Chuck E. Weiss

Chuck E. Weiss (March 18, 1945 - July 20, 2021) was an American musician, vocalist and actor.

He appeared in a few episodes of Married... with Children during the third and forth season

Early Life[]

Born and raised in Denver, Colorado, Chuck's taste in music was influenced by his parents record collection as well as the local blues scene. He took up drumming and by the time he was a teenager, had begun to perform with legendary blues musician, Lightnin' Hopkins, after filling in on drums during a local gig. By the late 1960s, he was going on tour with Hopkins, and found himself performing and/or recording with the likes of Willie Dixon, Muddy Waters, Dr. John, and Rodger Miller.

Music Career[]

Weiss' first credited releases are on Tom Waits records, and the two acts – close friends after meeting when Waits played at the Denver nightclub, Ebbetts Field, where Weiss played in the house band in the early 1970s – would continue to be associated from the rest of Weiss' career. Weiss co-wrote Spare Parts 1 on Wait's Nighthawks at the Diner, while being namechecked in another song. Chuck was referred to in Tom Waits' song title "Jitterbug Boy (Sharing a Curbstone with Chuck E. Weiss, Robert Marchese, Paul Body and The Mug and Artie)" and in other lyrics from the Small Change album. Weiss was the subject of Rickie Lee Jones's hit song "Chuck E.'s In Love", from her 1979 debut album. 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 Rockats, Stray Cats, Black Flag, Frank Zappa and others.

Weiss's first album, The Other Side of Town, was released in 1981, a short album whose eight tracks clocked in at just 24 minutes, produced by a team previously associated with Joe Cocker. Weiss was associated with Los Angeles and Southern California for years, which he explained by saying he does not like to travel by airplane, in truth his cult of celebrity amongst Hollywood socialites stemmed from his prominent playing in various house bands along Sunset Strip through the 1970s and 1980s. Weiss played for 11 years on Mondays at a club called "The Central" before it fell on hard times. Weiss and his friend Johnny Depp, were instrumental in resuscitating it as the Viper Room, which later became notorious when River Phoenix died there in 1993. Weiss was featured on the 1990 album L.A. Ya Ya, a compilation of performances by Los Angeles–based blues artists. In 1995, Weiss played on P's self-titled album. The band featured Gibby Haynes of the Butthole Surfers and actor Johnny Depp.

Weiss released his second album, Extremely Cool, in 1999, featuring extensive collaboration with Tony Gilkyson, JJ Holiday, and Tom Waits, who co-produced the album for his long-time acquaintance, Waits plays guitar across the album, and co-wrote two tracks, re-recording one of the songs Rains on me for the Free The West Memphis 3 benefit album the following year. The style is heavily reminiscent of Waits, both in composition and vocal approach. Either could have influenced the other. The opening track, "Devil With Blue Suede Shoes", was produced by Johnny Depp and featured Toby Dammit on drums. It was used in Depp's film, The Brave, in which Weiss also played a minor role. Willie Dixon was quoted on the original packaging of Extremely Cool as saying, "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." Extremely Cool makes reference to Canter's Kibitz Room, a small nightclub in a larger deli in Los Angeles's Fairfax District, where Weiss also played habitually. His regular band was called The Goddamn Liars.

Weiss' next album after Extremely Cool, Old Souls & Wolf Tickets, was released in 2001. It was also produced by Gilkyson and is perhaps less reminiscent of Tom Waits and more redolent of Delta blues acts decades older. "Down the Road a Piece," from Old Souls & Wolf Tickets, is a 1970 recording of the Weiss and Willie Dixon playing together. In 2006, Weiss released the album 23rd & Stout, an album more reminiscent of Waits's 1980s 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. In 2013, Weiss wrote and recorded "Anthem for Old Souls" for the Sea shanty-compilation Son of Rogues Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs & Chanteys (2013). In 2014, Weiss released Red Beans and Weiss, on the Anti- label.

Acting Career[]

Besides music, he also had a few acting roles on shows such as Brotherly Love, Down by the Shore, and Gilmore Girls.

Appearances on MWC[]

He appeared on MWC during the second and fourth seasons in mostly uncredited minor roles.

He makes an uncredited appearance as the street dealer who has Marcy's Barbie and Steve and Al negotiate with him for her return in "Guys and Dolls".

In the third season, he has a brief uncredited cameo as one of the passengers who notices Al and Peg as they make their way into the first class area in "The Gypsy Cried"

In the fourth season, he had a recurring role as the bum, a homeless character who typically appeared whenever a Bundy became depressed

In "Oh, What a Feeling", he takes pity on Al as he stares at the car he couldn't afford and gives him a dollar.

In "Rock and Roll Girl", Kelly starts feeling like she might not be slutty enough for the audition to be in the Guttercats' new music video. The bum walks in and asks for some spare change and after a moment, she convinces another girl that he's actually the drummer for the Guttercats. After whispering in his ears about what she'd do for a chance at being a video slut, he happily runs off with the girl.

In "Peggy Made a Little Lamb", after Peg finds out that she didn't finish high school after failing home economics, Al comes back to the house with the bum to show her that she doesn't need a diploma to be important, The bum asks for some spare change, which Al and the kids laugh at Pegg,

Death[]

Weiss passed away on July 20, 2021 at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles, California at the age of 76. While his brother told the New York Times that he had died from kidney failure^[1], several other articles said that he had died from cancer and had been dealing with the disease for some time.^[2]^[3] He was a lifelong bachelor and had no children. His funeral was held at Feldman Mortuary in Denver, Colorado on July 26 and was livestreamed. He is buried at Congregation Emanuel Cemetery in Denver, Colorado.

He is survived by his brother Byron "Whizzy" Weiss and his two nephews, Andy and Brett Weiss.