A tribute to BILL HICKS - Life is just a ride
By David Davies aka RUFMOUTH 26/2/2004

I saw Bill live at Manchester’s Royal Exchange Theatre back in 1993 (shortly after which the building shut down due to a so called IRA bomb, that even Manchester Evening News suspected had fowl play involving the secret service/government). I knew immediately that I’d never look at life quite the same way. Standing in this weird fucking circular spiralling construction Bill exclaimed “hey I’m in a fucking spaceship”, before launching into a passionate stand up routine that finally saw him almost cross over to the mass media (well Channel 4 anyway). That night I realised how most so-called comedians suck and play it ultra-safe to get laughs, rather than telling the truth and even harder, making those truth’s painfully funny…

For 16 years Bill had trudged across America, often on what he called his UFO tours (“cos like UFO’s I too, only turn up in out Hillbilly towns”) constantly updating and retuning his outrageous verbal attacks & views on a fucked up world, now out of control & run by demons. Indeed this is why his material resonates so deeply now, back then he ranted cleverly about Reagan, and the puppet master and Illuminati chief “Poppy” Bush (so called after his favourite drug, and his drug running activities related to BCCI and when he was in charge of the CIA and the notorious shady MJ12 group). After all what the hell has changed? Back then his material on Gulf War 1… “How do we know what weapons they’ve got Bill?… why don’t you look at the receipts” was uniquely simple, funny and fill of truth, no one else had the bottle to do material that’s entire worth was in the fact that he, just like many of us, saw through the smokescreens, veils and mirrors and instinctively knew what a pile of horseshit it all was. These routines are even more relevant today and have been used and quoted heavily throughout the anti war movement and by real truth seekers such as David Icke who have used Bill’s quotes to great effect whilst peeling back the full extent of the conspiracies against mankind which Bill in the early 1990’s was started to heavily engage in.

With regular appearances on the Letterman talk show, Bill had started to really see how censorship, advertising and the full media machine worked. On his last interview “United sates of Advertising” (public access TV) he stated that he had never really been able to be himself on those shows due to changing his material. When he finally did some pro-life material (or was it the JFK piece?) it was the last straw – his segment in the show was entirely removed altogether and then on the following weeks show popped up a PRO LIFE advert bang slap in the middle of the show. Despite his hard times and endless shows in the US, successful shows at Montreal’s “Just for laughs” Edinburgh festival and UK theatre shows, eventually led to his Relentless & Revelations shows being screened on a (then alternative and with a remit to inspire rather than titillate and brainwash) Channel 4, along with a half hour HBO special. By now his albums were slowly getting released and it finally looked like the very people who needed to hear what he was saying might actually be reached.

Shortly before his untimely death he had visited Waco, (see “On the 7th day”) fascinated by David Koresh and the on going siege of the branch Dividians he and his constant companion and filmmaker/musician buddy Kevin Booth, snuck around the guards and got close to the compound. Days later he saw the infamous footage that has since circulated ever since on public access and pirated videos showing the ATF/FBI going in with a tank pouring flames into the compound (not the “gas” the FBI claimed). Indeed the ½ hour public made and public access only aired documentary that follows his short “road movie” proves beyond any doubt to anyone with intelligence, that just like Oklahoma, Ruby Ridge and later events such as 9/11, the American people are actually being pushed to the limit by a obviously fascist regime that is pushing them towards nothing short of Armageddon.

His fascination with the JFK assassination and other dark matters always peeled away the layers of lies and he knew instinctively that a small, corrupt Elite rule the world to a very dark agenda. Amidst all the darkness Bill gave out incredible light and almost preached love and togetherness amidst his “people who hate people party”. Towards the end of his poetical existence he clearly knew their game was even bigger than he had previously realised. I think this is part of the problem – we all know things are really fucked up, but lie to ourselves, or hide from the real dark issues and run away and hide within our petty little problems and lives. After we have been repeatedly told through “education” and “entertainment” that we are powerless beings that should busy ourselves with mindless distractions to achieve “product related happiness” safe and controlled in our little comfort zones where they can quietly tax us to high heaven, like the little slaves we actually are. Breathe in… breathe out sorry for that, the rant is catching…

Bill snapped you out of that, and furthermore, through humour you could actually face the enemy direct, and most importantly laugh out loud in their crumbled, corrupt faces whilst staring in these power mad idiots dead eyes (think Kissinger / Poppy Bush / Blair etc).

He had realised that the game was largely up for him in the US and he was about to throw himself into a chat show for Channel 4 where he would get on researchers, artists and bands that he admired and talk about (r) evolutionary ideas. He was planning on leaving the US comedy circuit for a year or so to get this programme together and seemed happier knowing that he would work in the USA in a different way – on his own terms doing shows he wanted and speaking on public access to ensure total freedom of speech (what happened to that? Did any of us ever truly have it?). His hair was growing long, his beard would have suited an apostle, he seemed tired of the system but prepared for the fight ahead.

Sadly his time was up. Bill died of pancreatic cancer on February 26 1994 aged 32 years old at the height of his creative peak.

Just like his heroes before him, Lenny Bruce, John Lennon, Jim Morrison and Jimi Hendrix this genius left us well before his time. It seems to me that many of the greatest human beings who show us the real insanity that thrives behind the easy soap screen TV lies are taken from us just as we need them most, struck down with a disease that shuts them up or are effectively stopped from working (a great book on this theme is “the covert war against rock” by Alex Constantine FEDERAL HOUSE ISBN 0-922915-61-X with info on the deaths of Jim Morrison, Tupac, Michael Hutchence, Brain Jones, Jimi Hendrix, Phil Ochs, Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Biggie Smalls, John Lennon etc).

How ironic that Bill was taken from us just like the heroes he presented for us and just like them, it has taken his death to make more of the world sit up and listen to an original soul, unafraid like all the great orators to tell it how it actually is, not how we imagine things to be in our closed little minds. Since then, more of his work is available, more than ever before and we have pleasure with providing you with a detailed list of some of his work further on in this piece. Like all good art or entertainment it is a case of the deeper you go, the more you see, until the world never seems quite the same and whilst Bill is no longer here in body, he is perhaps stronger looking over us now, than ever before, helping us to see things his way and take us back to the garden. Whilst Bill was sometimes the preacher he was always the entertainer and gave you a heavy dose of hilarious reality. He empowered the open minded by reminding them that we are all one and when we truly understand this we can finally face our collective demons. Responsibility is crucially missing in society and we need more truth tellers in (or out of) Bill’s mould to tell us to laugh at the folks on the hill and maybe, just maybe, feel free to dream about what a paradise we could live in… without the evil bastards controlling us all like petrified puppets on a never ending pyramids of strings.

However sometimes we don’t actually need the man, we just need to listen to what he’s saying or read his beliefs. Stand up comedy is one of the last true platforms for true freedom of speech (not that many recent comics are doing this, or maybe be allowed to use this). Bill used this as a weapon against pro Lifers, Governments, big businesses, Rednecks, people from LA, police, Bush, the so called war on drugs, especially marketing agents and Satan’s other little helpers. It was sadly inevitable then, that just before his death, in what was to be his final appearance on Letterman, his act was pulled by the Network, as he’d crossed their line of what they felt they could get away with whilst retaining advertisers, and they self censored themselves just like the worlds press & media do every single day.

It is hard these days to make people think but Bill did just that whilst making me nearly piss my trousers on many occasions. On my 1998 Mindbomb album he helped me to break down a few truths, find my voice and take a few risks. “Twisted therapy”, “Great British Beef”,
“Free Weed”, “Seducer”, “Deconstruction of a falling star” and “Produce the friction” drop serious knowledge whilst songs like “Wonderful world of alcohol” & “Just wanna fuck” (with a dodgy goat boy impersonation) just take the piss out of me, myself & all of us.

I have put this together to spread the word about the man and I hope you can too. It would be a shame to let the bastards win in denying him his place as one of the greatest comics of all time. Indeed interest in him is stronger know than ever - recently from the “Human Traffic” Mixmag generation film and the many new re-issues of early work.

Welcome to the wonderful world of the gospel according to Bill Hicks, smoker, goatboy and visionary. Thanks for taking us on this ride with you Bill. You are missed my friend, say hi to Jimi for me. With love,

Dave Davies aka RUFMOUTH 26/2/2004.

VIDEOS
“Life is just a ride” TRIBUTE / “Revelations” VIDEO available now in your local chainstore. “Revelations” : “the dark & dangerous stand up is stalking the Dominion Theatre , London in his last , live sell out performance on the Revelations tour, cloaked in a riding coat & hat. And he is annoyed… you can tell he’s in an irritable mood and what’s worse his nerves are shot topics because the comedian who mounted a one man right to smoke campaign has kicked the habit! This hour is like a cathartic exploration of his anger & disappointment at the world. Grieving over the death of the American Dream ™ Hicks is building up his verbal firepower to unleash it on some of the most sensitive wounds of the American psyche, ignorance & bigotry. Able to say what most people dare not even think his calculated and thought provoking humour has a certain shock value to it, which grasps the attention of his audience and doesn’t let go”. 1994 Channel 4.

“Relentless” live concert in England. Shown originally on Channel 4. Not sure if this has been issued on video/DVD?

“Sane man” 1989 live performance 80 min of a young Bill at his finest and raw edged best. See www.sacredcowproductions.com to order

“Bill Hicks One Night Stand” 1991 HBO special www.comedycircus.com. Short ½ hour live set for the American network

“Bill Hicks live on Austin public access – U.S.A. United States of Advertising. 80 personal minutes with the man who could well be the greatest social commentator of our day. Recorded on Oct 24th 1993 this is thought to be Bill’s last ever interview and he tells it how it really is dealing with the US media giants. Again this is available from www.sacredcowproductions.com
“On the 7th day at Waco” March 8th 1993 Bill goes to David Koresh’s compound with the branch Davidians at Waco and reports from a new front line fo hatred. Great public access documentary follows with the infamous (unshown elsewhere) footage of the ATF/FBI tank shooting flames into a room of women and children as well as great research into what that fateful day was really about. Essential viewing – available from www.sacredcowproductions.com As is “Sacred Cow – Halloween special” some Bill footage as well as him on the phones.

CD ALBUMS
Complete recorded works (to our knowledge):
“Dangerous” released in 1990 - re-released 1997
“Relentless” released in 1992 - re-released 1997
“Arizona Bay” released in 1997
“Rant in E minor” released in 1997

BOOKS AND ARTICLES
“American scream the Bill Hicks story” CYNTHIA TRUE (SIDGWICK & JACKSON) ISBN 0-283-06353-X From www.panmacmillan.com Brilliant in depth biography

“Light fantastic” JOHN LAHR’s book of profiles collected from the pages of the New Yorker, includes “The Goat Boy rises” his amazing depiction of Bill & his comedy. The original article appeared in the November 1st 1993 issue of the magazine. “Light fantastic is available from The Dial Press.

On June 3rd 1994 Robert Seidenberg chronicled the “Death of a Comedian” in Entertainment weekly.
Mike Sagar profiled the brilliant end of Bill Hicks in “the gospel according to Bill Hicks” GQ September 1994.

WEBSITES
www.billhicks.com
www.sacredcowproductions.com

About the author & promoter. Dave RUFMOUTH Davies is the guy behind RUF BEATS music label, now renamed the RUF BROADCASTING COMPANY with a new remit to not just make and sell direct (with no bullshit) smoking tunes but to offer all true voices in the wilderness a place to write, perform and unleash their material.

If you wish to obtain any of the above let us know, we have a full list of stuff. I hope you all have enjoyed this event, thank you for contributing. If you want to make any comments or would like to see another event like this, call us on 01606 47327 or drop us an email to the address above. Thanks for your ears and eyes. It’s time to wake yourself up!

“No wonder there’s an ever growing sense of disenfranchisement, apathy and cynicism in our country. When we’re all tuned into the real drug of this country – television – brought to us by an elite class of “unique” and “special” people who find the dirty herd beneath contempt, and only there really to buy the useless products created to fill the imaginary “wants” television really hawks between hours of puerile programming. Every few years, they cart out the old argument regarding television’s role in our society. As usual, they pose us divided and keep the problem unresolved, then it’s back to “business as usual”. The herd has been pacified by our charade of concern as we pose the two most idiotic questions imaginable; “is TV becoming too violent?” and “is TV becoming too promiscuous?” The answer my friends, is this… TV is too stupid”
Excerpt from “American scream the Bill Hicks story” CYNTHIA TRUE

A Tribute to Bill Hicks – Part 2 – The End Game!
A massive thanks to everyone who helped get our Bill Hicks tribute night some coverage helping make it a great event on a snowy Manchester night! Highlights included meeting and getting a nod of approval from the very guy who booked Bill for both his early 90’s Manchester shows, seeing a packed room laughing at the laidback last interview and Parrots hardcore Glaswegian accent.

So after an amazing response to our tribute night we have been forced to do a follow up showing for all the people who couldn’t get crammed in for the original showing, which although hectic, was a huge success with over 180 attending and, unfortunately 100 being turned away after the event HAD to changed to ticket only, after being initially advertised as pay on the door. A tiny fraction asked for (and got full) refunds due to the screens being too small (which we did try and fix prior to event as soon as it became clear it was going to be rammed). Although Bill and I like a bit of anarchy –many do not, so I’ve fixed this for the remixed event.

I’ve have hired a BIG ASS projector screen for the Dj room and have the 28” TV for the chillout room for the 2nd event which will be limited to 100 TICKETS only to avoid overcrowding and is upstairs only to avoid any madness.

Furthermore for the second one I now have a choice of over 40 hours of Bill Hicks material thanks to other tribute nights in the UK and US sending us material… oh yes we have also got Bill’s ultra low budget “Ninja Bachelor Party”.

If you can give this night any coverage please MAKE SURE MY tel number goes in NOT ZUMBAR’s as this is largely what confused the ticket situation last time and caused the overcrowding from 8pm-9.30pm… however after then the event went like a dream.
The bare details for you are:

“A tribute to Bill Hicks PART 2 – The End Game”
Tickets: £6 in advance only from RUF BROADCASTING COMPANY on
01606 47327 or dave@rufbeats.freeserve.co.uk includes contribution to Bill’s foundation.

Date: Thursday 26th March @ ZUMBAR
Time: Starts 8pm – 1am
Details: Rare footage this time: Ninja Bachelor Party / Interviews / Sane Man / United states of advertising (final interview) + music, comedy records, cut n paste and the truth about Bill’s later revelations from Manchester writer/researcher and dark poet RUFMOUTH
RUF102 RBC presents…
A tribute to BILL HICKS – Part 2 – The End Game.

THURSDAY 25th March 2004 @ ZUMBAR
(opp BBC) Oxford Rd, Manchester, UK
8pm til 1am.

Tickets £6 contribution in advance only from RBC on 01606 47327 or dave@rufbeats.freeserve.co.uk This event will sell out so get your tickets now to avoid disappointment. We have only 100 tickets available to avoid overcrowding.
A special night of comedy, film and music devoted to the memory of a legendary and fearless comic genius/visionary, who is sorely missed, on this, the 10th anniversary of his untimely death at 32.

RARE SHOWS – NOW ON BIG PROJECTOR SCREEN
Ruf compilation from over 40 hrs!
Ninja Bachelor Party (small film)
Sane Man (intimate show from 1989)!
On the 7th day at Waco (road trip)!
Bit of United States of Advertising (rare last interview & Bill’s truth).

RUFMOUTH’s MUSIC TRIBUTES &
“THE RUF TRUTH ABOUT BILL HICKS”

With thanks for permission from Mary Hicks & Sacred Cow Productions