I’m a teacher of the severely handicapped in the LA public schools, and in the fall of 1987 I set up a songwriting class to see if the kids I was teaching at Widney High could write songs. The class was made up of students who all were developmentally disabled and had a variety of conditions. Most of them had behavior problems as well. I was amazed as the kids poured their emotions into the project and day after day created the ideas that are contained in this album. – Michael Monagan

The Kids of Widney High weren’t originally intended to be a grassroots pop cultural phenomenon. At first it was a way for special education teacher Michael Monagan to introduce his class of severely handicapped high school students to a sort of art therapy in songwriting. It evolved into something far larger, leaving many to question the intentions of those associated with its wide-scale distribution. In 1989, Monagan and a set of professional session musicians and studio engineers teamed up with his students to record a series of songs. It was designed to showcase the potential of Mongan’s class and perhaps serve as a model for other teachers of the developmentally disabled.

The resulting 1989 release, Special Music for Special Kids is remarkably well-produced, although it does suffer from the ills of the era in it’s somewhat tacky 80’s sound. You can tell from listening that those involved in the project took it seriously, the upshot being a fun and listenable album. It was designed and marketed as a record for young children and you can hear this in it’s presentation, but it later scored considerable success with curiosity seekers among the general public. It attracted everyone from immature teenagers seeking something different from the pop milieu of the late 80’s to experimental musicians who loved the raw, unpretentious feel. Predictably, it also worked wonders for the students themselves, many of whom were reported to have remarkable breakthroughs with self-esteem and confidence. There is however an unfortunate exploitative feel to the album as a whole, the songs are not created purely by the disabled students after all, the hi-tech production clashes with the naive and untrained vocals.

Ten years later, the original songwriters had come and gone, but the kids of Widney High were still making music with teacher Mike Monagan still leading their way. In 1999, they were invited to support Mike Patton’s experimental metal group Mr. Bungle for a few California tour dates. The same year, they released another album, Let’s Get Busy on Patton’s new label, Ipecac. With a post-grunge feel, it mirrors the transition from sugarcoated pop to a rockier character which the American youth experienced through the 90’s. People were suspicious of the label’s motives as Patton is infamous for his nefarious sense of humour. Ipecac would say that eccentricity is what unites the roster of bands including the Melvins, and Patton’s own various left-field side projects. With the label he seems to bring together musicians who fit in nowhere else.

From Patton himself: “The students have written songs that reflect their experiences growing up disabled in the exciting but unforgiving city of Los Angeles. The topics of their songs range from the fear we all have visiting the doctor to a way to vocalize how to stand up for what they think is right, by rewriting the lyrics to “Respect” transforming it into an anthem for those with disabilities. The kids bring an honesty to the songs that is pure and refreshing and real. Being part of the music industry can make one tired and jaded about music and life in general. Bands and labels throw around fake sales figures and chart positions and keep thousands of attorneys in business, battling each other. Radio stations accept payola for pushing putrid pablum on a brain dead public. So called music magazines take money from high priced PR firms for plastering has been heroin addicts all over their pages. The Kids of Widney High is unaffected by any of that crap. These kids make music that is real. These kids make music for the joy of it. It is a tribute to these kids and their teachers! We started Ipecac for this very reason, because we love music.”

Their latest release is Act Your Age on Moon Man Records and if you’ve ever wondered what mentally challenged high school students think of the political climate in Cuba then this is the record for you. There is no debating that the Kids of Widney High love making music for the right reasons – the enthusiasm shines through in all their recordings. Despite the obvious changes to their lineup as their members pass through adolescence, out of high school and into adulthood, they continue to tour infrequently in Southern California. We’ve put up that original album for your listening pleasure and you can download it here. But take a look at their online store where they’ve had the initiative to release a graphic novel all about their musical adventures.

YOU BETTER WATCH OUT OR THE INSECTS WILL GET YOU!

Download – Special Music for Special Kids

Ipecac Records

Kids of Widney High – Official Site

Tags: California, Children, Disabled, Download, Ipecac, Melvins, Mike Patton, Outsider

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