[kj] OT: Bill Hicks

[Brendan Quinn]

I think people taking comedy seriously has something to do with the ancient
role of the court jester, poking fun at the King etc. Like Jaz & BPF
mentioned in that brief interview that went around a while ago. We expect
them to amuse us, but there's also that angle of social critique.
Challenging values and challenging authority. With the better comedians that
is.you're not really gonna get it from Larry the Cable Guy, or Seinfeld (but
you *might* from Larry David). Christ if I remember back far enough
(Classical Studies at school in '91) there was a Greek slave comic
playwright who took the piss out of those in power, Aristophanes.and even
though he was a slave who viciously & publicly ridiculed those in power, he
got away with it because he did it with great humour. It's hard to feel
outrage about something when an entire auditorium is cracking up about it...


 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aristophanes

 

So elevating a comic who challenges the status quo to heroic proportions
isn't anything new.

 

Hicks always said he attacked things that offended his sense of reason, and
after hearing that and going back over his stuff, it's quite a theme. Not
that it's anything unique in comedy. But the extent to which he's
worshipped, I stand by it - hence the staunch defence, 15+ years after the
event. No one has ever made me laugh as hard and at the same time
articulated a sense of outrage at the primitive state of civilisation.
Basically take your peak experiences with whatever art or literature or
whatever that has really elevated your consciousness, that's how it felt for
me, listening to Hicks for the first time. So yeah, he's up there with
Hendrix and Robert Anton Wilson and Soundgarden and my other heroes, but not
because of some cult of personality or posthumous popularity. 

 

And I can forgive the bits where he goes over the top, to the same extent I
forgive Jaz for the same. Seems to go hand in hand with 'being out there'. 

 

  _____  

From: gathering-bounces at misera.net [mailto:gathering-bounces at misera.net] On
Behalf Of Brendan Quinn
Sent: Saturday, 31 January 2009 19:44
To: 'A list about all things Killing Joke (the band!)'; 'Alex Smith'
Subject: Re: [kj] OT: Bill Hicks

 

Oh no how'd we get into this? I thought I was raising an in joke between Ade
and me re SG vs STP to a) illustrate how I felt about Hicks vs Leary, and b)
make sure that it was taken light-heartedly. 

 

  _____  

From: gathering-bounces at misera.net [mailto:gathering-bounces at misera.net] On
Behalf Of ade
Sent: Saturday, 31 January 2009 08:40
To: Alex Smith; A list about all things Killing Joke (the band!)
Subject: Re: [kj] OT: Bill Hicks

 


> PS: Soundgarden is, was, and e'er shall be LIGHT YEARS better than STP.


 

I'm sure they are mate, but how do I *make* myself like Soundgarden & not
like STP ?  What I actually said was that I preferred STP is all. I'm
supposed to be wrong, how?

-----Original Message-----
From: gathering-bounces at misera.net [mailto:gathering-bounces at misera.net]On
Behalf Of Alex Smith
Sent: 30 January 2009 21:09
To: ade; A list about all things Killing Joke (the band!)
Subject: Re: [kj] OT: Bill Hicks

I saw Leary perform 'No Cure for Cancer' live in a tiny club in the West
Village, thanks.

Hicks is funny, but has since become deified to ridiculous degrees. Also,
Hicks had a tiresomely sanctimonious quality to his work which made me enjoy
it less than Leary's. 

My opinion.

Alex in NYC

PS: Soundgarden is, was, and e'er shall be LIGHT YEARS better than STP.




 

-----Original Message----- 
From: ade 
Sent: Jan 30, 2009 3:30 PM 
To: Alex Smith , "A list about all things Killing Joke (the band!)" 
Subject: RE: [kj] OT: Bill Hicks 



I get the feeling you've not actually seen the material that I argue
(amongst many others) Leary

clearly ripped from Hicks. In that case, how can you pass judgement?

 

I loved Leary's 'No Cure for Cancer', until I got into Hicks. I couldn't
believe I was hearing the

same jokes VERY DISTINCTIVE jokes being repeated right back at me - that
totally destroyed

No Cure for cancer for me.

 

Keep your fingers in your ears, it's only my opinion.

-----Original Message-----
From: gathering-bounces at misera.net [mailto:gathering-bounces at misera.net]On
Behalf Of Alex Smith
Sent: 30 January 2009 18:38
To: A list about all things Killing Joke (the band!); 'A list about all
things Killing Joke (the band!)'
Subject: Re: [kj] OT: Bill Hicks

The perils and ramifications of smoking aren't really "niche" material. You
may not like Dennis Leary -- fair enough -- but to accuse him of ripping off
Hicks in that capacity is pretty unfair.

Alex in NYC

-----Original Message----- 
From: Brendan Quinn 
Sent: Jan 30, 2009 12:46 PM 
To: "'A list about all things Killing Joke (the band!)'" 
Subject: Re: [kj] OT: Bill Hicks 



We were comparing them because they covered similar material, that I'm
pretty sure Hicks came up with and Leary stole. Specifically the voicebox
gag. I could be wrong, but that's the accusation.

 


  _____  


From: gathering-bounces at misera.net [mailto:gathering-bounces at misera.net] On
Behalf Of Alex Smith
Sent: Saturday, 31 January 2009 03:59
To: A list about all things Killing Joke (the band!); 'A list about all
things Killing Joke (the band!)'
Subject: Re: [kj] OT: Bill Hicks

 

You seem to be equating them merely on the fact that they're both "angry"
comedians. That's not much to go on. I mean, why not toss Don Rickles into
the mix too, then?

Alex in NYC





-----Original Message----- 
From: Brendan Quinn 
Sent: Jan 30, 2009 10:31 AM 
To: "'A list about all things Killing Joke (the band!)'" 
Subject: Re: [kj] OT: Bill Hicks 






Not a fair comparison.because? 

 


  _____  


From: gathering-bounces at misera.net [mailto:gathering-bounces at misera.net] On
Behalf Of Alexander Smith
Sent: Friday, 30 January 2009 23:15
To: A list about all things Killing Joke (the band!)
Subject: Re: [kj] OT: Bill Hicks

 

 

Dennis Leary is rarely as earnest and sanctimonious as Bill Hicks was
capable of being. I love both, but it's not really a fair comparison. 

 

Alex in NYC

 

 

 

On Jan 30, 2009, at 1:34 AM, Brendan Quinn wrote:








Let Hicks=Soundgarden, and Let Leary=Stone Temple Pilots  

 

If Soundgarden=TotalGodheadOnEarth and STP=BigFatYawn, then Leary=?

 

Please show working.

 


  _____  


From: gathering-bounces at misera.net [mailto:gathering-bounces at misera.net] On
Behalf Of ade
Sent: Friday, 30 January 2009 07:24
To: A list about all things Killing Joke (the band!)
Subject: Re: [kj] OT: Bill Hicks

 

LOL, don't forget Denis Leary ;)

 


>From wikipeedo: 'an industry joke began to circulate about Leary's

transformation and subsequent success (roughly; "Question: Why is Denis
Leary a star while Bill Hicks is unknown? Answer: Because there's no cure
for cancer"'

-----Original Message-----
From: gathering-bounces at misera.net [mailto:gathering-bounces at misera.net]On
Behalf Of Brendan Quinn
Sent: 29 January 2009 04:57
To: 'A list about all things Killing Joke (the band!)'
Subject: Re: [kj] OT: Bill Hicks

The only other comedians I'd put in that category (and none as good as
Hicks) would be George Carlin, and lately, Joe Rogan, who's a surprising
find actually.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grcqs9cDuN8

 

PS: I haven't watched this in ages so apologies if it sucks, but from memory
it's pretty cool.

 


  _____  


From: gathering-bounces at misera.net [mailto:gathering-bounces at misera.net] On
Behalf Of Bette Dillinger
Sent: Thursday, 29 January 2009 12:34
To: gathering at misera.net
Subject: [kj] OT: Bill Hicks

 


Hey everyone!
    Strange, angering, yet I am still gonna try to catch it.  In the US
David Letterman will be showing on Friday, the 30th, 11:30 EST the routine
of Bill Hicks' that was never aired by Letterman in 1994 because it was
considered too "controversial".  The routine that sullied his relationship
with the media to a degree.  
 
His mother Mary will also be a guest (the irony that the legal executor of
the estate is the ex attorney for Billy Ray Cyrus, but then you can't make
this shit up.).........
Damn, it has been 14 years!  Are there any comedians that are flying under
the radar that should be checked out?  I am still looking for one whose
voice is so resonant with truth and humour.
 
Bette       


  _____  


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