Chuck E. Weiss is an American songwriter and vocalist.
He grew up in Denver, Colorado, where his parents owned a record store (Record Center). Through his parents, and by spending time at the local blues bar Ebbett's Field, he met Lightnin' Hopkins. Lightnin' was impressed with his drum playing and took him on tour, where Weiss had the opportunity to play with Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Roger Miller, Dr. John, and others.
Music
During the period of 1966-1974, Weiss spent all his time in a room at the Sherman Plaza Apartments at 901 Sherman in Denver, CO without leaving.
Weiss released the album Extremely Cool in 1999, featuring extensive collaboration with Tony Gilkyson and Tom Waits, who co-produced the album for his longtime acquaintance (they met in 1972 at Ebbett's Field, where Weiss played in the house band) and appears on at least two tracks. The style is heavily reminiscent of Waits, both in composition and vocal approach. Either could have influenced the other.
Old Souls and Wolf Tickets was released in early 2002, also produced by Gilkyson, perhaps less reminiscent of Tom Waits and more redolent of Delta blues acts decades older. Weiss's music includes strains of every rhythmic style from nursery rhymes to zydeco.
Weiss was the subject of Rickie Lee Jones's hit "Chuck E.'s in Love" from her 1979 debut album, in which she claims "Chuck E." is in love with "the little girl who's singing this song" (though Jones says the song was fictional). At the time Jones was linked romantically to Tom Waits. All three lived in the Tropicana Hotel in Los Angeles, in the middle of a fertile musical scene including Levi and the Rocketts, Stray Cats, Black Flag, Frank Zappa and others. Playwright Sam Shepard lived at the Tropicana at the same time.
Weiss is referred to in Tom Waits titles and lyrics from the album Small Change, as well as passing references on Nighthawks at the Diner.
Weiss has also played with legendary bassist Willie Dixon, who was quoted on the original packaging of Extremely Cool ("Ain't ya got ears son? That little Jew boy with the big old head be one of the best musicians in this town, this country even.") "Down the Road a Piece," from Old Souls & Wolf Tickets, is a 1970 recording of the two playing together.
Weiss says his biggest musical idol is Louis Jordan.
In 2006, Weiss released the album 23rd & Stout, an album more reminiscent of Waits's 80s output, featuring an exploration of many blues and rumba styles, as well as a tribute to Sterling Holloway, entitled "Sho' Is Cold". Also featured is long time friend, and collaborator Diablo Dimes.
Weiss has been associated with Los Angeles and Southern California for years, saying he does not like to travel by airplane. Weiss played 11 years of Mondays at a club called the Central before it fell on hard times. Weiss and his friend Johnny Depp (who was executive producer on the first track on Extremely Cool) were instrumental in resuscitating it as the Viper Room, which later became notorious when River Phoenix died there in 1993. Extremely Cool makes reference to Canter's Kibitz Room, a small nightclub in a larger diner in Los Angeles's Fairfax District, where Weiss has also played habitually. His regular band is called The G-d Damn Liars. He lives in the area under the Hollywood sign, and can be seen walking briskly along Franklin boulevard, just a few miles from the old Tropicana.
Sources
External links
