The Kids of Widney High
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The Kids of Widney High are a music group comprised of handicapped students from the special education J. P. Widney High School in Los Angeles, California. The band consists of several (typically mentally) disabled students on vocals, with the instruments usually being played by non-handicapped teachers and session musicians. The group originally began as a song-writing class in 1988 taught by Michael Monagan, and has evolved since.
The motives behind the formation and also the popularity of the band are sometimes questioned, with the OC Weekly posing the question, "are people laughing with them or laughing at them?"
The group gained a cult following, primarily thanks to their frequent live performances at such "hip" Los Angeles venues like The Knitting Factory and Amoeba Music, as well as their association with southern California based ska band, The Aquabats. As a result, the group often plays (seemingly mismatched) at a number of ska and pop punk shows, including a stint on the Vans Warped Tour. The group has also opened for The Melvins and Mr. Bungle, and have been included on several editions of the Kevin and Bean's KROQ Christmas Albums. Such notable musicians as Smokey Robinson, Jackson Browne, Marilyn Manson and Adam Horovitz have all cited themselves as fans of the band. [1]
Yo, Check Out This Ride!, a 2004 EP by The Aquabats, featured a cover of a KOWH song, titled "Throw Away the Trash."
In 2005, The Kids of Widney High were featured in the The Ringer, a comedy wherein Johnny Knoxville's character pretends to be mentally disabled in order to fix the Special Olympics and gain financially through betting on it. The group is seen performing "Pretty Girls" (which was also written by several members of the group) at a party, and again towards the end of the film singing a version of the popular 1960s song, "Respect" in which the lyrics have been rewritten so that it becomes an anthem for those with disabilities.
A documentary titled The Kids of Widney High (previous working title, 8th Wonder) directed by Rana Joy Glickman was released in May 2006. [2]
[edit] Discography
- Special Music from Special Kids (1989) Rounder Records
- Let's Get Busy (1999) Ipecac Records
- Act Your Age (2003) Sossity Music
