"WILD MAN"  FISCHER

         FRANK ZAPPA - "Bizarre"  Talent Scout

 Frank Zappa has always attracted talented musicians, and artists from every endeavor. Though Zappa was often criticized by these same people for his dictatorial methods, and 'no-nonsense' work ethic, the strict taskmaster only demanded that co-workers exhibit the best of their capabilities, just like Frank.
When Zappa landed at the Laurel Canyon Log Cabin in March,1968, he was enjoying his new position as head of his own label, Bizarre/Straight Records.
  The first "artists" he signed were:
 "Wildman" Fischer, The Alice Cooper Band, and,the GTO's.

Larry " Wild Man"  Fischer was another "Hollywood Freak" who was a regular on the Sunset Strip. Much like the GTO's, Wildman Fischer's one & only album resulted from both Frank Zappa's inate ability to recognize the "talent potential" in everyone, and his desire to record & release albums from his Bizarre Records talent roster, at the lowest possible expense.

Rather than write about "Wildman's" life, I'll refer the reader to Frank Zappa's version

LARRY "WILD MAN"  FISCHER

Larry "Wild Man" Fischer - "The Album"


Produced by Frank Zappa
Engineered by Jerry Hansen at Sunset Sound Studios, Hollywood
Street field recording by Dick Kunc
Words and music on all songs by Larry Fischer
Business production: Herb Cohen
Copyright 1968 by Bizarre Music Co. BMI
Album Personnel
Larry Fischer - Vocal
Rodney Bingenheimer - Vocal
Kim Fowley - Vocal
GTO's - Vocals
Artie Tripp - Percussion
Frank Zappa - Percussion
 

 An Evening With Wild Man Fischer
(LP) Bizarre/Reprise 2XS 6332  
Released:April 28, 1969

Prior to the album's release, the ever industrious, avowed anti-commercial spokesman, Frank Zappa, first released a 45 single of the 2 most likely commercial cuts from the obvious non-commercial 2 disc LP, just 6 months after his arrival at the Log Cabin.
 - Wild Man Fischer The Circle/Merry-Go-Round (45 single) Bizarre/Reprise 0781, October 9, 1968)

Album Liner Notes by Frank Zappa

An Evening With Wild Man Fischer

Wild Man Fischer is a real person who lives in Hollywood, California. He used to be very shy. He didn't have any friends. One day he decided to be more aggressive. He would write his own songs and sing to people and tell them he wasn't shy anymore. When he did this, everyone thought he was crazy. His mother had him committed to a mental institution twice.

The material for this album was recorded live in the street (with Larry's knowledge and consent) in front of the WHISKY A GO GO and THE HAMBURGER HAMLET on Sunset Strip, by DICK KUNC, on a UHER portable stereo tape recorder. The percussion effects were added later in Studio 2 at SUNSET SOUND by ART TRIPP, engineered by JERRY HANSEN. Larry's unaccompanied songs were recorded at Sunset and in the basement of the LOG CABIN. The monologues were recorded at Sunset. THE TASTER and CIRCLE are accompanied by multiple over-dub tracks which I manufactured. MERRY-GO-ROUND and SERRANO BEACH are accompanied by THE BIZARRE PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE. The MADNESS AND ECSTACY of the second half of SIDE ONE was a spontaneous recitation (he was making it all up in the studio, believe it or not) by MR. KIM FOWLEY and MR. RODNEY BINGENHEIMER, assisted in spots by the GTO'S (Girls Together Outrageously). The girl's voice at the end of side one belongs to MISS JOHNA, who was, at one time, Larry's girl friend. The percussion was added later on another session.

Please listen to this album several times before you decide whether or not you like it or what Wld Man Fischer is all about. He has something to say to you, even though you might not want to hear it.

     -Frank Zappa   {w/Wild Man}  Back to story...
*AUTHOR'S NOTE:  The inner spread of this album's gatefold sleeve is a Cal Schenkel assemblage of images, credits, tracklist and the above comment by FZ. Within this layout is a hand-drawn 'celebrity' chart by Fischer. Wild Man asked that his chart be included [A thumbnail image of it is included below]

'Wild Man' seemed to think that this insert would clarify much of his original material appearing in the grooves of this double disc album.
WARNING: Don't waste too much time attempting to find any sense in it. Instead of clarification, it provides the same scattered nonsense as Fischer's "songs".

Whether it's Mr. Zappa's inability to spot, or his refusal to promote, commercially viable talent, this album surpasses the GTO's "Permanent Damage" album in terms of nonsense, raising the obvious question:
"Was Frank Zappa just finding projects that were obviously done as low-budget 'write-offs' for his Bizarre Records label, perhaps to cover expenses he previously owed the parent label?
Or perhaps...Did he think that the low -but not bad- sales of "Freak Out" signaled a new "freak" market eager for such nonsense? Only Herb Cohen really knows!
 Whatever the case, a click on the above thumbnail for a clarification of Wild Man Fischer's mind set & thought process, will save the reader hours of wasted time spent listening to this album.

Larry "Wild Man" Fischer - "The Man"
Larry Fischer, aka Wild Man Fischer and other names was born Lawrence Wayne Fischer, on November 6, 1945, in Los Angeles. Fischer was institutionalized twice, while still in his teens, for attacking several members of his family. The docters diagnosed him as having the mental disorders, paranoid schizophrenia and manic depression. When he was finally released from the mental hospital for the second time, Larry was forced to live on the streets, where he found Hollywood, especially the Sunset Strip, the most receptive (AKA tolerent) area for a man of his talents.
He originally stayed with a number of his old friends, but his aggresive behavior, violent mood swings, and tendency to throw things in fits of frustration, often resulted in very short stays, and he soon ran out of his short list of tolerant friends.

Fischer was now a 'bona-fide' street person, who tried to avoid pan handling by making up songs that he would sing for tourists and other passerbys for 10 cents. It was during this period that Frank Zappa 'discovered'  him, singing outside Canter's Coffee Shop in the wee hours of morning. The big record company tycoon signed him up {see} and 'Wild Man' found a career.
Alas, this tale doesn't have the 'storybook happy ending', as the last paragraph presents. Naturally, the album wasn't a 'blockbuster' seller, resulting in Wild Man's return to '10 cents a song' Sunset concert performances. Worse, Fischer flew into one of his frustration rages while at the Zappa's family home, narrowly missing little 'Moon' Zappa when he began throwing things.
Frank Zappa finally recognized the potential for disaster from this dangerous 'Wild Man', and cut all ties with Fischer, refusing to have anything more to do with his 'troubled artist'.