The Kids of Widney High | |
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Origin | Los Angeles, California, United States |
Genres | Ska punk, Rock, outsider music |
Years active | 1988-present |
Labels | Rounder Records, Ipecac Recordings, Moonman Records |
Associated acts | Faith No More, Kid Cudi, Nirvana, Jackson Browne, Mr. Bungle, Fantomas |
Website | kidsofwidneyhigh.com |
The Kids of Widney High is a music group composed of mentally disabled students from the special education J. P. Widney High School in Los Angeles, California.
The band consists of mentally and physically challenged students on vocals, with the instruments played by non-handicapped teachers and friends. The group originally began as a song-writing class in 1988 taught by Michael Monagan, and has evolved since into two groups, one made up of graduates that performs in local clubs and the other a group of current Widney students in the songwriting class.
The group gained a cult following, primarily thanks to their frequent live performances at larger Los Angeles venues like The Knitting Factory and Amoeba Music, as well as smaller venues such as Chain Reaction in Anaheim and The Smell in downtown LA. As a result, the group often plays 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, Fantômas, and Mr. Bungle, and have been included on several editions of the Kevin and Bean's KROQ Christmas Albums. Their first CD was on Rounder Records, their second CD was on Ipecac Records (Mike Patton's label), and their third and fourth CDs are on Moonman Records. Such notable musicians as Kurt Cobain, Smokey Robinson, Jackson Browne, Marilyn Manson, and Adam Horovitz have all cited themselves as fans of the band. [1]