal bleeding caused by his Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia. He was released the following day, but remained in hospice care and in poor health until his death on August 21th.

Willis recorded more than fifty full-length albums during his lifetime including several for Rick Rubin’s American Recordings and Jello Biafra’s Alternative Tentacles record company. Most recent was the 2001 Artist Workshop release “Full Heavy Metal Jacket”. Alternative Tentacles has announced that they will release the third volume in Wesley’s Greatest Hits series on October 7th, and that it will feature video footage, downloads, and an art and photo gallery.

“Wesley will go down as one of the most unique songwriters and entertainment personalities in history,” Alternative Tentacles owner Jello Biafra said in a statement. “His music, lyrics, drawings, insight and the way he put them together are like no one else. Ever. There will never be another. As I got to know Wes, what really struck me was his sheer will power, his unrelenting drive to succeed and overcome his horrifically poor background, child abuse, racism, chronic schizophrenia and obesity, among other things. He was the most courageous person I have ever known.”

Rock over London, rock on Chicago. Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.