Music referencing Bill Hicks

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Hicks, as depicted on inlay of the album Ænima by the band Tool.
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Hicks, as depicted on inlay of the album Ænima by the band Tool.

The American satirist and stand-up comedian Bill Hicks has had a far-ranging influence upon later artists. Music referencing Bill Hicks includes works in a wide variety of genres. Devotees of Hicks have incorporated his words, image and attitude into their own creations. Thanks to the technologies which enable audio sampling, fragments of Bill Hicks rants, diatribes, social criticisms and philosophies have found their way into many musical works.

[edit] Dedication

  • The American band Tool called him "another dead hero" in the inlay of their album Ænima, accompanied by a drawing of the man himself and a dedication. The songs "Ænema" and "Third Eye" are based on his philosophy. While "Ænema"'s lyric "learn to swim, I'll see you down in Arizona Bay", was inspired by Hicks' distaste for Los Angeles, the latter contains samples of his comedy (which are ambiguously related to the theme of the song, judging by the lyrical references to hallucinogenics). The lenticular casing of Ænima also shows California falling into the sea. They also thanked him on their album Undertow, which led to Tool's singer Maynard James Keenan becoming friends with him.
  • The UK rap-metal band One Minute Silence named two of their songs, "It's Just A Ride" and "If I Can Change" after some of Hicks' work. The former was taken from the end of the Bill Hicks Revelations special in which Hicks proclaims that life is "just a ride".
  • Welsh singer/songwriter Jem's tribute "Just A Ride" is inspired from the Bill Hicks "just a ride" speech on Revelations.
  • The Kleptones song "Last Words (A Tribute)" is also inspired from the "just a ride" speech on the Bill Hicks Revelations special.
  • British band The Bluetones named their EP Marblehead Johnson after the band that was comprised of Bill Hicks, Pat Brown, Kevin Booth and Curt Booth. The song "Chicks Dig Jerks", with Hicks on vocals, is billed as Marblehead Johnson and appears on Relentless and Rant In E-Minor. A collection of songs by Marblehead Johnson was available on CD but is currently out of print.
  • The vocalist of British experimental metal band Sikth, Mikee Goodmann, stated in the liner notes for their album The Trees Are Dead And Dried Out (Wait For Something Wild) that the line "Instead of fighting, why not feed and clothe the poor?" in the song "Skies of Millennium Night" on that album was taken from a Bill Hicks routine.
  • Acoustic punk singer-songwriter Hammel On Trial's album Choochtown closes with two tracks celebrating Bill Hicks, hypothesising the comedian's ascension to the afterlife, where his stand-up career continues.
  • English born singer-songwriter Charlie Dore's song "When Bill Hicks Died" is a tribute to Bill Hicks. The song also features a sample of a Bill Hicks routine.
  • American hip-hop group Jedi Mind Tricks reference Hicks in their song "Gutta Music", with rapper Vinnie Paz stating "I got the spirit of Bill Hicks inside of me".
  • The Levellers single "Julie" is dedicated to Bill Hicks.
  • Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher paid tribute to Hicks in interview, stating that the comedian would be invited to his 'fantasy dinner party'.
  • Guitarist Justin Shekoski of the California Post-Hardcore band Saosin has the phrase "Listen to Bill Hicks" on his guitars.

[edit] Sampling

  • UK based DJ Adam Freeland sampled Bill Hicks in his 2003 single We Want Your Soul. Freeland samples "You are free to do as we tell you" from Hicks' Revelations special and "Go back to bed America, your government is in control again. Here, here's 'American Gladiators', watch this, shut up." from Rant in E-Minor.
  • British band Pitchshifter sampled Hicks on their track "You are Free (To Do As We Tell You)".
  • Welsh band Super Furry Animals sampled Hicks proclaiming "all governments are liars and murderers" on their live version of "The Man Don't Give A Fuck". Their song "God! Show Me Magic" is about Hicks.
  • Fila Brazillia sampled a part of Hicks' act regarding marketers and advertisers (similar to the one on his Arizona Bay album) in their song "6 Ft. Wasp" off of their album Maim That Tune. Fila Brazillia also dedicated that album "to the memory of Bill Hicks".
  • Punk rock band Unwritten Law sampled the Bill Hicks quote "By the way, if anyone here is in marketing or advertising... kill yourself." in their song "Armageddon Singalong", on the Fat Wreck Chords compilation Short Music for Short People.
  • The Netherlands hardcore band Shikari uses a Bill Hicks sample from the routine about Satan granting talentless musicians and actors careers.
  • Psy-trance artists G.M.S. include a quote from Hicks on psychedelic experiences challenging one's assumptions on truth, in their track "Surreal Killer (The Dopplegang)".
  • Electronic artists Two Lone Swordsmen released an EP in 1999 called A Virus with Shoes, a reference to one of Bill Hicks's descriptions for the human race.
  • New Orleans based acid/shoegaze group Lorenzo's Tractor have opened up their song "Gossamer" with an except from a Hicks sketch about getting high and jumping out of a window.
  • Hip Hop artist TOPR (strangeface/Earthlings/Gurp City) wrote a whole album entitled "Cheap Laughs for Dead Comedians" dedicated to the memory of Bill Hicks as well as other deceased comics. He samples Hicks on multiple tracks.
  • Grindcore supergroup Lock Up featuring Tomas Lindberg (ex-At The Gates),Jesse Pintado(Napalm Death),Shane Embury (Napalm Death), and Nicolas Barker (ex-Cradle of Filth,ex-Dimmu Borgir) sample Bill Hicks from his appearance at the 1991 International Comedy Festival in Canada on the opening track for their 2nd album,"Hate Breeds Suffering".
  • Australian hiphop group Nick Sweepah & Aux One include a track dedicated to Hicks on their self-titled EP of 2005.
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