Larry Fischer

Larry Fischer, aka Wild Man Fischer (Born in Los Angeles in 1945)

Fischer was a mentally disturbed street singer 'discovered' by Zappa. He recorded An Evening With Wild Man Fischer, a double album produced by Zappa for his Bizarre label, using 'field recordings' with members of the Mothers of Invention supporting Fischer giving full vent to nonmetrical original material.

By the mid-60's Fischer, a certified paranoid schizophrenic and acid casualty, had become a renowned fixture along L.A.'s famed Sunset Strip.

Larry Fischer provided vocals for the Beat The Boots series disk Our Man In Nirvana (BTB).

(Edit. note: "Rest in Peace, Cub")

FZ as DJ: Larry Fischer & Dr Demento

I'm Working For The Federal Bureau Of Narcotics by Wild Man Fischer was the 23rd track from FZ's 'Fraudulent DJ' playlist on "Star Special", a guest slot on BBC Radio 1, 1980.

When the track finished, FZ followed it up with this anecdote;

"Well, I'm sure you know that that was Wild Man Fischer and right before that you heard Traffic with "Heaven Is In Your Mind".

And, that guy in there asked me to say something about Wild Man Fischer and one thing that you must remember is that he actually IS a Wild Person. He lives in the street and, er, sleeps in places where, er, it is possible for natural objects to accumulate in his hair; and on his clothes; and elsewhere in secret parts of his personage that you don't find out about until its too late if you're a girl.

And Larry [Fischer] IS dangerous; er, he has brothers and other relatives and some of them have been attacked by Larry. I think it was his brother who had his chest-bone broken with a ball-peen hammer at UCLA shortly before this album was made. They were walking towards each other on the campus; Larry had the hammer; and his brother had the bad luck".

FZ also fraudulently DJ'd with Dr Demento, an 'alternative music' presenter on KMET who favors, and has helped promote, the works of Wild Man Fischer. (The track "I'm a Christmas Tree", a Dr Demento & Wild Man Fischer duet, can be heard on a Dr Demento CD, issued on Rhino: R2 75755, 1989).

A Fischer Apology

In February 2008 Fischer released Lost and Found Pep (Lumania Records) which included the song "I'm Sorry, Frank Zappa" in which he apologised for upsetting Zappa and their falling out.